A guide to freezing your bottle of Glenfiddich at Christmas

As the UK Brand Ambassador for Glenfiddich, I do a lot of travelling and, irrespective of the season, when I am in London you can guarantee the city’s busy Underground system will always be just a few degrees below that of a Caribbean summer.

The only salvation for me after a long stuffy journey home from work is to know there is something cold and refreshing waiting in the freezer at home.

Now, most would consider a gin and tonic (Hendrick's with a slice of cucumber of course) or a good white wine from Burgundy as their go to refreshment of choice, but my core temperature reviver is something a little different – freezer-chilled whisky.

On my travels with Glenfiddich, I’m always asked one question more than any other: Is it okay to add ice and is it okay to add water to whisky? 

I have always said it is entirely up to you if you wish to add ice to your whisky - after all, you’ve paid for it so you should enjoy it how you would like. But, since discovering the joy of ice-cold whisky, I can't spread the word fast enough.

Let’s be clear though, ‘freezing’ does not mean you should add some broken wet cubes to your next dram. If you’re adding ice to your whisky, remember that not all ice is the same. You need good water to begin with and some clean trays, preferably made from silicon as they don’t taint the ice as much. If you’ve got this nailed first, the rest should fall into place. 

However, by freezing an actual bottle of Glenfiddich, you can experience the sensation of chilled whisky without the ice and, if you don’t like it, you can simply hold the glass in your hand until it warms back up. Easy.

This process has a wonderful effect on the dram, thickening it up with a more viscous texture, cooling down not only the whisky itself but also the alcohol, cushioning its peppery heat and allowing the softer, sweeter notes to emerge. I find it works best with high bourbon cask matured whiskies such as Glenfiddich 12 Year Old and our 15 Year Old Distillery Edition.

So, if you’re looking to try something a little different this festive season, you can also try this classic combination at home:

- 50ml Glenfiddich 12 Year Old (from the freezer)

- One tall glass (preferably from the freezer)

- Fill the glass with ice to the top

- Top with soda

- Twist of lemon on the top

If you give this recipe a go, I’d love to hear from you on Twitter. Alternatively, do get in touch if you have any other techniques that are perfect for winter.