h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Several of the comments have noted the heresy of mixing whisky with any other substance. Now while I completely agree in general, I'm here to speak out on behalf of those who take just a wee drop of water with it.

See, for years I drank whisky neat (having been lovingly introduced to the divine spirit by my father, who also took it neat) and spurned those who required additives. Then I moved to California during the "cigars & single malt" boom that seemed to happen there a few years ago. I bought a tasting kit of six single malts and reading the tasting notes was astounded to note their recommendation that the whiskies be tried with a little water.

It went something like this. Pour neat, swirl around glass, sniff. Appreciate "bouquet". _Then_ add just a little bit of water, and repeat. You would not _believe_ how a little water brought out the subtle aromas and tastes in some of those single malts. I was gobsmacked. It was at that point I knew that one could enjoy good whisky with a little water and not feel like a heathen.

Since then, it's become customary with me - still have it neat occasionally, but usually with a drop of water. (By the way, don't get it from the tap - keep a bottle of clear spring water. The chlorine and other additives in your average tap water tend to bugger up the integrity of the fine scotch you are about to sample.)

Selah.

(By the way: ice is perfectly permissible when drinking blends, and particularly when you're in America. ON NO ACCOUNT use ice with a single malt. )

In essence, it seams to bring out the gentler aspects of the whisky's flavour. (unless your dealing with Lagavolin, then it Just seams to make more Lagavolin, which isn't always what you were trying to do)

Ideally you should actually mix it with the spring water of the spring where the Scotch originated (I worked at a bar that actually imported Glenlivit spring water, again during the "Scotch & Cigar" boom)