The very existence of this section in our focus on whisky will have purists up in arms. There are those who insist it must be drunk neat – no ice or water, let alone with pollutants such as mixers. But the first rule of whisky drinking is really that there are no rules. And a good, classic whisky cocktail may be just the thing to break the ice, if you will, on your whisky adventures. The key to drinking the spirit this way, says Matt Bradley, is making sure it remains front and centre of the cocktail. “It shouldn’t be about disguising the spirit but enhancing and showcasing it.