DO YOU ADD WATER TO YOUR WHISKY?
For years the only controversy about water and whisky was
over whether you should add a drop (or more) to your dram. Evangelists took up
arms on either side of the great water debate and argued either that a splash
of water releases the serpent, i.e. opens up the spirit or spoils the distiller’s art. Fortunately, those
days are largely consigned to the past and you’ll find very few committed
whisky drinkers, ambassadors or experts who will answer the question,
"Should I add water?" with anything other than, "If you
like." Alex Mennie, Whisky Magazine
If the question of whether to add water to whisky has
been resolved, the next question must be how much should one add? Again, for
some time now this has been left to personal preference, but a recent study,
led by Washington State University, has now concluded that there is a point at
which individual preference may begin to adversely affect the enjoyment
of the dram.
Tom Collins, a WSU assistant professor and senior
author on the study, explains that these results are due to the way dilution
affects what’s happening in the "headspace" in the glass. In short,
more complex compounds, such as those associated with smoky aromas
(particularly in peated whisky) or vanilla and oak (particularly in whisky matured in bourbon casks)
disperse first, leaving fruitier aromas behind.
With science supporting the conventional view that some
water will open up the spirit, but that ‘too much’ will drown it, the next
variable to consider is the choice of water – a debate that opens up a whole
world of complexity with argument and counter-argument, science and faux
science, and a lot of use of the word ‘pure’.
With a wide variety of waters available – tap, spring, natural mineral, and a number of offerings ‘designed for whisky’ – consumers can be forgiven for deploying a level of cynicism to a product that is consumed by everyone, but truly understood by very few. Natural mineral water, for example, a term found on a range of bottles from Buxton to Evian and beyond, is a strictly regulated legal designation (not unlike single malt Scotch whisky) and refers to a product from a recognised source that can provide stable mineral composition, is microbiologically pure, and is bottled at the source – which is expected to be the most prominent feature on the label – as a badge of provenance. As a result, it is fundamentally very different to the liquid that flows from your tap and can range in mineral content from close to zero to more than 1,500mg of total dissolvable solids per litre depending on its source.
To avoid sounding like a boffin, or perhaps for their own commercial ends, those who focus on whisky have for years proposed that if you want to add water, you should use that which is as close as possible to the water that made the whisky. This is the basis of the preference for water from the same 'terroir' for Scotch and Irish whiskies and ‘branch water’ in the southern United States, understood to mean water from the same river or stream the distillery uses for production.
It’s also the belief underpinning the Uisge Source brand, which supplies water from three highly regarded springs close to some of Scotland’s most popular distilleries. With differences in soil and rock types across the country, founder Graeme Lindsay explains that his brand is inspired by the variations this creates in the water from the main whisky regions. Water from the Highland region is generally hard (high in minerals), water from Speyside is soft (low in minerals), and water from Islay has a higher natural acidity due to the impact of the local peat.
While Uisge Source recommends experimenting with different waters to accompany your dram, acknowledging that personal taste will play a big part in consumer preferences, Lindsay does believe that “waters with the same chemistry as the water used to make the whisky allow for greater appreciation of the dram”.
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| THE BOTTLES AND A PIPETTE |
We will consider the effect of adding various types of
water to two specific and widely separate brands of whisky, The Glenlivet 12 YO and The Ardbeg 10
YO.
The water: Uisge Source
- The Glenlivet 12 Years Old
Uisge Source Speyside
brings out a dry, dusty wool blanket note that one doesn’t get from the same
whisky undiluted, and maintains the classic pineapple flavours you expect from
this dram.
Uisge Source Highland
produces the wooden dustiness of an old wardrobe and a feinty sweaty note.
- Ardbeg 10 Years Old
Uisge Source Islay makes
this much more aggressive on the palate, but also adds a pleasant pink
peppercorn and sage element.
Uisge Source Highland
finds sweeter peat smoke and some soft salted caramel.
For many, however, purchasing a tasting set of regional water may seem excessive, when a somewhat similar substance comes out of the tap in your home. Inspired by a belief that all water tastes basically the same, that their palates aren’t attuned to noticing the differences, and that when adding a couple of drops to a highly complex single malt the choice of water will have very little impact on the phenols, esters and aldehydes in your glass, some consumers opt for a simpler choice.
John McCheyne, Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) master
ambassador, explains that the society carried out taste testing amongst its
team and members, comparing commercially available whisky waters to “the
wonderful water that flows into our Scottish venues through the tap”. The
members decided that the latter was “good enough” primarily because it was what
they would enjoy their whisky with at home.
While Scottish tap water is often compared favourably
to that from other parts of the UK, the SMWS does admit to the use of the
public water supply in its London tasting room, which is presumably similar to
that which flows into homes in the capital.
The water: London Tap Water
-
The Glenlivet 12 Years Old
Far more red fruit and
light floral perfume.
-
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
On the nose, the same sage note that was drawn out by the Uisge Source Islay, but dominated by a honey syrup sweetness. On the palate, white wine notes and enhanced smokiness.
Further north, however, where belief in the quality of
the local water can take on an almost religious fervour, Bertie’s Bar at the
Fife Arms in Braemar, Aberdeenshire has embraced the legend of nearby Ballater, which was ‘founded on its
water’ after a local woman claimed bathing there cured her of scrofula in
around 1760. As a result, the hotel bar decided it didn’t have to look too far
from its doorstep to find the perfect accompaniment to its 365 whiskies, and it
is Deeside mineral water that fills their jug.
Deeside Mineral Water flows from natural springs within
the protected Cairngorms National Park, close to Balmoral Castle. Since 1760
visitors flocked to drink the “miracle waters” which flow under their own
pressure from the historic Pannanich Wells and became famous for their curative
qualities.
Modern research confirms it has a special combination
of natural properties, which hydrate cells more effectively, supporting
vitality and well-being at a deeper level.
Combined with its unusual purity and clear taste, this
living water is a gift from nature which can be enjoyed as part of your healthy
lifestyle or in a fine restaurant.
Only a fraction of what the springs provide each year
is used, preserving the balance of nature in the local water cycle. As
custodians of this unique, limited resource is to protect the springs for
future generations, local authorities retain absolute control over its
dispensation.
Whisky ambassador Katy Fennema explains that with a low
pH and a low mineral content (just 63mg per litre) the local water “doesn’t
pack a punch, but will open up just about any dram you add it to” and was
"a natural choice" for the intimate and luxurious surroundings of
Bertie’s Bar.
The natural properties of Deeside Mineral Water have
been associated with good health as these qualities are created by the pure
Scottish rainfall and local geology, with the water filtering gently
underground for 50 years. The result is a special blend of characteristics not
found in other waters, which have been shown to promote well-being when present in
the correct proportions. This effect is very rare, but flows naturally from
these springs – a source of living water.
The water: Deeside Natural Mineral Water
-
The Glenlivet 12 Years Old
The nose was sweeter, with
much more pineapple evident and some vanilla. On the palate, the sherry spice
came through much more strongly.
-
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
On the nose, it enhanced
the coastal dampness, oiliness, and woodsmoke. The palate was much sweeter,
very woody with less of the smoke, salinity, and spice on the tongue. Finishes
with a soft kick of peat.
With interest in the provenance of ingredients not limited to those listed on the menu, Bertie's Bar whisky ambassador Katy Fennema admits that choosing the most local water was a win-win for the bar, and satisfies those consumers that ask, "What’s in the jug?". But she is also a firm believer in the special role that romance and narrative can play in any whisky-drinking experience, particularly for those who may have travelled a long way to drink whisky in a luxury Highland hotel and seek that additional connection to Scotland.
This romance is also accepted by certified water
sommelier and CEO of Aqua Amore Michael Tanousis, but only insofar as it comes
down to enhancing the relaxing or pleasant enjoyment of a dram. When it comes
to the science, Tanousis is far more forthright and advises that it is crucial
first of all that consumers understand the difference between natural mineral
water (a highly regulated product), spring water, and table water, before
seeking out a liquid that will either allow the core characteristics of the
whisky to sing, or enhance a particular flavour note that you enjoy.
He gives examples from his own experiments, referring
to a comparison of the effect that two different medium (around 600mg per litre
of total soluble solids) mineral waters had on a sample of Laphroaig. While one
“failed to retain the character that is key to a medicinal whisky” another
“amplified the salty, briny, mineral quality” while with Lagavulin, a good
pairing “enhanced the smoky bacon flavours and viscosity” while a bad pairing,
this time London tap water, “introduced chemical and plastic flavours”.
Evian is a uniquely sourced spring water that’s always
refreshing and naturally hydrating, with nothing added for taste or enhanced
with extras - so you can reach your natural peak. Evian gets its unique cool,
crisp taste from its years-long journey through the French Alps. It starts as
snow and rain and travels slowly through layers of glacial rocks where it
becomes naturally filtered and enhanced with electrolytes and minerals. Nature
gives it everything it needs, but it affects whisky in strangely different
ways.
It turned out to an unsatisfactory performer, but Tanousis
believes that it is not as simple as avoiding minerals in the water you add to
your whisky. It is possible, he says, to find a high-mineral content water that may
enhance the natural characteristics of the whisky. This could be a water that
makes the dram more enjoyable, opens it up in a harmonised way, or takes it in
a new direction.
The water: Evian
- The Glenlivet 12 Years Old
The nose has bags more
orchard fruit and plenty of depth. On the palate there’s a little spice and a
little bite, overall this accentuates the sweeter caramel and vanilla notes to
the detriment of the dram overall.
-
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
The water flattens the nose overall but brings out more vegetal / geranium leaf. The palate is more astringent, with more alcohol burn, a greater salinity and a hint of petrol.
Larkfire Wild water is sourced from the Isle of Lewis
in Scotland; its very low mineral content and purity help you to get more from
your dram, free from the influence of additives found in tap water and mineral-heavy bottled water. Too often though, harder mineral or tap waters are added
which can easily spoil this subtle and complex drink. As whisky drinkers, they
wanted to find the purest, softest water untainted by minerals and this led them
to the remote Isle of Lewis. Hard to get to, but worth the effort.
According to Larkfire, die-hard whisky fans know that
tap water and bottled water interfere with the delicate flavours of whisky, due
to the mineral content and added chlorine or fluoride. But Larkfire is a pure,
naturally soft ‘wild’ water from Scotland that creates a natural chemistry,
offering the very best for those enjoying a dram at home.
The water: Larkfire
- The Glenlivet 12 Years Old
A little woody and a
little biscuity, but the vanilla notes, fruit, and spice seem diminished here.
-
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
Enhances the oily fish and
creosote notes on the nose, and while some remain on the palate, the peat smoke
is much diluted and the flavours feel a little subdued overall.
As with much in the world of whisky, true pleasure will lie in the palate of the beholder and experimentation will be key. While there is plenty to be said of the romanticism of a particular water with a particular whisky in a particular time and place, it can’t be the case that the aqua is just there to play a neutral supporting role to every dram. The best water for each individual whisky must be out there somewhere, just waiting to be tapped.
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