with or without ice?

2
  • kroman Member Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
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     Lord above have mercy on the people who created the honey, maple and cinnamon flavoured Bourbons. Those should just not exist. 


    @Furinkazan

    Those "whiskies" go great as a hot toddy.  2 oz of fireball cinnamon whisky, cloves, honey, and an orange slice with some hot tea will help with a cold and get you nice and ready for bed!

  • [Deleted User] Joined: 26.08.2016Posts: 0CollectionEmpty Bottle ClubRatings: 160
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    Blended whisky, bourbon or anything thats been aged for less than 10 years can be had with ice or diluted with a teaspoon or two of chilled spring water. I've always considered bourbon and young whiskies, especially blended, to be too aggressive both on the nose and on the palate. In my opinion, anything below a 10 year maturation period is too short of a time for the casks to absorb the sting of the ethanol and replace it with the full bodied flavour of the oaks.

    The maturation rates for Scotch and bourbon are not comparable because the climates of the two regions are so different. While ten years might arguably be the minimum age for a quality Scotch, great bourbon (and rye) can be fully matured at a much younger age. Moreover, due to the extreme temperature variations inherent with Kentucky's seasons, leaving distillate in a barrel for over a decade can lead to an overly matured spirit whose flavor profile is too oak forward. In fact, some premium bourbons and ryes are aged no longer than six years. Most bourbon enthusiasts drink those whiskeys neat yet don't consider them to be harsh or lacking in flavor.
    I agree completely. But I follow this rule because I'm really not a huge fan of bourbon, it always strikes me as too aggressive on the palate and Lord above have mercy on the people who created the honey, maple and cinnamon flavoured Bourbons. Those should just not exist. So I normally just drink it with ice unless it makes a very good 'first impression' then I'd drink it neat. 



    Have you tried Jack Daniel's Single Barrel or George Dickel Barrel Select? If you find bourbon too aggressive, a good Tennessee whiskey might work for you. That extra step of filtering the new make through sugar maple charcoal has a significant impact on how the spirit matures. Of course, being from Tennessee, I might be biased. :smile:


    Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets. (Ron Swanson)
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  • Furinkazan Member Furinkazan Joined: 09.04.2017Posts: 8Ratings: 0
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    @kroman


    As a hot toddy or mixed with a cocktail is totally fine by me. I just can't stand it when people drink it neat straight from the glass. Call me picky or high strung but I seriously can't stomach a bottle of Tennessee honey or Jim Beam's Maple Bourbon. 

  • Noodles_2 Member Noodles_2 Joined: 23.03.2017Posts: 41CollectionThe Noodles CollectionRatings: 27
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    My understanding is that ice is more and more needed as ABV gets higher and higher. For drinks over 50%, it may not be comfortable to drink neat. Under 50%, ice should not be needed, but the truth is, it's about your own preference! Drink it how you most enjoy it, yeah?

  • kroman Member Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
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    @Noodles


    Nope.


    It's actually the  alcohol which is driving the aromas and flavors; higher ABV = more flavor.  By the way, in this context, I'm talking about ABV as is relates to "good", aged whisky, specifically single malt scotch.  Adding ice only stiffles the aromas and flavors.


    This 3 minute video from Charlie MacLean sums it up quite well:


  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    @Noodles


    at high strength, it would be preferable to add room temperature water, rather than ice as you will inevitably add too much ice, and the low temperature prevents the organic compound from evaporating which is what gives you the aroma.

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  • Noodles_2 Member Noodles_2 Joined: 23.03.2017Posts: 41CollectionThe Noodles CollectionRatings: 27
    , edited April 13 2017 at 3:03AM
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    @kroman I dare say it was Horst himself who suggested reducing a whisky down to 50% abv. I'd source the vid if I remembered which one it was... but I know he says NO ICE very emphatically in the "Whisky Tasting Episode 1" video.

    In any case, thanks for sharing that video!

  • kroman Member Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
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    Noodles said:

    @kroman I dare say it was Horst himself who suggested reducing a whisky down to 50% abv. 

    Sure, but with water, not with ice. Also keep in mind that Horst is reducing the whisky in part because he tastes multiple whiskies per session.  There are several videos where he won't add water to scotches greater that 50% if it's the last one of the day.  Interestingly, master blenders reduce their whisky as low the 30% when sampling their inventory...David Stewart comes to mind.

    Again, it's all about preference.  I like my Ardbeg Uigedail (54% abv) neat.  On the other hand, I prefer Balvenie 15 Sherry cask (48%) with a very healthy pour of water; I would guess many people are quite the opposite.

    Exploring these nuances is part of the journey that makes whisky tasting so much fun.  In my opinion, however, ice will take that journey to a screeching halt.




  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    don't confuse reducing abv with reducing TEMPERATURE.  reducing alcohol strength will release the organic compounds, but reducing temperature will in fact increase (all else being the same) the ability of a liquid to dissolve other compound.


    Also you can control how much water to add, but you can't control how much ice is going to melt into the dram.

  • Noodles_2 Member Noodles_2 Joined: 23.03.2017Posts: 41CollectionThe Noodles CollectionRatings: 27
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    @kroman @hwchoy Points taken and understood about the difference between using Ice and Water!

    Here, Horst talks about water dilution:

    "You always have to dilute high ABV whiskies to get the full potential out of your whisky. A few years ago, I diluted every whisky above 50% ABV. ...[Today,] above 52/53%. ...And those whiskies below this magical limit, I never dilute."


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