The drinking of Scotch is a fine art. There are some definite do’s and don’ts, however, in the end it really comes down to personal preference. If you wish to drink scotch in the intended, and socially acceptable, fashion then there are some things you need to know.
The first mistake that a lot of scotch drinkers make is adding ice cubes, although if this is how you like it then that’s fine. That traditional scotch glass, known as a tumbler, is designed for the very purpose of encouraging you to go ice free. A tumbler will be quite wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. This design makes ice sit uncomfortably in your glass of scotch, it commonly slides out onto your face, as a means of encouraging you to drink your scotch straight up.
One of the most important elements of appreciating the fine art of drinking scotch is to select the right malt. Generally speaking price is a very good indicator of quality when it comes to scotch. While any scotch out there will be sure to do the trick as far as a buzz goes, the more you are willing to fork over the more you will get in return. A higher-quality scotch will simply taste better and be smoother as it goes down.
It is also important to drink scotch in an appropriate fashion. Scotch, unlike many other types of whiskey, is always designed to be sipped and not to be used for shots. This is the main reason it is considered to be the classiest of whiskey drinks. In addition, scotch should never be mixed, as whiskey is often done. If you must dilute a scotch it demands a simple addition of mineral water, never any sort of soda as you may do with a cheaper whiskey. If you are designing a scotch drink for a friend not accustomed to drinking whiskey than a splash of mineral water is perfectly acceptable. Scotch is typically rated at about 60% alcohol per volume, this makes it quite a stiff drink, especially since it is designed to be sipped straight up, for those first sampling it. If you are not a regular scotch drinker it is recommended that you mix with a bit of water your first few times until you become more accustomed to the strength that a scotch provides this. Many people, even after years of scotch drinking, will continue to dilute their drink with a good mineral water. The art of scotch drinking allows this as a perfectly accepted practice. It is a stiff drink and mineral water does nothing to change the overall experience or flavor but rather to suit the particular desire of the scotch drinker.
The final technique, used in the fine art of drinking scotch, is the manner in which you take each sip. You should take a small sip and let it move around in your mouth, not swallowing too quickly. Allow it to pass over your tongue and be held in your mouth for a short period of time. This is the ideal way to experience the true flavor of the scotch malt that you have selected. Additionally it is said that you were able to determine just how old the malt is by the length of time that the taste lingers in your mouth.
Now you have learned the do’s and don’ts of the fine art of drinking scotch. Knowing how to properly select and consume a scotch drink is a great skill for business and personal occasions.
