Neat

Neat means a spirit is poured straight from the bottle into a glass and served exactly as is, at room temperature, with nothing else added, not even ice. It is the simplest possible way to serve a drink and is most associated with sipping whiskey, though any spirit can technically be served this way.

Because there is no ice or water diluting the pour, a neat drink shows a spirit at its full strength and concentration, which is why people who want to evaluate or slowly savor a particular whiskey or brandy often ask for it neat rather than on the rocks. Some drinkers add a small splash of water on the side to open up the aroma without fully diluting the glass.

A neat pour is usually served in a smaller glass suited to sipping, such as a rocks or whiskey glass, rather than a large tumbler, since the point is a small measured amount rather than a full mixed drink. A common confusion is mixing up neat with up, which actually involves shaking or stirring with ice first and straining the chilled result, a very different process and result.