Science Answers the Question: “How Much Water Should One Add to a Whisky Dram?”

It’s the age-old question: How much water should I add to my whisky? Adding a few drops of water to a glass of whisky “opens up” the aroma and flavor, but it’s easy to add too much and drown the whisky. 

Now, researchers at Washington State University’s Department of Viticulture and Enology have settled on the “perfect” amount of water that one should use. Writing in the journal “Foods,” WSU assistant professor Tom Collins and his colleagues set the maximum at 20 percent. 

The team studied 25 different whiskies, looking specifically at the “headspace” above the liquid where the most volatile compounds are found. Depending on the individual chemical’s hydrostatic or hydrophobic tendencies, adding water changes the aroma and flavor of the whisky.

Essentially, the standard 1.5 ounce pour translates to 44.4 milliliters of whisky, and using the WAS formula, adding just 8 ml of water creates the proper balance between water and whisky. According to Collins, adding more than 20 percent causes the flavors to homogenize and taste the same, and a 60/40 ratio had members of the team’s sensory panel confused and unable to tell one whisky from another. 

Then again, it may have just been tough after sampling six different whiskies. 

May 14, 2023