In Defense Of Lower-Proof Whiskey

The first article I ever wrote for Whisky Advocate started out as a bit of a Socratic exercise more than a deeply held belief. My personal preference is for higher-proof whiskey (generally 45% ABV and up) — I think the more high-octane stuff generally has more flavor and more viscosity. A lot of my fellow whiskey nerds agree. We were at a tasting when the subject came up of why, in this day and age, brands would find it necessary or desirable to bottle a watered-down product. They tried to make it a thing in the ‘70s and ‘80s, when vodka dominated the booze market and the powers-that-were thought, hey, if they like something that’s light, easy-to-drink, and doesn’t have a ton of flavor, we can play that game too! The result was a lot of bad whiskey and a market share that didn’t stop declining for a few decades.

So my original intent with the article, aside from finally getting my name in one of the great publications on the planet, was really to get in the distillers’ heads and find out why they do it. And along the way, I also realized that not all lower-proof whiskeys are lame. I mean, Suntory — perhaps you’ve heard of them? — bottles some pretty amazing whisky at 43% ABV. Same with Michter’s, also at 43%, whose Sour Mash is one of my go-to mixing whiskeys and is not lacking for a damn thing at that proof.

So I’m still not a huge fan of lower-proof whiskey, but I definitely have a better understanding of why it’s made in this age of blow-your-skull-off, cask-strength behemoths. There’s room for everyone at my bar, as long as it’s tasty. Have a read and see if you agree! I got yer link right here…..