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So, if ice can have such a significant effect on a glass of Scotch whisky, how can you get the most out of the experience ?

A related factor is how much of the ice cube is in contact with the whisky, as ice entirely submerged beneath the surface of the liquid has a greater impact than ice which is only partially submerged (and so has less surface area contact with the liquid). The smaller the sip of whisky, and the longer it remains on the palate, the greater this warming effect, and the more the flavour evolves, though it’s never going to be equivalent to a sip of whisky served at the ambient temperature. A key characteristic of a whisky, this varies enormously (at the ambient temperature) from delicate and elegant, to richer and even creamy, with dilution making the texture progressively lighter. If you consider minutiae to be significant (which they are), there are numerous other details to consider.And, as the ice melts, there is the additional effect of dilution, which changes the way it tastes still further.

But this isn’t because they’ve become more intense, they only appear more emphatic because the top notes are subtler, and the balance between the top notes and the bass notes has changed.The larger the ice cube, the greater its impact on the temperature of the whisky, and the longer it takes to start melting. However, the chilled liquid picks up temperature from the mouth very quickly, the temperature of the palate being 37C, which is body temperature.

Dilution also continues the ‘chilling’ effect of the ice, though to a lesser extent, and a key consequence is a reduction in alcoholic strength.Another practical factor is that the same amount of ice will have a much greater impact on a single measure of Scotch whisky than on a double. This alcoholic strength determines the flavour profile a Scotch whisky delivers: so, as it is reduced, the more the flavour profile changes, lessening the impact of alcohol on the palate. Others – even after an elegant sip, or a more dramatic mouthful – find reaching a decision can be more time-consuming.