Are there any suggestions from some of the experienced bourbon men as when to add water or not? Is it based on proof? Filtering? I would appreciate any of your thoughts. Thanks.
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Are there any suggestions from some of the experienced bourbon men as when to add water or not? Is it based on proof? Filtering? I would appreciate any of your thoughts. Thanks.
Personally, I think that adding water to bourbon does a horrible injustice to the bourbon. :smiley_acbt:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawg73
However, when to add water should be based on your taste preferences.
I pretty much drink my bourbon neat now. Seems to work best for me as far as taste is concerned. Didn't know if water was something I should ry to expnd the taste profile.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkEdwards
Thanks for the input. :)
I find that just a few drops of water can very often open up or "expand the taste profile" of Bourbon - a little. Generally works best with pours over 90 proof, in fact I don't add water to anything with less than 86 proof.
I use spring water NOT chlorinated tap water. And really, just a few drops not a big squirt.
On some barrel proof Bourbons small amounts of water seem to help the nose blossom a bit and it seems to bring some of the taste elements into better balance.
I prefer to drink the big proof stuff like Geo Stagg with enough water added to bring it close to 100 - 105 proof. So the water accomplishes two things - brings the proof low enough so that I don't scorch my taste buds for future use and helps open up the juice.
No right way or wrong way - the above is just my opinion and as always your milage may vary. I know there a plenty of people on the board that don't agree with me.
100-105 is a bit to much water.Quote:
Originally Posted by sailor22
Remember that water was not in the barrel and that's where the majority of the flavor comes from.
Cutting it to 120-125 seems to do the trick for me