Thoughts on impact of water to taste?

[darylld911]

Just curious what everyone's experience has been with regards to the type of water impacting the taste of bourbon. Conventional (?) wisdom is to use "pure" water, and like a lemming I bought a bunch of bottled "pure" water for cutting my drams without experimenting to see if I could taste the difference. Have folks tried different types of water and found a difference? And if so, any difference between how wheaters, rye-bourbons, and rye whiskies are impacted (maybe it has more of an effect on some over others)? I know this may differ from person to person, but just curious (as JayMonster unveiled that they have "triple filtered reverse osmosis flown at mach 5 water", and I want to get my bids in on eBay before the prices skyrocket!)

[Enoch]

I have even wondered if the distilleries use distilled or RO pure water when they cut their whiskey. On the Heaven Hill tour, they said Bourbon and branch should always be done with distilled water. Personally, I think it depends on the water. Here in Columbia, we have great water thanks to a very clay rich lake, and I cannot really tell the difference between RO, distilled or tap water. My step-daughter lives in Williamsburg, VA and I cannot stand the water so I purchase RO to use up there.

[Rutherford]

It's worth mentioning that the limestone in KY water gives them hard water, with lots of Calcium/Magnesium salts but little iron. This is the type of water used to cut bourbon traditionally as bourbon's flavor profile has evolved and developed.

This is effectively the opposite of osmosis filtered or distilled water in terms of character.

[jeanraulmitchell]

I wash my glass out with tap water and dry it with a paper towel after I drink the bourbon out of it.

[OscarV]

I wash my glass out with tap water and dry it with a paper towel after I drink the bourbon out of it.

That's my extinct in using water.
I will put an ice cube in something every now and then.
But never in a wheater.

[tmckenzie]

It's worth mentioning that the limestone in KY water gives them hard water, with lots of Calcium/Magnesium salts but little iron. This is the type of water used to cut bourbon traditionally as bourbon's flavor profile has evolved and developed.

This is effectively the opposite of osmosis filtered or distilled water in terms of character.

Distilleries that I know of, including us, use ro or di water to cut with. Calcium and magnesium will precipitate out of the whiskey in the bottle.

[ebo]

I wash my glass out with tap water and dry it with a paper towel after I drink the bourbon out of it.

Me too. Other than that, I'm strictly a "neat" guy.

[JayMonster]

Distilleries that I know of, including us, use ro or di water to cut with. Calcium and magnesium will precipitate out of the whiskey in the bottle.

Well that makes for a real myth busters moment. Don't most Kentucky Distillers brag about the limestone water?!?

[Lazer]

I wash my glass out with tap water and dry it with a paper towel after I drink the bourbon out of it.

I did that too but I found that the paper towel left a starchy residue in the glass which totally ruined the whiskey so now I just take a swig from the bottle.

[JB64]

I wash my glass out with tap water and dry it with a paper towel after I drink the bourbon out of it.

I do the exact same thing but after reading in Whisky Advocate about how adding a little water to whiskey brings out different flavors I thought it would give it a try. I am planning on using bottled spring water.