Whiskey & Water
By Gabby Boualavanh
Whiskey… Vodka… Water
Tyler Farr isn’t the only one who believes that whiskey and water are a match made in heaven. Tyler Farr – Whiskey in my Water. Does adding water to whiskey really make it taste better? The Washington Post suggests that by adding water, it will trap compounds that are ‘unpleasant’. Whiskey contains fatty acid esters that have two very different ends. The head is electrostatically attracted to water and the tail is not. Fatty acid esters in water can form compounds called micelles. In micelles, all the tails come together in the middle while the heads form a sphere on the outside, like a bouquet of lollipops with their sticks all tied together on the inside. Adding water to whiskey could, theoretically, cause more micelles to form trapping compounds that don’t taste or smell good. CNN also suggests that rather than watering it down, the addition may act as a flavor enhancement.
For all the non-science gurus out there, when we add water, we have clusters of water molecules and clusters of alcohol molecules. When whiskey is diluted, the alcohol is driven to the surface giving us an enhanced taste. So next time you’re enjoying a neat Evan Williams in your glass, mix in a splash of water and see for yourself.
If I’m still not convincing you and whiskey and water just will not appeal to your pallet, what about vodka water? Spiked seltzers have sky rocketed in the market this past year. 2019 is all about the still water and vodka. Now, it may not be as scientific as whiskey and water however, it is a light & refreshing way to be guilt free. Give our GAP recipe a try and let us know what you think!
- 1 ½ oz Smirnoff Blueberry Vodka
- 4 oz. Chilled still water
- 1 Squeezed lemon wedge
Enjoy!
https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/17/health/whiskey-water-taste-study/index.html