How To Drink Whisky: 6 Different Ways To Enjoy Whisky
Whisky is one of the world's most consumed spirits and there are 6 typical ways people enjoy this popular drink.
In this article we've outlined each of six different ways along with how to make each drink. So let's dive straight in.
1. Neat / Straight
Just how the cowboys had it in the wild wild west. Served straight into a glass and drunk without any real fan fair.
While you can drink a whisky neat from any glass it's sometimes nice to have a special glass for the occasion. The Glencairn (shown above) is a good place to start and will showcase the whisky beautifully and help enhance aromas.
2. On The Rocks
This is our favourite and probably one of the most popular ways to enjoy whisky around the world.
ICE TIP: get the largest ice cubes you can find our if you have large ice ball moulds use these. Smaller ice melts fast and will dilute the whisky. A single larger piece of ice will take longer to melt meaning it will keep your whisky cold for longer but not dilute it as quickly.
3. Diluted With Some Water
This is a simple mixture of whisky and water. We have seen all sorts of ratios of whisky to water from just a few drops of water to 1:1 to wait for it... 1:10!
Or preference is about one to half (whisky to water). The more water you add the more diluted the whisky is and for beginners a higher ratio the less "full-on" the whisky will be but also the less flavour the whisky will impart in the mixture, hence the saying a drink is being being "water-down".
The idea with adding a little water is they it will boost the concentration of flavour compounds at the surface of the whisky and therfore release the rich mix of aromas.
4. Mizuwari (pronounced "Miz-Zoo-Wah-ri")
If you thought that does not sound like an English word then you would be 100% correct. It's a Japanese word that means "cut with water".
This is a hybrid of number 2 and 3 above and is a very popular way to drink whisky in Japan.
The Japanese "cut" the whisky with water and chill it with ice. The method typically goes as follows:
- add ice to the glass
- add 1 portion whisky
- add 2 to 3 portions water
The water will dilute the whisky and the ice cools the mixture down. It is perfect to serve with meals.
5. In A Mixer
Probably one of the most common ways to drink whisky is mixed with another drink like softdrink
Some of the more popular mixers to used with whisky are:
- Coca-Cola
- Ginger ale
- Soda water
- Tonic water
- Coffee
6. In A Cocktail
Used as a base in many cocktails whisky can add great flavour and depth to a cocktail. Here are three popular whisky cocktails and their recipes:
Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 50ml bourbon
- 10ml sugar syrup
- 3 dashes of bitters
- Garnish with orange and/or lemon twists
Method
- Add bourbon, sugar syrup and bitters to a glass
- Add ice to glass
- Stir using a cocktail spoon
- Garnish with an orange or lemon twist (or both)
Manhattan
Ingredients
- 2 dashes of bitters
- 25ml sweet vermouth
- 50ml rye whiskey
- Garnish with maraschino cherry
Method
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice, then stir all ingredients until chilled
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass
- Garnish with a cocktail cherry
Whisky Sour
Ingredients
- 25ml lemon juice
- 15ml sugar syrup
- 50ml whisky
- 1 egg white (optional)
- Garnish: orange wedge and maraschino cherry
Method
- Pour lemon juice, sugar syrup and whisky into a cocktail shaker
- Add one whole egg white and then shake all the ingredients
- Add ice to the coktail shaker and shake until you create a fluffy texture
- Strain into a glass with ice, and garnish with a maraschino cherry skewered onto an orange wedge with a toothpick
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