Into the World of Whiskey
Whiskey is for real men. If you’ve been intrigued by that drink, you may just think it’s daunting to try. Too many brands and varieties, terms and ways to drink, not to mention strong opinions about how-to’s and all – the world can get complicated out there. First and foremost, whiskey is a general term for grain mash-made distilled spirits. Scotch, Bourbon and Rye are all types of whiskey, which means they will more or less taste and look similar. But they can also have differences – four, to be specific – namely, length of aging, location of distillation, type of cask used and type of grain.
Subtypes of Whiskey
If you’re thinking of trying whiskey, your first question will likely be which type of whiskey to start with.
There exist three whiskey subtypes. Single malt whiskey is made by mixing whiskey made in the same distillery, with the age of the youngest whiskey added is the age of the combined drink. This is the most common type of whiskey you’ll find.
Single cask whiskey, another subtype, is bottled completely from a single cask. This is normally made by small distilleries or sometimes by big distilleries as part of a high-end or novelty line.
Finally, blended whiskey is a blend of whiskey of the same type, although sometimes, people do combine different types, like Bourbon and Rye.
How to Drink Your Whiskey
We now get to the most interesting part – drinking your whiskey.
Below are four ways:
Neat
Whiskey neat, or whiskey in a glass in room temperature – is believed to be the only pure way you can drink good whiskey. The concept is to experience the spirit as the distiller intended, that is, without dilution.
Combined with Water
For some people, water should be added to whiskey. Just a capful should do, and only clear distilled water must be used as chlorine can alter the drink. The reason for adding water is actually functional. It allows you to enjoy the spirits without it melting your tongue.
Whiskey with ice or on the rocks is a third way of drinking your whiskey. Although this is quite popular, many people oppose it, thinking ice melts the drink away past the point of just mixing water. And if the ice was made using tap water, the problem of chlorine is also there. If you want whiskey ice-cold, just make sure the ice was made from high quality water.
Cocktail
Of course, you can always enjoy whiskey in a mixed drink or cocktail, but don’t use high-end whiskey for this. What a huge waste that would be.
Then again, when all is said and done, you’re the one who decides how to drink your whiskey.It’s nobody’s but yours.
Source: whiskey review