Resolution of Moderation: A Better Way to Drink in the New Year

January has a funny way of making people feel like they have to choose sides. All in or all out. Clean slate or total indulgence. But when it comes to whiskey and life, we’ve always believed there’s a better middle ground.

This year, we’re calling it the Resolution of Moderation.

Moderation isn’t about rules, guilt, or cutting out the things you enjoy. It’s about intention. It’s about choosing quality over quantity, slowing down enough to actually taste what’s in your glass, and enjoying whiskey for what it’s meant to be: a moment, not a marathon. Here’s what moderation can look like in real life.

Fewer Pours, Better Pours

Instead of refilling without thinking, moderation starts with pouring once and making it count. A smaller pour lets you appreciate aroma, flavor, and finish without rushing to the next glass. It turns drinking into an experience instead of a habit. When the whiskey is well-made, you don’t need much.

Try this: Use a jigger or mark your glass once so you know what a true pour looks like. You might be surprised how satisfying it is.

Drink Slower (Your Whiskey Isn’t Going Anywhere)

Whiskey rewards patience. Letting it open up in the glass, taking a sip, setting it down is where flavor shows up. Moderation doesn’t mean drinking less joyfully. It means drinking more deliberately.

Try this: Take a sip, then pause. Notice what lingers. Maple? Oak? Spice? That pause is part of the pleasure.

Alternate With Water

This one’s simple and wildly underrated. Having water alongside your whiskey keeps you hydrated, sharpens your palate, and naturally slows the pace. It also makes the whiskey taste better, especially as your senses stay fresh.

Try this: One pour, one glass of water. Refill the water first.

Choose the Moment, Not the Occasion

Not every gathering needs to turn into a drinking event. Moderation is deciding when whiskey adds to the moment, not when it distracts from it. A quiet evening, a meaningful conversation, a celebration worth savoring are what we consider whiskey moments.

Try this: Skip the automatic pour. Ask yourself, “Will this add something right now?” If yes, enjoy it fully. If not, save it for later.

Enjoy Whiskey With Food

Pairing whiskey with food slows everything down and changes how you experience it. Flavors soften, sweetness balances, and the drink becomes part of a meal rather than the main event.

Try this: Sip alongside dark chocolate, roasted nuts, or a simple dinner. You’ll drink less and enjoy it more.

Make It About Craft, Not Consumption

When you know the story behind what’s in your glass, the grain, the still, the time it took,  you naturally treat it with more respect. Moderation grows when appreciation grows.

Try this: Learn one thing about the whiskey you’re drinking before you pour it. Craft encourages care.

The Takeaway

Moderation isn’t a restriction. It’s a refinement. It’s choosing intention over impulse. Presence over excess. Quality over quantity. And it’s a resolution you don’t have to quit by February. Here’s to a year of better pours, slower moments, and whiskey enjoyed the way it was meant to be.

Cheers to moderation!