Ice, Water or Nothing

Some years ago, I wrote an article on great rums for an international site. I happened to mention that I would often add a single lump of ice to the glass. One reader immediately responded, calling this outrageous, ill-informed, sacrilegious and pretty much the harbinger of the arrival of the four horsemen. He concluded by saying that he would never return to the site, which was not even a beverage site, if they allowed such ignorance to flourish.

It seemed a little bit of an overreaction, but lovers of great spirits can be quite set in their ways and often resistant to other possibilities. Good luck to him. Personally, I live in Queensland. It can get very hot and humid, and drinking great spirits in those conditions can be less pleasurable than on a winter’s night in front of a roaring fire.

A small lump of ice does wonders. Just enough to take the edge off and then, as it melts, out come the hidden glories of the malt. Others will add a dollop of water, dollop being the technical term for the amount that makes you happy. For me, as the ice melts, it has the same effect as that dollop while also keeping things a little cool.

The internet is full of experts who insist that water must be added by pipette to ensure the exact amount required. If I ever encounter someone adding water to my malt with a pipette, they will go straight to the top of my ‘tossers in action’ list. It is possible to take all this a little too seriously. But won’t adding water, or ice which melts, just dilute the flavours? Apparently not. Studies from the University of Sweden have shown that a little water can increase the concentration of flavour compounds at the surface of the spirit.

It gives a much better impression of the malt, enhances the flavours, and makes it easier to appreciate what the whisky has to offer. Some years ago, one of the world’s most famous whisky distillers visited and we did a tasting. When he got to what was, and still is, one of the world’s most loved and best-selling whiskies, he made the rather surprising admission that he always drank it with cola. Not for his very best whiskies, but for a popular commercial release, that was his preference.

Afterwards, I overheard a couple of attendees muttering some fairly scathing comments about the man’s ignorance. I was a bit flabbergasted. They seemed to think they knew far more than someone who was not only widely recognised as one of the world’s great distillers and blenders, but who actually made the stuff. You would think he might have some idea. So, as far as I am concerned, if you want to add a lump of ice or a dollop of water, knock yourself out.

I would not recommend adding any form of cola to great malts, but if it is an everyday drinking style and that is your preference, then go for your life. For the good stuff, one option is to take a few sips before adding anything, so you can experience it as it is. Then add the ice or water. Of course, top-quality ice and water are essential.

Ask around and you will end up with as many opinions as there are people. Those who condemn the addition of ice often do so because they believe it cools the liquid and mutes certain flavours. Fair enough, but it depends on the temperature to begin with. In mid-winter, I would not even consider adding ice.

Perhaps a small dollop of water to help open up the whisky, not by pipette, so you can explore all it has to offer. Perhaps the best approach is to conduct your own experiments and find what works for you. Remember to factor in the conditions you are drinking in. And when you do find what works, if anyone criticises it, do not waste your good stuff on them.