I’ll have to try that. I’ve added small amounts of water in the past but more like a few drops, not 30%.
Call me crazy, but I like ice in my scotch. I don’t mind that it tastes different between every sip. (and, no, I don’t think I ever let it sit long enough to exceed 35% water).
Really? You think rule number 1 with scotch is the spelling difference between whisky and whiskey? That would be last on my list.
First of all, for a good primer hit the web. In a few short seconds I found these:
The world of scotch whisky is gigantic. I agree with tomcar: "go to a whiskey bar and do some blind taste testing. Let your palette decide. " at least until you can differentiate between the varieties/blends/malts.
35% water? Are you people insane? A dram or two, yes. That opens up the nose and lets the aromas develop. But any more than that and you are drinking a highball, not sipping scotch.
35%. :shakes head:
Youngsters these days…
You realize that neat whisky straight from the bottle is 60% water, right? If you drank straight from a cask you’d be drinking 36.5% (or thereabouts) water.
Whisky should ideally be between 35% and 40% abv for drinking. It comes out of the bottle at 40% (in the vast majority of cases). So diluting two ounces of whisky from 40% to 35% is just about a splash of water.
And in that case, we’re drinking 75% water.
I burning your lawn.
I think the 35% meant diluting cask strength down to 35% ABV, although we have some posters saying they dilute 50-50 with water.
I personally put in a quick splash of water. Basically, about a teaspoon or so for a serving of scotch (which for me is equivalent to about a double shot, about 3 fluid ounces.) It’s just the way I was taught in Scotland when I lived and worked there (and where I first discovered Scotch whisky, living just 20 miles from Oban.)
emphasis added
[nit]
Bottle strength, not cask.
Whisky comes off the still at or around 63.5% ABV. It’s casked at that strength.
When uncasked and bottled, most whiskey is diluted with water to 40% ABV.
Some distilleries will sell bottles at cask strength, and some distilleries bottle certain lines at atypical strengths (38%, 43%, 46%, etc).
Outliers aside, “cask strength” means ~63.5% ABV. “Bottle strength” means 40% ABV.
[/nit]
Well, I actually did mean cask strength there. I thought some people were diluting cask strength down to 35% or something.
ETA: Ah, I see you’re the poster who originally made the comment and were talking about diluting bottle strength down to 35%. Got it.
Well ok then. Yes, if we are talking ABV then 35% is ok. A little light for my tastes, but ok (I tend to drink Wild Turkey 101 straight.) I’ll splash my Macallan Cask Strength and dribble a little water into the Cragganmore.
I thought you meant taking a dram of scotch and adding 35% water to it, which is just wrong.
I’m sorry, I feel that I’ve muddled the question.
Whenever I’ve referred to percentages, I meant ABV. I’m not suggesting that one pour 2 oz whisky and 1 oz water. I’m talking about lowering the whisky’s ABV from 40% to 35% or so.
Lowering 1.5 oz (standard measure) of 40% ABV to 35% requires just over .2 oz of water. Just a splash. Your “few drops” probably dropped you to 38-39% as it is.
As a rough measure (and the way most of us pour in the real world), a hair over 3 oz of whisky can take a hair under 1/2 oz water.
I agree, and I putting your lawn out.
One last post before I head out for New Year’s…
OP: some words of wisdom from some Scottish boys. Or maybe their words to your current and/or future SO. 
Sorry I didn’t get back to this right away. Thank you all for the discussion and information. I really appreciate it, and I have a lot of stuff to absorb.
A whisky bar is, unfortunately, out of the question unless I want to travel. I live in a small town in the mountains, not much going on around here.
You guys are great, but you already know that.
IMO, I would stay away from Laphroig unless someone else is buying that shot and a shot of a different whisky too*.
*to kill the taste of the Laphroig.
Lagavulin is my first choice; Laphroaig is my second.
And Oban is my third.
If I have to drink a blended Scotch, I prefer Dimple (sold in the States as Pinch).
Somebody has to be drinking the stuff. Glad to see SCAdian is picking up the slack on behalf of those of us with tastebuds. 
I am convinced that Islay malts are a giant Scottish practical joke on the rest of the world. Like haggis and skirts on men.
Better yet, let your palate decide.
It’s a kilt. If I wore something under it, then it would be a skirt.
And I wouldn’t mind a plate of haggis, neeps and tatties right about now…
I’d put Ardbeg in first place with those two second and third. When I first found the World of whiskies I started with Islay and I haven’t left the island yet. Interestingly enough the three distilleries are almost within view of each other.
And a glass of whisky poured over it.
You might also see if you have friends with taste who like scotch. It’s single biggest issue is that the truly amazing ones have to hang around til they’re old enough to drive…and you pay for it.
One of the few scotches my wife likes (I’m far less discerning) is the Dalmore 15. It’s a fantastically smooth drink. It is, also, $80 a bottle. And while there are blends that are $20 a handle, you’re not going to experience what a good single malt is until you (or someone near you) is willing to drop $70-$120 a bottle to get it. I dunno bout you, but dropping nearly $100 on a guess isn’t very Scottish. We’re known to be cheap bastards for a reason. 