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hubie [soylentnews.org] writes:

Too much water can make whiskies taste the same [wsu.edu]:

While adding a little water is popularly thought to "open up" the flavor of whisky, a Washington State University-led study indicates there's a point at which it becomes too much: about 20%.

Researchers chemically analyzed how volatile compounds in a set of 25 whiskies responded to the addition of water, including bourbons, ryes, Irish whiskeys and both single malt and blended Scotches. They also had a trained sensory panel assess six of those whiskies, three Scotches and three bourbons.

Both tests found that adding a little water could change how the whiskies smelled, but after 20%, they may start to have the same aroma. Since smell and taste are often closely linked, this likely affected the spirit's flavor as well.

[...] Whisky is a mix of compounds that run the scale from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, in other words, ones that are attracted to water and others that are repelled by it. The addition of water sends the whisky's hydrophobic compounds into that headspace and leaves the hydrophilic ones behind, changing the aroma of the liquid.

The researchers found that the chemical analysis matched the impressions of the educated panel. For instance, many of the Scotch whiskies started out with a smoky, "peat" aroma, but as they were diluted, they moved toward a fruitier aroma known as "pome."

"This happens because of the way dilution affects what's in the headspace," said Collins. "The compounds that are associated with smoky aromas dissipate, and they were replaced by compounds that are associated with fruity aromas."

Likewise, the American bourbons were mostly associated with vanilla and oak scents at first, but as more water was added, they took on more aromas of the corn and grains used to make them.

[...] "This study helps to understand why those large, square ice cubes have become so popular because you can actually enjoy the whisky before it gets diluted to the point that it's not the same whisky," said Collins.

Journal Reference:
P. Layton Ashmore, Aubrey DuBois, Elizabeth Tomasino, et al., Impact of Dilution on Whisky Aroma: A Sensory and Volatile Composition Analysis [open], Foods 2023, 12(6), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12061276 [doi.org]

Original Submission