Quote:
Originally Posted by mithrilG60
Ice doesn't open anything up, cooling prevent some of the volatile aromatics from vaporizing which in certain spirits is a good thing. In most whiskey you actually want those aromatics since they are the source of the nose and much of the taste. Room temp water is a different matter as diluting the alcohol level allows you to taste more nuance and less alcohol. Most whiskey is meant to be drunk at room temp, it's not vodka!
|
As I understand it, it's not the ice, it's the water that melts from the ice. Using ice allows more taste/aroma development as it melts and provides an increasing amount of water as you sip, and thus an ever changing water/spirit ratio. The cooling effect is secondary, and not the main function, as I have read. As to vodka, I stopped drinking that decades ago, so I can't pass any judgements on it's response to ice! I know cheap vodka went well with Sprite and ice when I was 18!