At my first formal whisky tasting, I was struck by how unlike ordinary “drinking” it felt: slower in pace, attentive to aroma and texture, and quietly resistant to intoxication, since impaired senses blunt appreciation.
Yet Mark Twain’s declaration that “too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough” would seem to caution against the negatives of overindulgence, while suggesting that such restraint does not apply when it comes to whisky.
I will not be attempting to argue that one can never have too much good whisky, but I think it’s worth considering some of the broad concerns we may have around alcohol consumption, and being involved in activities – like writing whisk(e)y reviews! – that would seem to promote it.
Alcohol: A Force for Good or Evil?
Opinions on alcohol are divided, and have been for centuries: while some condemn it as a societal scourge, others sing alcohol’s praises, at least when consumed in moderation. Critics of alcohol consumption are quick to point out its myriad negative consequences, from its detrimental effects on individual health, to its role in perpetuating social ills such as addiction and violence.
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On the other hand, those who are proponents of moderate drinking advocate for a more nuanced understanding of alcohol’s place in society, emphasising its potential to foster conviviality and facilitate social connection. They’ll argue that, when consumed in moderation and with mindful attention, alcohol can serve as a source of immense pleasure and enrichment in our lives, and help to foster a sense of communal connection with others. The now-famous If by whiskey’ speech by American judge and law professor, Noah “Soggy” Sweat, very nicely encapsulates these two contrasting attitudes towards alcohol – it’s a short, tongue-in-cheek piece that’s well worth the read!
It could be said, then, that alcohol has the potential to be a force for both good and bad. Often, you’ll find that opinion on alcohol will be divided because of the associations people have with it, some negative, some positive. Interestingly, our feelings around alcohol consumption can differ depending on the particular alcoholic beverage in question.
Do Different Drinks Change How We Behave?
There have been a number of interesting surveys conducted on the links people draw between different kinds of booze and the resulting behaviour and mood. In one recent survey, for example, the majority of 30,000 respondents reported feeling more aggressive after drinking spirits than after drinking wine. Yet as Nicole Lee, a professor at Australia’s National Drug and Research Institute, points out, this is odd because “alcohol is alcohol […] no matter what the drink, the active ingredient is the same: ethanol.”
Here’s the really interesting part: studies have shown that when people are actually given non-alcoholic (or placebo) versions of various alcoholic beverages, they still report feeling the emotions they associated with those drinks if they think they’ve had the real thing. So, even without consuming actual beer, wine, or whisky, they report experiencing the effects they expected to get from beer, wine or whisky.
We Learn How to Be Drunk
This suggests that our behaviour and feelings after drinking are heavily influenced by our preconceived expectations and associations with each type of alcoholic beverage. It’s also interesting to realise that the associations that people have regarding a particular variety of alcohol can differ from culture to culture – so different people in different countries may have different expectations regarding the behaviour that results from drinking whisky. Dwight Heath, Professor of Anthropology at Brown University, sums this up in the following:
“There is overwhelming historical and cross-cultural evidence that people learn not only how to drink but how to be affected by drink through a process of socialisation […]. In simple terms, this means that people who expect drinking to result in violence become aggressive; those who expect it to make them feel sexy become amorous; those who view it as disinhibiting are demonstrative. If behaviour reflects expectations, then a society gets the drunks it deserves.”
On the one hand, this can appear quite damning – yet these findings also provide us with a potential avenue for attempting to address some of the problems associated with alcohol consumption.
If Prohibition Doesn’t Work, What Does?
I think it’s fair to say that when it comes to alcohol, prohibition doesn’t really work. So perhaps changing our attitudes and expectations around drinking might be a more effective way to deal with the negative effects of alcohol consumption. I don’t want to suggest that the problems in our societies surrounding alcohol are easy to solve, but in terms of helping to foster healthier attitudes toward alcohol consumption, and adjust the expectations we have surrounding the behaviour of those imbibing, I actually think that the practice of tasting whisky has a number of features in its favour.
Tasting vs. Drinking: An Important Distinction
Tasting whisky is all about savouring and appreciating the flavours, aromas, and textures with a mindful approach. Unlike drinking whisky in social settings for the purposes of intoxication, the practice of tasting encourages moderation (there’s only so much you can consume while still being able to genuinely appreciate what’s in your glass) and awareness (of what’s in your glass, as well as your experience of what’s in your glass), helping to curb excessive consumption. Tasting whisky also often leads to an interest in finding out more about whisky production and the craftsmanship behind it, which can deepen one’s appreciation of what one is drinking, making one less likely to hastily or thoughtlessly consume what in some cases has taken decades to create.
Ultimately, the practice of tasting whisky, as opposed to merely drinking it, could change how someone views alcohol – we may begin to see alcohol as a source of aesthetic enjoyment rather than a mere means to getting drunk. Perhaps if we’re able to encourage more of the former than the latter, this shift can foster a more thoughtful and responsible approach to drinking.
