Food - Drink
What Really Happens When You Dilute Whiskey With Water
By MICHELLE WELSCH
Whiskey enthusiasts all have opinions on the way a proper dram should be consumed. Adding water to your glass of whiskey is particularly contentious, with some connoisseurs arguing that the best-tasting nips are enjoyed straight, while other drinkers insist that adding water to a neat pour can enhance the whiskey experience.
Adding water to whiskey alters the tasting experience by disrupting the alcohol's molecules. 2017 research by Scientific Reports notes that whiskey's taste is associated with molecules like guaiacol, and interestingly, guaiacol molecules have one area that prefers to interact with water and one that doesn't, making for a unique reaction.
The presence or lack of water in whiskey can change the way these flavor-impacting molecules organize, and more water in your glass causes guaiacol to rise to the surface, while more alcohol makes it sink. Adding water can make flavors and aromas more apparent by bringing them to the top of your glass right away.
The amount of water you should add to whiskey varies, and you should gradually mix in small amounts at a time, tasting as you go. Tests by America's Test Kitchen found that neat whiskeys taste sweet, but also burning and potent, while 2 tsp of water brought out underlying flavor notes — however, 3 tsp watered down the spirit too much.