Bourbon and Branch - Opinions and Variations?

[Hawg73]

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.

[MarkEdwards]

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.

However, when to add water should be based on your taste preferences.

[Hawg73]

Personally, I think that adding water to bourbon does a horrible injustice to the bourbon.

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.

Thanks for the input.

[sailor22]

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.

[OscarV]

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.

100-105 is a bit to much water.
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