At least a couple of distilleries I visited in KY recommended trying bourbon neat, with a drop or splash of water, and on the rocks. Each variant gives a slightly different expression of the spirit. So that’s at least an “official” warrant for the idea that it’s not ruining the whiskey. The same goes for scotch. Some whiskeys are just more interesting when diluted a bit. (And, in fact, I think the youngest Laphroaig used to contain a suggestion on the bottle that it should be consumed in a 50/50 ratio so as not to overwhelm the palate with peat smoke.)
I find the “whiskey should only be consumed neat” crowd to have the same gatekeeping mindset as the “coffee should only be drunk black” crowd. If that’s how you like it, great, but it’s not a general rule for how these libations ought to be consumed, much less a marker of how “hardcore” you are as a drinker of them.
I find the “whiskey should only be consumed neat” crowd to have the same gatekeeping mindset as the “coffee should only be drunk black” crowd. If that’s how you like it, great, but it’s not a general rule for how these libations ought to be consumed, much less a marker of how “hardcore” you are as a drinker of them.