Water

You might scroll past this one, but water shows up in cocktails more than you’d think. A few drops of water open up a dram of whiskey, and dilution during stirring or shaking is what makes cocktails actually taste right — without it, spirits would be too harsh. Hot water is half of a Hot Toddy, and room-temperature water helps dissolve sugar in an old-school Old Fashioned. Good filtered water matters too, since tap water with heavy chlorine can throw off delicate drinks. It’s the invisible ingredient doing more work than it gets credit for.

Last modified on September 24, 2026