Why do some scotches and whiskies change character so much when you add water or ice?
Question by ntjwit: Why do some scotches and whiskies change character so much when you add water or ice?
In particular, I drank a little of the Suntory Yamazaki 18 year. Straight, it’s not sweet and has an intense, rather harsh bite. With an ice cube, it suddenly opens up, becomes sweet, super smooth, and incredibly rich. I’ve never witnessed anything like it before.
Best answer:
Answer by Feeling Sinister
Maybe the “bite” you are describing is just a highly concentrated version of the “sweet, super smooth, and incredibly rich”
When you put the ice in, it may be diluting it, and making the flavor less harsh.
It’s kind of similar to cordial or something similar.
What do you think? Answer below!
2 Comments
June 14th, 2010 at %I:%M %p
Whiskey is all about the water. A strong whiskey mellows with a little ice or water. Those, like I, who prefer neat try not to add ice. I have seen it a lot before with some of the highland malts.
Salud!
June 14th, 2010 at %I:%M %p
The same reason you Alcoholics change Character when you run out of booze, or your called what you truly are, an Alcoholic, True?