Sorry to call you out, Citizen, but whiskey "with a piece of ice" is a mixed drink.
Ouch!! But, fair point.
Thus, I've removed the piece of ice from the serving I am enjoying now. Just for you, Tess.
However, this is where the two angles on the whiskey/whisky conversation coincide.
You see, when I drink straight, clear corn likker--no ice. Here's why:
Oh, I do like my adult beverages chilled, very chilled.
The issue is the chilling. You see, you cannot put 80 proof liquor in the freezer. I've tried it. Eighty proof forms large ice crystals, a lattice if you will, which do not seem to be evenly dispersed throughout the liquid.
However, one-hundred proof corn liquor does not form ice crystals in the freezer. It just gets a tiny bit more viscous.
So, I keep my Virginia Lighting* in the freezer. 100 proof, you see. And, no need for a piece of ice while enjoying.
But, my scotch? Well. I'm not too keen on single-cask scotch just to get 100-120 proof--the flavor variation can be a bit hit or miss.
But, I raise this particular glass of scotch--sans ice--to you, Tess. Somewhere in the distant past I had learned that, but forgotten it. Thanks for the reminder.
*Google Virginia Lighting. Its legal. Double distilled. And, oh, my what a delicious, bold, bright flavor. Here is a bit of humor about it. Many whiskeys mention the age on the bottle. "Aged three years" or "Twelve years old", etc. Not Virginia Lighting. Right on the bottle, the owners say, "Guaranteed to be less than 30 days old." Ahahahhahahahahahaaa!! Now that right there ismykinda beverage. Don't get me wrong--I do very much like a good scotch or Irish whiskey. But, there is a special place in my heart for the bold, crisp flavor of a clear corn likker. What can I say? I'm a southern boy.