POLL: How do you take your Bourbon/Scotch?

[Lost in China]

I have my bourbon on the rocks with water. I just can't deal with straight liquors burning their own pathway to my stomach. Doesn't matter what kind of alcohol it is, it burns. I find that adding water keeps the same taste, but just turns down the volume from 10 to 3.

Funny thing is around here, the mint julep has suddenly appeared on the menus of a lot of places. It's super-fancy, they use this ice mill to crush the ice, and then use a metal cup and freeze the ice to the side of the cup. So when you're drinking it, there's all this ice clinging to your cup. Kinda weird, but it is nice to have a cocktail that I like on the menu (never order a margarita in Asia, bleh).

Scotch, bleh. Bitter ashes. I've got a sweet tooth. Coal tar isn't on my list of yummy flavors.

[jayn]

I voted neat, because that is how I drink great Scotch or Bourbon. (Macallan 18 or better, Redbrest 12 or better are my favorites.)

I put 1 ice cube in good stuff. (Jameson, Bulleit and the like.)

Both usually with a beer back.

I drink a lot of cheap brown booze as well. For those I will go on the rocks, or even mix with Ginger Ale or Coke Depending on my mood.

[scorched_porch]

I drink a glass of Johnny Walker Black with a couple ice cubes every night. Just habit I guess. But If I was drinking a higher end 18 year old single malt it'd be neat with a couple of drops of water (preferably from the same source as the scotch - such as Two Lochs in Ardconnel for an Oban).

[kirikintha]

I wanted to touch on this a little, because so much of this about taste. I voted "neat" because so many times a bartender doesn't know *how* much water to put in. If you are doing it yourself, how diluted you like is up to you. I have had too many whiskeys served to me with water, so watered down that they destroy the beverage.

So - my current thinking is "neat" and a side of plain water. Add to taste.

I like this video, as he chats on one of my favs, but makes a great reviewer.

[smarkley]

"neat" and a side of plain water. ... VERY good idea! Basically is what I do at home. I never really know how much water it will take... maybe a teaspoon... maybe more

[BigBear]

Wow, what a great review. This guy really knows his stuff!

[ecowper]

Scotch - neat, taste, add a bit of water if needed.
Bourbon - on the rocks, about 50/50 bourbon and soda water
Rye - About 3 parts rye to 1 part soda water

Also, there's nothing better in the fall than a well made Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

[dkelaita]

I enjoy a smokey, peaty Islay single malt neat but a little chilled. I found these things called Whiskey Stones that are literal rock cubes about the size of dice. You keep them in the freezer and plop a few in a dram. It cools off the scotch without watering it down.

[fuzzydaddy]

Welcome aboard! We'd love to get an intro from you over in the Introduce Yourself channel when you get a minute. https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...troductions-aa Thanks!

[Thunder77]

Me too. I love Lagavullin, and Ardbeg.

[Shane Rakow]

Hillrock Estate for me, neat. Would be insulting to have it any other way.

[MBMorgan]

I take my bourbon like I take my scotch ... neat. Hold the bourbon. Just pour the scotch.

[boftx]

Depends on the whiskey. I take a blended Scotch on the rocks, but prefer a good single-malt neat. I usually take Bourbon on the rocks, but again, a really good one deserves neat.

[MacGuffin]

Bourbon on the rocks with a splash of water. But I've switched to rum over the last few years. A glass of Ron Zacapa 23 yr old on the rocks-with maybe a slice of lime- is just about heaven for me....

[Abom]

I read something about this subject a while ago and it claimed that whiskey, Scotch in particular was "supposed" to be drunk with just enough water to remove the burn, so that you can fully taste what you're drinking. I've tried it several ways, but I just prefer to drink everything straight.

[ecowper]

Since I could only pick one option, I didn't vote .... also, I've answered before, but thought I would add more detail. Cocktails are an art form and you should try the really good ones.

Single malts - a bit chilled, a bit of water .... so I usually toss a single ice cube in
Bourbon - either rocks and some club soda or in a Manhattan
Rye - a few rocks and some club soda or an Old Fashioned
Blended scotch - great for making cocktails, especially a Godfather, some of it is great for drinking just like I do single malts
Canadian and Irish - almost never drink them, but I should learn a bit about them

Cocktails - old fashioned, godfather, manhattan are pretty much my go to whiskey cocktails.

Old Fashioned - 3 oz rye, 1 sugar cube, couple dashes angostura bitters, splash of club soda, orange twist, one large ice cube

Method - put sugar cube in old fashioned glass, wet with bitters, crush a bit with a spoon, add the rye, stir, add the ice cube, splash a bit of club soda in it, garnish with the orange twist. Preferably you cut the orange twist so that the citrus oils from the orange drip into the glass, then add the twist. If you follow my method, you will achieve Old Fashioned nirvana.

The rye should be quality stuff .... my preference is Bulleit, but could be Knob Creek as well.

[ecowper]

Abom single malts really should be drank somewhere around 40-43 percent alcohol. More than that and all you are doing is getting an alcohol burn. Most single malts are bottled at that range, so you can (and should) drink them neat. I tend to prefer a bit less alcohol heat, so I add one ice cube to my single malt.

[EdF]

That's my recipe as well, and I've drunk a lot of it in my time.

[ecowper]

Man was meant to drink single malt slightly below room temp, with a touch of water. An ice cube achieves this perfectly.

[Steve R.]

I like my bourbon on the rocks, using a couple of cubes of smoked ice.

[EdF]

If you're smoking your ice, you might want to try a peaty Scotch like Laphroig with a regular cube. Never know.

[Bruce54]

Single malts neat, preferably in a Glencairn glass. Hardly ever add water any more, even to cask strength.