I’m not a big whiskey drinker myself and I never drink alcohol without mixing it with some sort of soft drink, but that’s probably because I generally stick to the cheaper brands. For those of you who prefer an expensive single malt whiskey listen up. I’ve looked into why adding water to your glass of whiskey can open up a whole array of flavours that you’ve never experienced before.

It’s true that several drops of water can take away that burn on your tongue and in your sinus cavities and thus allows you to taste the whiskey more (and perhaps cause less discomfort).  But that is not the only reason why many whiskey drinkers dilute their drink. Adding water to your whiskey changes it on a molecular level and therefore amplifies and lengthens the flavour. Watering down whiskey brings more oils through, offers a different aroma and can open up new and subtle flavours that may not be experienced otherwise.

Be warned that adding ice is not the same as water. Rather than enhancing the flavours ice can make the whiskey taste dull and flat. While it is refreshing and calms the burn of the alcohol it will not enhance the taste until the ice begins to melt.

Many whiskey drinkers believe that you should not add water to allow yourself to taste the whiskey in its true and natural form with all of the original characteristics. But many others see this view as out of date.

Generally speaking the way alcohol is drunk is a matter of ones own tastes. Next time you are sitting down to a nice glass of whiskey try sipping it before adding water or ice, then you can appreciate all of the flavours on offer. You need to find the perfect mix of whiskey and water that suits your own palate and that will come from experimenting.

First seen on http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/adding-water-to-whiskey