# Thirsty for a good scotch?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thirsty-for-a-good-scotch/524027>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thirsty-for-a-good-scotch/524027 "2010-01-07T14:32:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thirsty-for-a-good-scotch/524027/1 "2010-01-07T14:32:56Z")

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Can our thirst mechanism taste what we drink? What I mean is, if I’m thirsty for a “Tall One”, but I’ve had plenty of liquids, does actual thirst have anything to do with it?  
I can’t seem to figure out if I’m actually _thirsty_ when I want a cup of my excellent home roasted coffee.  
So, what’s the science here?  
Peace,  
mangeorge

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thirsty-for-a-good-scotch/524027/2 "2010-01-07T15:14:59Z")

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When I desire some crisp, cold vodka I look at it as hunger more than thirst, but “desire” is a good word. Sex, the same thing. The science part? I’ll hang around and see what’s up.

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**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thirsty-for-a-good-scotch/524027/3 "2010-01-09T04:16:03Z")

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I don’t believe “true thirst” is anything but a desire for water/liquid. My WAG is that the concept of “thirsty for a cold one” is a mix of thirst and some kind of desire for the “food” qualities of the beverage (the taste, I guess).

I remember once when I was hiking being incredibly desirious of iced Coca-Cola; I’m talking fantasizing about it. I think this may have been because I…possibly had my blood sugar reduced? I may have had an unconscious desire for something sugary, and water, and Coke happened to pop up and fit the bill perfectly.

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**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thirsty-for-a-good-scotch/524027/4 "2010-01-09T04:17:48Z")

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Re: vodka, thats an interesting one. I never view hard liquor as a “thirst quencher”, and kinda got the impression this was a common take. Might be because when I’m dehydrated I’ve generally not eaten lately, and I view drinking on an empty stomach as tied with “bad”. Huh.