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Basically, they're hiding inside the drink and probably won't hit you as hard once you go to take a sip (though the higher level of alcohol might).

Most cask-strength whiskies start out at 60% or more alcohol by volume. When whisky is bottled for sale, it's usually diluted using water to a more palatable 40% alcohol.

"It probably works that the more water you add the more of this molecule you find at the surface, but at the same time you add water you dilute it," says Karlsson, so it's a delicate balance to add enough water to enhance the taste, but not so much to dilute it beyond recognition. "Everyone has his own opinion about how much water should be added to whisky."