"There is a reason we dilute," Elias said, his voice taking on the timbre of a lecturer. "Whiskey is a balance. The water doesn't weaken the spirit; it liberates it. It lowers the surface tension. It allows the long-chain esters—the fruity, floral notes—to unlock. You spent a fortune on a beast, and you tried to ride it without a saddle."
Elias, the bartender and proprietor, didn't look up from the glass he was polishing. He was a man built of dried river clay and silence, his hands steady as surgeons. "It’s forty percent, Julian. Standard strength. It’s been that way since the industry standardized bottle sizes in the early 20th century. It is, by definition, correct." alcohol percentage whiskey
The alcohol percentage of whiskey, commonly expressed as Alcohol by Volume (ABV), typically ranges from . By law in many regions, including the United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union, a spirit must be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV (80 proof) to be legally classified as whiskey. Standard Whiskey Strengths "There is a reason we dilute," Elias said,
"Pour it," Julian commanded.