How does adding a dropper two of water change the flavor profile of bourbon?

Question

Ryan Mills · Answer

How does adding a drop or two of water change the flavor profile of a bourbon? Well, bourbon is a stable, compressed solution full of different material and compounds. So when you add a drop or two of water into that stable solution, they tend to break up those compounds that are tightly knitted together. Now, the water itself isn't adding any flavor to the actual whiskey, but sometimes it'll help open up that whiskey to give you different notes of cherry or vanilla, and sometimes it can even make it a little bit more intense on the first sip. And that's mainly because of the water solubles will connect to the water while all your oils or insoluble objects rise to the top. But it is a really fun experiment. Pour yourself a glass of whiskey, take a sip, wait a few minutes, drop two drops of still water into it, and then take a sip and see how it changes for yourself.

Devin Ershow · Answer

How does adding a drop or two of water change the flavor profile of bourbon? Now this kind of applies to all different kinds of whiskey, not just bourbon, but in my professional experience, adding water can be a really cool trick to change the tasting experience. And I think it sort of shows up in three different ways. The first way is that it has very little to no impact on the whiskey at all. And in my experience, the lower ABV the alcohol is to start with, the more likely that is to be the case. Right, if you've got a 40% alcohol whiskey, maybe adding a couple drops of water is not going to change its tone that much. The second instance is that maybe you were picking up something on the aroma or the flavor, and now that you've added the water into it, you're getting those flavors or aromas a little bit more strongly. That's because when whiskey is packaged into the bottle, all those flavor and aroma molecules are bound very tightly on top of each other. Water breaks those molecules apart. Okay, so let's say this is cinnamon and this is vanilla. Before you were getting vanilla, but it was kind of being hidden by the cinnamon. Now that they're broken apart, the vanilla is able to punch a little bit stronger. So you're getting a little bit extra vanilla on the nose or on the flavor. Now the third instance is that once these flavors are broken apart, you're still getting vanilla like you were getting before, but now that vanilla is not covering up the cinnamon. So not only are you getting the vanilla, but the cinnamon is able to punch at the same time. So adding a few drops of water can drastically change your whiskey tasting experience. Whiskey doesn't really open up with air the same way that wine does, but adding a few drops of water can really help change that experience. And the other thing that it can do is it can take that proof down. So if you're drinking something that's really high proof, it's a little bit too much for you, add a couple drops of water, chances are it's going to change the flavor, change the aroma, and maybe even make it a little bit easier for you to enjoy it. Hope that helps.

Alan Bishop · Answer

Hey guys, so how does adding a drop or two of water change the flavor profile of your bourbon? This is a cool question actually. So right now it's incredibly popular in the bourbon world to buy overproof bourbons and or barrel strength bourbons and or what are known as hazmat bourbons. These are incredibly high proof and it seems to be sort of faux pas amongst the more pretentious drinkers and or distillers out there to add water to it. But this is really a mistake. So in my opinion, anything above, let's say 90 proof, definitely can benefit from a little bit of water. So what actually happens when you add that water into the spirit? Well, it opens up the spirit because it rearranges the alcohol and aromatic molecules, the profile of the whiskey, brandy, or whatever spirit you're drinking in a very major and interesting way. You'll start to be able to pick up on more of the aromatic components. You'll start to be able to pick up on more of the palate components, some of the things that are locked up flavor wise because of the bonds with ethanol that you are now rearranging with the water. Now, one thing you may not get on a distillery tasting experience is the clue to actually mix the water in with the spirit. If you just drop the water on top of the spirit, it's going to float on top of it and it's basically just going to dilute the very, very top of that whiskey. So you want to actually swirl that in or even ask for an instrument that you can actually mix it in with so that it has a true effect on the product. Y'all are welcome. Love you.

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"How does adding a dropper two of water change the flavor profile of bourbon?"