Did you know 'whisky on the rocks' used to be taken quite literally?

Whisky on the rocks. It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard before. It means someone wants a glass of whisky with ice. Let’s hop in a time machine and trace the expression back to its roots. Did you know that “whisky on the rocks” used to be taken very literally?

Like so many whisky-related things, whisky on the rocks comes from Scotland, at least, according to a Scottish legend. Long ago, before ice cubes were dropped into glasses of whisky, cattle farmers looked for a way to chill their whisky while out on the road.

They eventually decided to use ice-cold stones from the river. The flowing water kept them nicely chilled, and they didn’t add anything to the nectar of the gods that could alter its flavor.

The cooling effect of the stones also made the whisky easier to drink. Back then, the spirit was much harsher than it is today (though you can still find some pretty fiery whiskies).

These days, we certainly don’t head to a river to make a whisky on the rocks. We use ice (or whisky stones) to chill the spirit, and that too is called whisky on the rocks. Chilling whisky with ice cubes took off in the 1940s, when alcoholic drinks were served “on the rocks.” That “on the rocks” bit referred to the then relatively new invention of tray-made ice cubes.

Adding ice to whisky has its pros and cons. The upside is obvious: it cools the drink. The downside is that the ice eventually melts and dilutes the whisky. That will influence the flavor and aromas, and with them the overall experience.

If you want to avoid that, you can chill your whisky with whisky stones. That way, you’re drinking your dram a bit more literally on the rocks!

And if you want to open up the flavor and aromas, a drop of water is perfectly fine.

Photo: Pixabay