Should I Add Water to My Whiskey?

Mark Twain is credited with the coinage “Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.” Given this observation, one might be hesitant to let the liquids share a glass, especially since opinions on the matter are often as hardline as Twain’s.

Don’t fret—according to some experts, the notion of adding water to whiskey amounts to little more than a tempest in a tumbler.

When judiciously applied, whiskey and water can play well together, explains Shawn Refoua, the creative force behind San Francisco Mixology, a company that provides behind-the-bar education and corporate team building events.

“Alcohol carries flavors. That’s one of the reasons why people use it for cooking—it amplifies and lengthens flavors,” he says. “Depending on the whiskey’s proof, it’s going express itself slightly differently.”

Generally speaking, the higher a whiskey’s proof, the stronger its flavor. When it comes to cask-strength whiskeys, which can be over 100 proof, this is particularly true. This level of potency, however, can obscure a whiskey’s subtler flavors, which is why a sprinkle of the wet stuff can mellow the heat and simultaneously release a whiskey’s more nuanced notes.

In short, a splash of water won’t extinguish your liquid sunshine.


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