Sipping Liquor/Spirits Straight

[Wasch_24]

Ok, so this may or may not seem like a weird question but do any of you guys that like to sip on Scotch, Bourbon, etc. while smoking have any tips on how I could get started enjoying this aspect of the cigar hobby?

I love reading people's descriptions of the flavours present and I can really appreciate how those flavours would/could interact with the flavours present in a cigar.

The only problem is I can't seem to stand the alcohol flavour when drinking these things straight. I want to but it is almost repulsive.

I guess I acknowledge it is likely an acquired taste but if any of you guys have any tips on how I can make the acquisition process any easier please share them. :thumbsup:

 

[tobby4]

Start with a splash or two of water to dilute the flavor a little

 

[Wasch_24]

Define a splash...like 2:1 liquor?

 

[caudio51]

I usually use one-two cubes of ice. I need it a bit chilled and it helps cut the liquor a bit. As you know I usually drink beer.

 

[Matthew]

Todd, don't force it. You might just be one of those people that don't enjoy straight whiskey. Drink what you like.

 

[Jwrussell]

Todd, I'll give you my full thoughts on this tomorrow, but what Tom says is what I do. I never did understand why so many people liked this "crap" (as I thought of it at the time), but recently I started trying a number of different things and found that I had started to like some of the "harder" spirits. Scotch is my current favorite and for me I really prefer blended at this point (though I haven't tried enough single malts to know for sure).

Here's my suggestion: Try bourbon and scotch. They are probably the most comon spirits you'll find in the cigar hobby. Start small. About a shot in a small glass with one to two ice cubes. Allow the ice to melt some before you drink any. It cools the alcohol (which for whatever reason helps for me) and it dilutes it some. Start with BLENDS. Don't try to jump straight to the single barrel stuff or you will most likely get turned off. I say most likley, so after you've tried some blends, try some singles just to see which you prefer. It may change as your palate becomes more and more used to the taste.

My suggestions:
Bourbon: Knob Creek.
Scotch: Johny Walker Black

Both are not cheap but both can be had in small bottles so you can try them out. Usually you'll find the smaller bottles behind the counter.

Oh yeah, and they call it "sipping whiskey" for a reason. :wink: Don't forget to sip. It doesn't take much liquid in your mouth to get the flavour of the drink and too much can easily overwhelm you if you aren't used to it.

Oh, and to be honest, CW has probably the most extensive collection of folks with knowledge on this topic. Couldn't hurt to check over there as well.

 

[Wasch_24]

Todd, don't force it. You might just be one of those people that don't enjoy straight whiskey. Drink what you like.

I'm definitely not going to force it but I'm not just gonna give up either.

I haven't started trying it yet anyway...that will happen after the move.

 

[Wasch_24]

Thanks for the tips Jason...it will have to be Tuesday though. I am "working" from home with both of the kids because the daycare is closed for Columbus Day...go figure. :dunno:

Oh, and I'm not looking to get drunk on the stuff so I will definitely be sipping.

 

[tobby4]

I started drinking Scotch with steaks, or other heavy foods... On the rocks and I would find myself letting some of the ice melt to water it down... Once I got used to the flavor along with my food i was able to drink it without the food to take away from the bite....

splash can be defined as a squirt, I dont know, not much at all, like turn the faucet on medium and pass the glass under the water and thats it...

 

[dre]

Lots of good sugestions in this thread.

if you have a tough time with the harshness of alcohol try these steps (most of which have been noted above):

dont jump into scotch, wiskey is a tough drink and scotch is the most aquired taste of them all. bourbon is much easyer to a noob. the camamel, vanilla and wood flavors are very dominant and easy to pick out while they also apeal to most people. you can always move up.
start off by adding an ice cube to your drink, the coldness of the ice will dumb down flavor a bit while the melted water will dilute it.
have a big meal before hand your stomache and tastebuds will already be on overload, it will be easyer to drink and taste if your tastebuds are hightened to the alcohol flavors.
write down the flavors you taste. do this because it helps your memory, makes you actualy sit and think about what you are drinking and because after a few glasses you can look back on your seperate notes and see the evolution of your palate. even if its the same brand your drinking. Hell post a review on it on this site. Plus its more fun when you write about it. trust me.


goood luck

another option is try brandy, i find it much more refined and delicate of a drink. Possibly an easyer starting point.

 

[Fresh50]

Buy a bottle of scotch. Make sure it is blended. Blended will be cheaper. Stay away from the bottom shelf at the liquor store – a few brands you’ll want to look for are J&B, Dewars, Famous Grouse or Johnnie Walker. Cutty Sark and Chivas Regal are good also, I’m told. Blended scotch is malt whiskey (scotch) blended with grain whiskey (traditional whiskey), so the taste is not as harsh as a single malt scotch. We have to build up to those.

Grab a small glass with a couple of ice cubes in it and fill about a thumbs worth of scotch in the glass, then fill the rest of the glass with water.
Drink up.

The next night, add a bit more scotch and a bit less water.
Continue every night by adding a bit more scotch and a bit less water. After a month, you should be able to drink all scotch and no water on the rocks.

Now, you are a scotch drinker. Congratulations, it wasn’t so bad, was it? Now, take out the ice cubes – you still aren’t ready for a single malt yet.
Once you can drink blended scotch with no water or ice cubes, you can try a single malt. Single malts are a whole new world (by the way, you can drink your scotch with a water chaser, but you don’t want to mix the two together – if you are caught drinking a single malt with water on the rocks you are dead to me).

Laugh at all the people who smell your drink and ask how you could possibly drink such a thing. You are now a member of the drinking elite, a person of refined tastes. You’ll never want to drink anything else again.

http://www.maxriffner.com/parlor/know-how-to-drink-scotch

 

[AZsteelman]

First of all, from our forum's resident drunk, I'd like to welcome you to the other dark side! I'm so proud of you for wanting to try my elixir...

Now, all the above suggestions are right on...pick the one that sounds right for you...don't give up, it's an aquired taste, but worth it.

I agree, blended is best, ice cubes will help a lot. I still do that sometimes. then, later when you are truly a man step up to the single malts!

 

[tobby4]

mmmmm McCallen...

 

[MadAl]

My ratio for water is about a teaspoon.

 

[Greg]

Don't forget cognac :thumbsup:

 

[Greg]

....oh, and my Grandmother, who is a Scot, drinks her whisky 1:1 with water.

 

[joshua]

I was drinkin the makers mark before bed last night. Helped me get a good nights sleep

 

[carbolicsmoke]

...20 yr port...

 

[UFGators]

Define a splash...like 2:1 liquor?

What I found worked for me was to start with smoother liqours to drink straight such as a 20+ year rum. Even with only a couple of ice cubes it goes down without a burn. Then I would work your way up into canadian whiskeys then to bourbons. Drinking straight liquor is definitely something your body and palate gets used to and you will get less and less of a burn each time you drink it.

 

[dre]

...20 yr port...

thats a wine. were talkin spirits yo :hammersma