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You can add ice to a cheap blended whisky, or an American bourbon, but don't be adding it to a decent malt. Shackleton had no choice of course!
The whisky industry started chill-filtering their whiskies to cater for the American market; "real" whiskies used to go cloudy when ice was added. My Grandad remembers it as the sign of good whisky, but across the pond it was seen as an imperfection. However the filtering downgraded the flavour and made the introduction of an artificial colourant necessary.
The tide has turned on this, as Americans have finally been recognised as a discerning market, as opposed to an homogenous one. Top end Scots whisky distilleries once again glory in the fact a real uisge beath will cloud if you add ice (accept it or don't add it.)
Just in case I sound like an intolerable purist here, if I drink any whisky at all it will be drenched in Diet Coke. With ice.
Dads' is the whisky expert, not me.
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