Whisky: considered one of the finest drinkable pleasures in life, and certainly one of the most sophisticated drinks to ever be favoured by men and women alike.

Thanks to popular television shows like Mad Men, this drink has seen the resurgence of a renewed popularity. It’s not impossible to order a whisky and be amazed at the wide collection of drinks and spirits they have in store.

But with a classy drink comes the classic question, one of etiquette: how do you drink it? Is there a proper way of drinking whisky? Should you add ice or water? If you’ve ever wanted to know but are maybe too embarrassed to ask, consider this your how-to guide to satisfy your curiosity.

There are several ways to drink this distilled beverage made of fermented grain mash. Some like to drink it neat; others prefer it with ice or other additions or mixers. However you choose to drink this beverage, make sure you do it slowly to savour the taste. It’s an integral part of the whisky drinking experience, after all.

Step one: Go to a bar and order a whisky. Ask for their expert recommendations and go with a high quality one. Don’t bother with cheap whisky that won’t satisfy your taste buds.

For whisky at 80 proof, try drinking it neat, with no additions. Experiment and see if it’s up to your style. If not, then you may want to start with other ways to drink whisky, until you can work your way up to drinking it neat.

Try whisky with a cocktail first. Make sure you select one that does not totally overpower the taste of the whisky. Try a mix of two parts whisky with one part lemon juice, sugar, ice and soda. Once you get used to the taste of it, move on to Manhattans, or cocktails with a heavier dose of whisky.

Next, try adding in some water. Doing so will keep the whisky taste while diluting it a little. This is best for cask strength whisky, where the aromas and flavours will be more pronounced. Adding a bit of water can help lessen the sting of the alcohol, while for some kinds of whisky, the taste may even be enhanced when drunk cold instead of at room temperature.

You can also choose to have your whisky on the rocks, or with ice. Fill a glass with ice cubes and pour the whisky straight over it. This is recommended for certain kinds of high-end whisky, and you’ll want to drink the beverage right away instead of letting the ice melt.

Finally, once you’ve grown accustomed to the taste, go ahead and have it neat. You may feel unaccustomed to it at first, but sip it slowly and appreciate the smokiness, spicy notes, and other tastes that whisky lovers rave about. Smell, sip, and savour: the steps to appreciating a good glass of this fine drink.

The trick is to slowly get yourself to be familiar with the overtones of this drink. Go ahead and have a sophisticated time — simply visit one of the best restaurants in Hong Kong, order a glass of whisky, and enjoy the moment.