How to Drink Whisky Without Gatekeeping Yourself
2024-12-23 · 5 min read
The whisky world is full of people who will tell you that you are drinking it wrong. Ice ruins it. Water dilutes it. Mixers are a sin. These people are exhausting, and they are wrong. The only rule for drinking whisky is to drink it in whatever way makes you enjoy it. Everything else is performance.
If you are just starting out, try bourbon. It tends to be sweeter and more approachable than Scotch, with notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak. Buffalo Trace is around twenty-five dollars and consistently excellent. Wild Turkey 101 has more kick and a loyal following among bartenders. Maker's Mark is smooth and forgiving. Pick one and drink it however you want.
Adding water to whisky is not sacrilege. It is science. A few drops of water release flavor compounds trapped in the ethanol, literally opening up the drink. A 2017 study published in Scientific Reports confirmed that water pushes guaiacol, the molecule responsible for smoky flavor, to the surface of the liquid. Master distillers add water when they taste. You can too.
Ice is fine. A single large cube from a silicone mold chills your drink slowly without diluting it into a puddle. If you want it on the rocks, go for it. Whisky purists who scoff at ice are prioritizing tradition over enjoyment, and that is their problem, not yours.
The best way to learn what you like is to taste widely and take notes. Visit a whisky bar, order a flight, and write down what you taste. Not what you think you should taste, but what actually hits your palate. You might hate peat smoke. You might love sherry cask influence. There is no correct preference, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
