I like a cocktail as much as the next person, but sometimes I want to savor the complexity (or simplicity) of a spirit on its own. That's why I often order certain types of spirits as-is, or in bar parlance, "neat." .
It's just a pour of the liquor on its own, at room temperature. That doesn't imply you're taking the drink as a shot, either, though nobody is stopping you from crushing the drink in one go. It's really just a sipping experience to get the full effect of the drink, which allows you to nurse it over time and enjoy it as-is.
Of course, that does come with its own quirks, meaning if you're drinking something particularly strong, like an , you've also got to deal with the potential effects of the alcohol's burn as it goes down the hatch. But if you're drinking straight liquor, you probably knew what you were getting into in the first place, right? Which types of drinks are best served neat? . My favorite is whiskey (particularly bourbon), but , mezcal, brandy, and some rums are all good candidates for drinking neat.
That way you can enjoy the nuances of each drink by doing things such as observing its aroma, the way it looks, and the way it feels on your palate as you're taking it in, because spirits can be incredibly complex and frankly, it's plain old fun to learn more with every sip. And more flavors open up at room temperature as well; you might not notice the same things about the same drink if you drank a chilled version of it. That being said, there are spiri.
