What A Pinch Of Salt Does For Your Whiskey

If you want to learn to appreciate complex spirits such as a fine, aged whiskey but are worried that it's too bitter for your palette, there's a common solution to make the drink more approachable: Add a pinch of salt to mellow out the flavor. According to Robyn Smith, chemist and owner of the NEAT distilled spirits blog and Instagram page, salt can actually change your taste perception of the liquor. "Salt can suppress bitterness, which may increase the perceived sweetness, and it can even enhance mouthfeel, making the spirit seem creamier or rounder," Smith says. Similar to how salt can amplify and balance chocolate flavors or make caramel taste even better, adding salt to whiskey can create a harmonious dance with the existing flavors in the glass. But, you only need a little salt to do the trick. 

"In general, if a whiskey leans bitter, tannic, or overly spicy, a little salt might help round out those rough edges," Smith says. Overall, this could be worth a try if you're just branching out to drinking bourbons, scotch, or other forms of whiskey. If you're experimenting with drinking the liquors straight or on the rocks, a little salt could help cut some of the harshness. However, Smith explains that adding salt to whiskey can likely "get in the way and dull the complexity" of more delicate or well-balanced whiskeys, citing this as one of the reasons she personally wouldn't recommend it.

Adding salt to whiskey can be risky, especially since the size of a "pinch" is subjective. This means, without proper or exact measurements, it's quite possible to over-salt your drink, rendering it difficult to identify popular flavor notes in whiskey including vanilla, caramel, cocoa, and spice. "That said, some people experiment with drops of dilute saline — similar to what's done in cocktail recipes — to highlight certain flavor notes," Smith explains. If you choose to go this route, just stir and fully dissolve 20 grams of salt in 80 grams of water, then add a drop or two to your whiskey or mixed drink to make it taste less bitter or astringent. Remember: All you need is the slightest amout of salt to balance a variety of summer bourbon whiskey cocktails, particularly stronger ones like a Boulevardier or Sazerac. 

"Still, if a whiskey is well-made, it shouldn't need anything added to taste good," Smith says, noting that if needed to round out the bite, you can also add a tiny amount of water or an ice cube. Overall, whether to leave the table salt on the table, or add a pinch to your drink, is up to you. But before giving into common scotch whisky myths, like the spirit being too harsh for beginners, sip it straight. You can even pair whiskey with salty and sweet foods to help get acquainted with its flavor complexities and pairing possibilities.