Anthony Bourdain Says This Is How You Should Be Drinking Whiskey And What Foods Pair Best

One of the biggest questions that whiskey drinkers ask is: “How do you drink your whiskey?” Traditionalists won’t serve you ask for whiskey any other method except for having whiskey neat, which means a liquor served without being chilled and without any water, ice, or other mixer. Some drinkers suggest a small amount of water to dilute the whiskey, especially if it is a high ABV liquor. Others swear by having their whiskey with ice to chill the beverage. But what does the world-traveling food and drink extraordinaire Anthony Bourdain have to say on the sensitive subject?

In a recent interview with writer Dan Dunn on his podcast Drinky Fun Time, Bourdain revealed that he prefers to drinks his whiskey with ice, with one exception. The celebrity chef says he enjoys having whiskey with one ice cube, which some drinkers would consider sacrilegious. “I’m sure many people don’t like when I say it, but unless it’s something really, you know, rare and high-end like this, I’ll put a rock or two in,” Bourdain said. There is one exception to Anthony’s one ice cube in whiskey rule. Any whiskey that is rare or older than 23 years, Bourdain said he’ll drink it neat.

During a recent excursion to Antarctica, a crew member of a ship served Bourdain a glass of scotch with ice from a nearby glacier. The man picked off a chunk of ice from the glacier. “The ice I just put in your drink is like thousands of years older than even the idea of whiskey,” the crew member told Bourdain.

In a video for Potluck video, Anthony suggests the best foods to pair with whiskey. He recommends that you should have whiskey before and after the meal. Bourdain says a strong cheese like a “runny, stinky French cheese, wild game such as pheasant, a nicely aged steak, or “something with some funk” pair best with whiskey.

[Travel+Leisure]