who "cuts" their whiskey?

[T47]

I pretty much drink it neat. Once in a rare while with ice, or a splash of water. When I am feeling really creative I will try the same pour in a variety of ways. I have added ice, a splash of water, hot water, or just heated up the glass over very hot water...like Brandy I guess. Personally when I have heated it in one way or another the biggest change is in the nose...it really seems to intensify it for me.
But most of the time I like it neat. Just heated up in my hand as I sit back and relax.

[JRomain]

Personally I think the whiskey totally dictates what it needs. For example there is not a Van Winkle that I've added water too and found any improvement, but last night I was drinking Willett Estate Rye and found it to be way too harsh straight; however upon adding enough water to proof it down to maybe 110 it opened up and was truly an exceptional whiskey.

Plain and simple if it seems tight or constrained, splash some water in and see what happens, but not too much!

I ain't going to pretend to know much about scotch, but am pretty sure most are already lower proofs than typical bourbon, i.e. they run closer to 80 proof than 100; therefore watering it down would probably make it even worse.

Diluting the whisk(e)y will not necessarily lessen the harshness. For instance, WT RR 90 is far harsher than the RR 101.

[JRomain]

I generally cut anything above 107 proof. How much? "A splash" is as close as I can come to defining it.

As for whether or not water "opens it up," Jim Murray and others who drink a lot of both American and Scottish whiskey say that American whiskey is already so "in your face" that water has little effect in that regard. I'll take their word for it. I don't drink enough scotch to be able to compare. Also, they say that if you're adding water to "open it up," you only need a drop or two. Obviously, that doesn't lower the proof significantly.

\
And tha's the key. Adding water is NEVER to dilute the spirit, but rather to unlock those bonds.

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I usually don't cut my whiskey unless I am making a cocktail with almost always means a manhattan though I do have a bourbon and coke once in a while.

One whiskey that I do often cut is the Thomas Handy. I just like it better at a lower proof. I get more of the cinnamon note that way for one thing. Maybe I should experiment more. I doubt that I would have noticed this with the Handy if it hadn't been for the bottle of Baby Saz I had open at the same time.

Ed

[scopenut]

I used to drink bourbon almost exclusively on ice, now almost exclusively neat. I guess I'm drinking better bourbon

-Kevin

[doubleblank]

This thread reminds me of one of the funniest lines I ever heard at the Gazebo. From our own Ed....AKA.....Pepcycle.....Bourbonian of the Year 2005.

"If these guys added water or ice to their bourbons, you'd think they were comitting ego suicide." Nuff siad.

Some whiskeys do taste better with a little water or ice. But drink it any way you like it all.

Randy

[mbanu]

Cutting my bourbon with ungodly amounts of water (usually cut it down to wine strength) is my main method of drinking it. Love the stuff, especially made with barrel-proof bourbon.

[RoyalWater]

A Scottish relative introduced me to cutting whiskey with water. She said that the practise is common among Scotch drinkers. I like to add water as it does indeed reveal the characteristics of the beverage better. I would never add more than half a shot of water to a shot of liquor. Bars tend to over-dilute the liquor, especially if ordered with soda (which I also like). Someone also mentioned changing the temperature of the beverage. Temperature is something I have also experimented with. Even bad bourbon is drinkable when chilled to a temperature suitable for beer. On the other hand, heating bourbon intensifies its fire. What I like best is to add cool (not cold) water to room temperature bourbon.

[jburlowski]

Some whiskeys do taste better with a little water or ice. But drink it any way you like it all.

Randy

I couldn't agree more... to each his own. There is simply no one right way to drink bourbon.