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What Is the Smoothest Whiskey to Drink Straight?
Whiskey drinking is an art, a delightful art that you can learn. We purposefully dedicated this article: How to Drink Whiskey Like A Man: Bourbon Guide to teach men the art of drinking whiskey like a real man.
Even without our guide, you can still enjoy the smooth, delicious taste of good whiskey. Good whiskey should be sipped; it matters not if you are drinking alone or with a company, drinking hardcore, or on the rocks. You will enjoy the balance of various aromas and flavors.
Whiskey is of the most versatile spirits with different brands from different cities, countries, and continents, with each bottle having its unique profile and character. So, you will find Scottish, Japanese and American whiskey on this list. Note that only Americans and the Irish spell Whiskey with the “e,” other countries spell it as whiskey.
There is something for the big spenders and great pocket-friendly options. Limited release and more matured bottles are usually pretty expensive and hard to come by. However, they are not necessarily the best, and some people prefer a younger bottle, especially if the age difference is small. If you are interested in classy, expensive drinks, then check out our top 7 brands of cognac.
Of all the smooth whiskey types out there, here are five great options.
1. Suntory Hakushu
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Let’s start with this excellent bottle from Japan. Suntory’s Hukushu is a 12-year-old bottle, loved by critics and beginners alike. Hakushi is pricey and hard to get, but the crisp and vibrant flavor will leave you wanting more. It’s a great sipper, either hardcore or with lemon.
Hakushu’s green forestry profile stays true to its source, Suntory’s distillery deep in the untouched forests of Mount Kaikomagatake and the pure waters of the Southern Japanese Alps.
This spirit gives a smoky aroma of chopped almonds, cut hay, toasted barley, barrel char, and hints of dried grass on the nose. It has a rich, fruity, grassy, herbal palate, and a spicy, herbal finish.
You can enjoy hakushu in cocktails, but this drink was made for sipping for its price and character.
2. Balvenie DoubleWood
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For scotch drinkers, this 12-year-old Balvenie is a phenomenal experience for any drinker. It is a pricey, classy, and fantastic way to introduce someone to whiskey.
Balvenie launched DoubleWood 12, as one of the first to use cask finishes. They aged this spirit in ex-bourbon barrels to finish in Sherry casks for nine months.
Balvenie DoubleWood has a frosty, spicy nuttiness on the nose and a sweet palate with hints of spice, vanilla, nuts, cinnamon, nutmegs, and dried fruits.
Possessing a rich round finish that lingers on your tongue, you can enjoy it straight.
3. The GlenDronach Allardice
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GlenDronach named its 18-Year-Old scotch after James Allardice, the founder of their distillery. This single malt whiskey has a fruity profile that is perfect for drinking straight.
After the distillery changed hands in 2008, they released this exceptional whiskey just a year after.
Distilleries get the bold, dried, spicy, and fruity profile associated with the cask finish by first maturing the whiskey in ex-bourbon barrels before transferring it to finish in sherry casks. GlenDronach omits the first step and matures the Allardice solely in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. The result is a sipper bursting with flavor.
GlenDronach Allardice gives a sherry-rich aroma with hints of brown sugar, pineapple, and rum. The palate offers a hint of rum, hazelnuts, and honey, the finish notes of maple syrup, blueberry, and blackcurrant.
3. Aberlour A’Bunadh
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A’bunadh is Gaelic for the original. The said “original” is a nod to James Fleming, who founded Aberlour. This single malt whiskey’s most significant attribute is a delicious and creamy flavor that makes you want to drink it straight. While other products from Aberlour are not exactly popular, A’bunadh has gained a cult following.
Consumers long for this whiskey due to its consistency even though each batch undergoes a unique distillation process.
A’bunadh is one of the few whiskey types made in a wholly traditional distillation process. This gives it a palate that is creamier and heavier compared to most single malts.
Drink it straight and enjoy the different layers of flavor.
4. George Dickel Bottled in Bond
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This is arguably the best and most popular whiskey from Tennessee. The manufacturer, Cascade Hollow Distillery, called this 100 proof, 13-year-old whiskey “one-of-a-kind.” Considering that it is an affordable and flavorful limited release whiskey, it’s best to drink straight, but you will also enjoy it on the rocks or as cocktails with sugar, a twist of orange, or bitters.
The “Bottled In Bond” is a label for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. It contains a set of rules and regulations designed to curtail the production of adulterated whiskey.
Cascade Hollow Distillery gained acclaimed when they released the first batch in 2019, and the second in 2020.
George Dickel Bottled in Bond is filtered through maple charcoal (a process common to all Tennessee whiskey) and then aged in a barrel for 11 years.
The resulting whiskey has a bold aroma of spiced candied pecan and a fruity palate of baked apple, blood orange, cinnamon spice, vanilla, and buttery candied pecan.
How to Choose the Smoothest Whiskey
Whiskey generally falls into three categories based on their production.
Single Malt Whiskey
Made from only malt grains in a single distillery and then aging in oak casks, it is easy to recognize single malts from their distinct flavor and aroma. Their complex flavor can vary from caramel to smokey. They are often an acquired taste, which some may enjoy straight, but most prefer in cocktails. Check out our list of manly drinks.
Single malts cost a lot of money and human resources to produce. Scotch is the most popular single malt, but there are various options from other parts of the world, like the Irish islands, India, and Japan.
Grain Whiskey
Grain whiskey is produced from grains other than malted barley. The Irish and Scottish use unmelted cereals while US distilleries use corn. Grain whiskey is sweeter and lighter than single malt whiskey. Although it can be had by itself, it is more commonly blended with malt whiskey to create a blended whiskey.
Blended whiskey is the smoothest and most common type of whiskey. It is made by combining malt whiskey with grain whiskey. Grain spirit reduces the cost of production while the malt spirit adds sophisticated flavor.
The resulting spirit is a more approachable spirit that most whiskey drinkers recognize.
Single Pot Whiskey
These are spirits made from a blend of unmalted and malted barley. Some distillers add other grains. Single pot whiskey is unique to Ireland and possesses a spicier flavor.
How to Drink Whiskey Correctly
Matured whiskey has an alcohol content of 60-65%, usually cut to about 40% before bottling. The undiluted whiskey is called cask-strength. Always drink and water when drinking whiskey with an alcohol content of more than 50%.
Unless you are drinking whiskey the right way, it is pretty hard to assess the taste accurately. You can explore a new whiskey with the following tips:
Step 1: Pour One
Pour a small quantity into a Glencairn whiskey glass. These glasses are designed to trap the aroma and make the aroma concentrated.
Step 2: Swirl It
You aim to gently swirl the whiskey around so that it smears the glass on the side. Observe the color of the whiskey as it moves.
Step 3: Dilute It (Optional)
Diluting the whiskey with water is necessary to reduce the alcohol concentration. You also need this to enjoy the real aroma and flavor of the whiskey, not the alcohol. If you do not have much experience with whiskey, this is a step you shouldn’t skip as it brings out the taste.
If you are lucky enough to be drinking a very old whiskey, diluting it is not essential. The alcohol content will be down as the barrel’s time would have given it a rich flavor.
Step 4: Let It Chill Out
This is a step you shouldn’t skip if you added water. Ideally, you should let it sit for about ten minutes. The idea is to allow the water to interact with the whiskey, which will enrich the flavor.
Step 5: Sniff It
Bring the glass closer to your nose and sniff it. Your first time sniffing it might give the scent of alcohol. Breathe in the fresh air and repeat the process. This time, you should be able to detect the various aromas in the whiskey. Try the process as many times as possible and try to identify the flavors. A few of what you will notice are:
- Woodiness – a smell of oak
- Fruitiness – various hints of fruits like dried apple, cherry, strawberry, etc.
- Smokiness – this is due to the presence of malted barley
- Sweetness – there will be a hint of honey, toffee, caramel, or vanilla. With water in your whiskey, you can bring out these tantalizing flavors
Step 6: Drink It!
This is where you get to have a taste of your whiskey. You should start with a small sip and allow it to coat your tongue. Add a few drops of water if it has a bitter or intense taste.