Today I .............

That's a tidy whisky, can't be enjoying it with ice though......

Get some stainless blocks or something that does not melt.

If cold whisky is your thing..... 

Yeah you need "whisky stones"

I keep em in the freezer as some people do prefer it a bit cold.

Have to say though totally takes the edge and flavour away for me. Can still get the taste but don't get that sweet burn.

Although I've only been drinking whisky properly for a few years so not exactly an oracle on the subject....

I'm in agreement that cold does take away flavour, not only for whisky, chocolate is another example although I would prefer to have both cooler.

Putting ice in whiskey isn't an issue.

How long you leave the ice in, how much melts and how chilled it becomes is the issue.

As with everything there is an art to drinking whisky and releasing the flavour, and whilst a purist would say drinking it neat is the only way to go, there are benefits to adding a little ice or water, depending on the proof.

Higher proof whisky benefits from a touch of ice or water to release the flavour profile.

Can anyone tell me what the difference between Whisky and Whiskey is, without googling it?

No

Spot on Mikey.

The only thing you should put in a whisky, is more whisky, or at a push, a drop of water at roughly the same temperature.

If you need to make it colder to drink, you have not chosen the best whisky for you.

Sorry to say this chaps but to me whiskey be it Irish or Scottish is no better than firewater.

Many years ago I became good friends with an American fella who used to frequent Alconbury air base where the American Air Force was stationed up near Peterborough. He once gave me a bottle of Kessler's whiskey which he said is no more than a cheap bar whiskey as a thank you for doing him a big favour. I took one sip of it and it tasted really good, smooth and mellow, absolutely loved it. Have tried to buy it over the internet, but they charge crazy prices. We are off to the states next March and I have a couple of bottles already waiting there for me when we visit friends.

I'm surprised to read that ice or cold water in whisky is the way to go - I see that brandy tends to be given in one of those giant glasses which you support with the palm of your hand and so warming the liquid. And I expected it to be similar with whisky. But what do I know? Haven't drunk the stuff in years.

Now chocolate, that is something I'm more familiar with. My understanding is that it only gives up its flavour at body temperature, so it does my head in that Mrs. P always keeps it in the fridge.

Curtains very much the theme at the moment.. whatever happened to Venetian blinds?

As for scotch on new years eve about 20 years ago had a mate and his wife drop round after they'd been to a party. Gone midnight, I was watching 'Die Hard' on DVD - had just bought it. Opened a bottle of Glenfiddich I had lying about and me and his wife did the whole bottle. I was bad the next day, never touched scotch since.

bruce willis at his best !!! we miss alan rickman too 

Venetian blinds are those thin horizontal jobbies that are a bugger for dust, aren't they?

Vertical blinds have been popular for a long time. We have those, but the cat has pretty much destroyed them. Curtains have better heat insulation, which may be why they're  becoming more popular. So we are going to replace with curtains.

Might serves as 'room treatment' too.

managed a trip to our wonderful nature centre watching lynx , ocelot , umpteen monkeys and these beauties