Well, the argument over whether one should add water to their beloved whiskey is always up in the air for discussion or heated arguments and it’s been like this for quite a few years. Although the inclusion of water has been debated a lot, the one thing that is not talked about much is the temperature of the water. It is an important topic of discussion because one major factor is the flavour of the whiskey. Yes, you heard it right, cold water can change the flavour of your whiskey and can effectively change your overall experience.
Both heat and cold have a massive effect on how tastes in food and beverages are tasted. You may be sure that knowing the subtleties of temperature as they relate to tasting whiskey can enhance your enjoyment or, at the very least, help you understand why a whiskey might taste different in the winter than in the summer, with or without ice.
According to Rory Glasgow, who represents single malt Scotch whiskey in the US and Canada, human taste buds function best between the temperatures of 59 and 95°F (15 and 35°C), with 95°F (35°C) being the optimal temperature for flavour recognition. When flavour molecules enter these conducting channels in our taste buds around 95°F or 35°C (i.e., close to body temperature), they are wide open and give very unambiguous messages to our brain. On the other hand, if the temperature is decreased to 59°F or 15°C, these conducting passages do not transmit a signal to our brain as clearly, allowing us to notice less of that specific flavour.
According to Elizabeth McCall, assistant master distiller for Woodford Reserve, a person's perception of whiskey flavour varies depending on the temperature of a beverage because of how taste buds interpret flavour at various temperatures. Your taste buds' flavour-perceiving channels do not pick up as much flavour when foods or beverages are cold. Beer can taste more bitter when drank at room temperature as opposed to when it is cold because the response to the flavour is intensified when the food or drink grows warmer.
In light of McCall and Glasgow's observations, maintaining your whiskey at room temp or just above it is the finest way to experience the dram's complete spectrum of flavours if you're a whiskey aficionado who enjoys dissecting a whiskey's flavour profile. You're more likely to taste the sweetness, bitterness, and umami flavours of a beverage when it's warmer; the acidity and dryness of a beverage are more apparent when it's cold.
Each time you drink, it's crucial to fully comprehend how the condition of your whiskey is influencing how you experience its flavour. The tasting process might differ from person to person. It's ideal to let the individual drinking the whisky decide how they want to enjoy it.