Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
In our occasional whiskey threads, the old discussion usually has popped up about adding water before imbibing, and whether that helps or is just a silly affectation.
As I've explained here before, I used to belong to the "Real men don't add water to their whiskey" school of thought.
Then, several years ago, I watched an interview with the late Elmer T. Lee. Maybe not a famous name to you, but an absolute legend in the whiskey world. As the long-time master distiller at what is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery, he is best-known for pretty much inventing the concept of the single barrel bourbon, when he created Blanton's in 1984.
And old Elmer happily explained that he always watered his whiskey down to about 60 proof, because that's where you get the best flavors.
This was quite a shock. Imagine the Pope telling you to have all the premarital sex you want. Apparently that "Real men ..." thing needed adjustment.
I started adding some water, and while Elmer's 60 proof seem to be overdoing it, it works for me, especially since I tend to buy higher-proof bottlings that can use some water to tamp down the alcoholic burn a bit.
Now, and that's actually the reason for this post, science has nicely confirmed that Elmer was right. The study has been widely reported today; here is one link (briefly suspend any issues you may have with mainstream media; this is just booze
):
Why whiskey tastes better with a little water - CNN
As I've explained here before, I used to belong to the "Real men don't add water to their whiskey" school of thought.
Then, several years ago, I watched an interview with the late Elmer T. Lee. Maybe not a famous name to you, but an absolute legend in the whiskey world. As the long-time master distiller at what is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery, he is best-known for pretty much inventing the concept of the single barrel bourbon, when he created Blanton's in 1984.
And old Elmer happily explained that he always watered his whiskey down to about 60 proof, because that's where you get the best flavors.
This was quite a shock. Imagine the Pope telling you to have all the premarital sex you want. Apparently that "Real men ..." thing needed adjustment.
I started adding some water, and while Elmer's 60 proof seem to be overdoing it, it works for me, especially since I tend to buy higher-proof bottlings that can use some water to tamp down the alcoholic burn a bit.
Now, and that's actually the reason for this post, science has nicely confirmed that Elmer was right. The study has been widely reported today; here is one link (briefly suspend any issues you may have with mainstream media; this is just booze
):Why whiskey tastes better with a little water - CNN
