Have you ever wondered why unlike other liquors, whisky does not freeze and what happens when it turns cold? Contrary to popular belief, it won’t get destroyed. But it will certainly taste different.
There are many ways to store whisky. Keeping the bottle somewhere where it is exposed to heat can make the liquid evaporate and lose its flavour. Not using an airtight seal can lead to the alcohol getting oxidised and changing flavour. To this end, placing it in a cool, dark place that’s away from sunlight and other sources of heat will ensure that the taste remains intact. Leaving it firmly sealed in room temperature is fine too, but this is subjective considering that several Indian states experience extreme local temperatures.
So what happens if you store it in the freezer, like you do with your vodka bottles? According to John Glaser, who started Compass Box Whisky, a producer of blended Scotch whiskies, in 2000 — freezing whisky makes it more appealing to amateur whisky drinkers. “What freezing does is concentrate the vanilla flavours, mask the feeling of the alcohol and create a lovely, full mouthfeel. It practically glides down your throat. And everyone — whether they are a big whisky drinker or not — everyone loves it,” he tells InsideHook.
However, you won’t find many whisky aficionados popping their whisky bottles in the freezer. Here’s why whisky does not freeze and what happens when it turns cold.
Why whisky does not freeze and what happens when it turns cold
What happens if you try to freeze whisky?
The reason that whisky does not freeze when placed in the freezer is that it has a lower freezing point than the recommended temperature in most refrigerators. To this end, it cannot freeze in a standard freezer. But exposing it to icy cold temperatures will impact the liquid. It will end up dulling its flavours. Swedish whisky enthusiast Mattias Klasson conducted an experiment where he placed a bottle of whisky in the freezer at a temperature of -18°C. After it was taken out and consumed, a number of panellists he was working with found it to be subdued both on the nose and the palette, ScotchWhisky magazine reports.
What happens when it turns cold?
If you still wish to freeze whisky, then here’s what will happen. The cold whisky will have a slightly more muted taste, which is great for first-time drinkers who aren’t used to the high alcohol by volume (ABV) content; for reference, a standard whisky bottle has a minimum of 80 proof. Whisky also has a very distinctive taste, so drinking a muted version of the original liquid helps those who aren’t used to the usquebaugh to slowly acclimatise to it. The cold whisky will also not leave a burning aftertaste, unlike those drunk at normal temperatures.
A disclaimer here: If you place a bottle of expensive whisky in the freezer and then take it out and allow it to come to room temperature, it will probably taste exactly as it did before you placed it in the freezer. However, drinking it while still cold… that makes all the difference.
