That whiskey material we wrote a while ago? Since technically it's still Xmas, here goes its second bit.
Part 2: Raise your glasses!
Glass
Every whisky drinker will tell you to get the Glencairn glass, which is especially designed for whisky tasting. It just hits the right parts of one’s taste buds. Much like a wine glass is designed to savor wine..
Yes, the Glencairn glass is nice, but for a casual whisky drinker there is really no need to spend $8 for such an item where a normal wine/water glass will do the job.
The tip is to have a glass with both a large bottom and a narrow opening on top. Such shape is the reason why all the nice whisky aroma is kept inside the glass and will be channeled and concentrated towards your nostrils.
Ice
Many gourmets will add ice to whisky. But rather than enhancing flavors, ice inhibits a drink’s taste. To put it shortly, it’ll turn dull and flat. The aromas and taste will only start to open up and reveal their full characteristics once the whisky starts to warm up to room temperature. So we don’t recommend to serve this kind of a beverage cold like a beer!
Yet once ice is added to a low quality whisky, it’ll calm the burn of cheap alcohol feeling. Therefore it can be done, but only for
low quality whisky, of £10 asking or even less. Such as this Tesco Reserve…. Enjoy…
An opposite analogy is with Japanese Sake, to drink it cold is to drink it right. Never taste the Sake hot unless the it’s of questionable quality or you are freezing and need a hot drink.
Water
The normal rule of thumb is as follows: don’t add water to whisky unless you are drinking cask strength whisky. This means the alcohol level of 50% or more. In this case, the alcohol percentage and burning sensation in your mouth (which unavoidably follows) can overpower even the most prominent flavours.
Most whisky sold (40-46% ABV) is not cask strength and already diluted with water, so you don’t want to add any amount of H2O again. But sometimes two or three drops of water can release further flavours and complexity and that’s exactly what you want. But to try it is to know.
If adding water, use a straw. Dip it in a glass of water, then seal its top with your finger. Next transfer the water in the straw to your glass with whisky and release. Do it a few drops every time. Small steps are advised in order to avoid watering down too much.
Yes, we are talking pipette levels of water drops.
We read that
Morrison Bowmore Distillers grasped the thorny topic and discovered that a little drop of water changed the look, the taste and the smell of the whisky.
Whisky Books
Last but not least, for those of you who wish to explore further, here are a few whisky connoisseur books from one of our preferred retailers. Yes, the one from whom we get the ‘occasional’ tipple.
https://www.masterofmalt.com/books/
They really know their whisky as just like good music, we are always on the lookout for new beverages to try!
This book, ‘101 Whiskies to Try Before you Die’ is one of our favourites. Nicely penned and very informative!
It is Christmas so we wish everyone a Merry Xmas and a happy new year. Drink in moderation (at least try!) and don’t drive! Get a taxi!
