9/17/2023 0 Comments Scotch neat![]() ![]() The ice will chill the Scotch, and as it melts, add a little water to the mix. On the rocks: Scotch served in a rocks glass (hence the name!) over ice. See also Is Whiskey Acidic Or Alkaline? - Let's Look At The pH Scale ![]() How much, and how you add it, tends to be a personal preference: Why water? Enthusiasts – and also, more recently, scientists – say that adding a little bit of water to your Scotch releases more of the aroma and the flavor of the drink. Variations typically have to do with how much water you prefer in your drink. There are a few different ways that you can sip your Scotch. “Straight up” can also be shortened to “up,” especially when ordering a mixed drink. Some people use the term when ordering shots – “straight” is also common here – or when they want to order their drink neat. This not only cools the drink, but incorporates a small amount of water – something that is essential for certain spirits and cocktails to taste “right.”īut here’s where some ambiguity enters the picture, because “straight up” is no longer as rigidly defined as it used to be. In traditional cocktail parlance, ordering a drink “straight up” is asking for it to be chilled, by either shaking or stirring with ice, and then strained into a glass. ![]() For a lot of spirits, especially brown liquors like whisky, it’s commonly accepted that chilling them makes it harder to appreciate all the complexities of the flavor. Neat drinks, because there are no steps between bottle and glass, are served at room temperature. The difference between “neat” and “straight up” is mostly a question of ice, although there are some subtleties to “up” that we’ll talk about more below. See also Sour Mash vs Bourbon: Here's The Real Difference Ordering a drink “neat” means with no mixers, ice, or additives of any kind – just pour it from the bottle into a glass, please. The language of ordering a drink has plenty of its own regional and cultural variations, but “neat” means the same thing in virtually every context. What’s the difference between “neat” and “straight up”? Some distilleries dry their barley over a peat fire, which is the source of the distinctive “peaty” smokiness that many Scotches are famous for. To be called Scotch, a whisky has to be distilled in Scotland from barley – though other grains like wheat or rye may be added – and aged in oak for at least three years. Whisky gets its name from the Scots Gaelic uisge, meaning “water.” The early precursors to modern whisky were called uisge beatha, or “water of life.” And no, you’re not imagining it – in the US and Ireland, it’s typically spelled “whiskey,” although there is some variation among brand labels. ![]() But what is Scotch? What makes it different from other whiskies, and why drink it neat, on the rocks, or any other way? A brief history of the Water of Life With a history of more than five hundred years, subtleties have developed in the naming, flavors, traditions, and serving preferences of this grain alcohol. More complex – like a good Scotch – is the broader collection of language and tradition surrounding whisky. No ice, no mixers, no steps at all between bottle and glass – just your Scotch of choice, and nothing else. In plainest terms, a neat Scotch is a room-temperature pour, usually in a tumbler (also called a rocks glass), with nothing added. ![]()
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