How do you drink whisky?

I use a snifter to savour whisky and rarely add water (only when I'm nosing/tasting a new dram). I only use a tumbler to 'drink' whisky (for example during summer in my garden chaise longue). Normally I prefer the whisky straight, but I admit that sometimes - depending on the weather and my mood - I dare add a cube of ice (mostly with the Irish drams and blends).

@markjedi1 How do you mean a 'snifter' ?

I too am in the no ice camp, but mostly because I like to be in control of the amount of water that is added to the whisky, plus I generally prefer my whisky to be warmed by my hands rather than freezing cold. I have heard that some people swear by having the Clynelish with a cube of ice, and the guy I bought the Arran from mentioned it was a genuinely good summer dram if you drop an ice cube in it and allow it to completely melt before drinking. But generally, no ice.

The tumblers I use I bought from the US television network 'ABC' website (abc.com). They are the same type of glasses used in every episode of the Boston Legal show. Those of you are familiar with the show, will know the glasses I mean.

Now thats great product placement! ;-)

A snifter is a tulip-formed glass. Maybe it's not a commonly used term in English?

Here is my "2 drops". If I'm tasting a new unknown whisky to me, I always taste first neat. Depending how it tastes and/or how "closed" it is, I will then possibly add few drops of water to release the oils. Only time I just might put some ice in it, when it is every day no frills whisky that I want to just have that night after hard day at work :-)

Mainly , it depends on the bottle for me- but usually with ice- I find that the cold brings out some of the details I like better, and also it takes longer to drink. I do find that the character is truer with no ice, and for the peatier stuff (Dalmore, for ex) that's how I prefer it. (and, now Im going to have to get on of those tumblers, too....)

ice ? no way!!! 1. it dillutes the whisky. 2. it freezes your taste buds

bad combo.

me, only neat. and CS also neat mostly. i love the OOMPH

No ice for me. Maybe on or two drops of water per cl. If it is a cask strength I dilute to about 48% and start from there. If I'm testing a new one that I wish to find all the details in I have two glasses one that I water down to about 20% and the other one neat and add water a few drops at a time. I have also tried a trick from the master blender at Laphroaig, take a little bit of water in the mouth and pour the whisky into the water. That way you don't risk destroying the whisky with to much water. Laphroaig have quite a few videos at their website that is well worth watching.

I agree with @galg 100%

I admit, I am an "on the rocks" kind of guy... I drink it neat when tasting for the first time, but after that, I pour it over a few cubes.

Usually neat but most of the time I when I try something new I will try it with a little water. Often things will totally change and more of the complexities and subtleties of the nose and flavors come out. I think some whiskies are better with water, some without.... I have used ice, 1 huge cube is best, but this is very rare.

I always drink neat. The only time I've added water was as an experiment to try to make the last few draws of a bottle of Bowmore Legend more palatable. I found that a couple drops actually helped that one noticeably, but not enough to keep me from jumping to the next price point for subsequent purchases.

Since glasses have come up, I just got a couple tasting glass from scotchhunter.com and found them to be excellent. They help focus the flavor better than the straight-sided tumblers I'd been using. They're nicely weighted and fit well in the hand.

No ice for me! When doing a NT I'll take just 2,3 or 4 drops of water to experience the liquid. That's it. Ice spoils the (malt) whisky and destroys the taste buds on your tongue, imho.

I don't like ice. Numbs the taste too much . Don't mind a judicious drop or two of water depending on the age / strength of the whisky but ice is for vodka mixers and the like. It tastes of nothing but the mixer anyway so you can add ice with no effect other than making it cooler. Best nosing glass is the sherry copita type like the glasses at SMWS. But sometimes you just want to pour a large measure into a crystal tumbler and drink it greedily !!

Incidentally , Richard Paterson , of Whyte & McKay , had some views on ice and water in a recent SMWS members magazine , ' Unfiltered '. Very interesting as you would expect from Richard. . As one of the foremost authorities Richard is always a good read. If you know a member get a copy -- www.smws.com if you want to know more.

First, let me weigh in personally: no ice, rarely water. Next, let me tell you about a crazy cool product I got for xmas this year. Drink Rocks! (I threw away the package, so I don't know the actual brand name.) Little soapstone cubes that you keep in your freezer and drop into your drink to cool it without dilution. I have yet to use them, but they're wicked cool! I can't wait for a guest to ask for a drink on the rocks! FYI, apparently soapstone is perfect because it's non-reactive and chillable. What do you think?

No ice for me ... some drops of water ! And I always use a Glencairn glass !

Ice and water are added to whisky for different reasons. Water, also what becomes of ice after it melts, is used to bring out different flavors in the whisky. When I taste cask-strength, I usually start with it neat, then add one ice cube to dilute it and help to release other flavors. Use good quality water, no tap water.

I'll taste everything straight the first time. Good scotch I drink straight, decent blends I'll occasionally add a bit of water, and I'll usually add two ice cubes to cheap bourbon.

Finski145 has it on the nose, neat for tastings and savoring, a little water maybe to open it up, ice on a hot summer night in an "everyday" whisky or after a hard day at work when you just want a drink!

I always like to try a new whiskey straight. In my opinion this is the product that the distiller put in the bottle and I think that should be respected. After the first taste I am not opposed to a drop of water or an ice cube (especially if it is cask strength). As I mention in my review of Glenlivet Nadurra I enjoy the hot/cold sensation of a high alcohol whiskey with a single ice cube in it.

I also have a set of whiskey stones (which I purchased from www.teroforma.com although they have gone up in price since I purchased them, I believe due to popularity) I have used them on occasion and they only cool the whiskey slightly, nowhere near an actual ice cube. I find them nice on a hot day but don't use them on a regular basis.

Nothing but pure gold when it concerns expensive ones, JL. Sometimes a couple drops of water to experiment with the taste pallets. Only the cheap ones make it to my coke and that's the only time I would open the freezer.

no ice, except for cheap blended stuff, but why drink that at all? )
as for nice malts sometimes i add some water just for experiment, but so far i don't see the point

I used to use ice, a few cubes initially then reduced them over time as they dominated the taste. When ice melts it doesn't taste nice and that came through in the whisky. If you're paying for a good dram it kills the subtleties so now I drink it neat or with a drop of water depending on what it is. Enjoy mine from a Glencairn.

@Lee that's an interesting point. I've noticed that ice takes on the smell of the freezer. The ice from my freezer smells "dusty" and that is going nowhere near my precious whisky! Not that I would anyway I like mine warm.

@Piero, exactly! Also depends on the water quality in your area - hard/soft etc. Even tried frozen spring water from the supermarket - but that too took on the metallic taste. After not using ice for so long, it seems alien to use it at all now!

I treat every whisky differently. I start off with no ice or water, add a bit of water if I think it needs it, similarly with ice. It's a bit the same with glasses - I have a pile of different ones and I try different drinks from different ones until I find one that feels right. My opinion is that if you say "I always drink whisky with/without X" then you're doing it wrong - not all whisky is the same.

That (pretentiously) said, I generally drink whisky from a nice heavy crystal tumbler with a jug of water on the side so I can adjust the taste to my mood, and I drink bourbon in a lighter tumbler packed with ice. I keep meaning to try the Arran Peacock with a spot of ice, but never seem to have any ice in the freezer when I feel like a glass...

Staunchly no ice here. But live and let live :)