120+ proof help

[T Comp]

The alcohol seems to bother some and not others. I drink everything at bottle proof and find that water only takes away from the flavor. It's just a personal preference.

There seems to be somewhat of a correlation between handling spicy food and high proof bourbon, but it's still just my theory.

I think you're onto something with your theory. My spicy food/hot sauce tolerance is down from my younger days and 107 proof is now pretty much my max... I even add a few water drops to that 114 proof elixer of the gods you know a bit about :grin:.

[GaryT]

I LOVE high proof bourbon I think in part because it is like a Transformer. If I want it hot and bold, I can sip it neat - but if I add just a bit of water and let it work its magic, it changes. And a bit more - it changes again! With a lower proof bourbon, I find that a bit of water may still open it up, but there are way fewer levels before it loses my interest.

Having said all that, I prefer the small sip/neat method with higher proofs, with maybe just a few drops of water. The first time I took a sip of GTS neat and held it for 20 seconds, I was just floored!

Absolutely nothing wrong with adding water to high proof bourbon. I look at it like "Hey, this is MY bourbon, so if I enjoy it with water - I'm doing it! Hell, if I want to mix it with ginger ale, I'm doing it!" There aren't any rules . . . and as Joe often says, if you ain't having fun - you're doing it wrong.

[ILLfarmboy]

Addition to above, I've been drinking bourbon for 40+ years and over time I've used less water and have enjoyed higher proofed bourbons.

Wow, I'm just a pup............40+ years ago I wasn't even cutting my own food. :cool:

Sorry, Will, I couldn't resist.

[smknjoe]

If the burn of drinking it neat seems to be a bit much, I will take small sips and let the drink go all of the way down before inhaling. The method works for overly bitter IPAs as well.

[unclebunk]

I LOVE high proof bourbon I think in part because it is like a Transformer. If I want it hot and bold, I can sip it neat - but if I add just a bit of water and let it work its magic, it changes. And a bit more - it changes again! With a lower proof bourbon, I find that a bit of water may still open it up, but there are way fewer levels before it loses my interest.

Having said all that, I prefer the small sip/neat method with higher proofs, with maybe just a few drops of water. The first time I took a sip of GTS neat and held it for 20 seconds, I was just floored!

Absolutely nothing wrong with adding water to high proof bourbon. I look at it like "Hey, this is MY bourbon, so if I enjoy it with water - I'm doing it! Hell, if I want to mix it with ginger ale, I'm doing it!" There aren't any rules . . . and as Joe often says, if you ain't having fun - you're doing it wrong.

Too right, Gary. Drink it whichever way suits you, especially when tackling the super high proof whiskeys. Things like GTS and WLW can reveal all sorts of new flavors/aromas with the addition of small amounts of water after a few initial sips neat.

[SMOWK]

The only wrong way to drink whiskey is letting someone else tell you how to drink it.

[unclebunk]

The only wrong way to drink whiskey is letting someone else tell you how to drink it.

How very true. Except for when my neanderthal friend attempted to mix PVW15 with Coke and was body checked into the wall by my cousin before committing the evil deed.:grin:

[Halifax]

It also helps for the whiskey to be exceptional when drinking at BP.

[oke&coke]

How very true. Except for when my neanderthal friend attempted to mix PVW15 with Coke and was body checked into the wall by my cousin before committing the evil deed.:grin:

Now that is just wrong.

[smknjoe]

You're lucky to have such a thoughtful cousin

[unclebunk]

You're lucky to have such a thoughtful cousin

Don't I know it. This particular friend is a high consumption-type character who was happy as a clam when we gave him VOB BIB with tons of ice and a can of Coke. But you've got to draw the line somewhere and mine was at PVW15. Strange, this whiskey drinkin' world of ours.

[smknjoe]

Don't I know it. This particular friend is a high consumption-type character who was happy as a clam when we gave him VOB BIB with tons of ice and a can of Coke. But you've got to draw the line somewhere and mine was at PVW15. Strange, this whiskey drinkin' world of ours.

When I was into high consumption I would have never mixed it. I would have stuck the bottle in my mouth and turned it upside down and may have left you with a little backwash by accident.

[HP12]

The only wrong way to drink whiskey is letting someone else tell you how to drink it.

A very profound statement and very true!

...Except for when my neanderthal friend attempted to mix PVW15 with Coke and was body checked into the wall by my cousin before committing the evil deed.:grin:

At least there was an observant individual who took a responsible stance and provided intervention to prevent the blasphemous libel act!

[Flyfish]

I tend not to use water or ice, either. I just take smaller sips and roll it around longer as was previously posted. I will on occasion add a few drops of room temperature water but this is more a function of seeing if it will "open up" any flavors from a whiskey that I haven't tried before.

Bourbons at less than barrel proof I first sip neat, then with a drop of water, and perhaps then on the rocks. With 120+ I just take small sips neat because I want to get everything they have to offer. Then I might add a single drop of water just to open up, not to reduce the proof. Ice has never touched any of my higher proof bourbons. For me, those big boys are for "tasting," not for "drinking."

[squire]

As a host I have an obligation to my guests and if they don't care for the taste of straight whisky (most don't) I see they are provided with what they like.

If I didn't want them to drink Pappy with a mixer I wouldn't hand it to them in the first place. If I did I wouldn't presume to instruct them how to drink it.

[Special Reserve]

Wow, I'm just a pup............40+ years ago I wasn't even cutting my own food. :cool:

Sorry, Will, I couldn't resist.

I should have said I've been drinking bourbon legally for 40+ years. I probably sampled from my dad's stash 50 years ago.