If you have high blood pressure, avoid alcohol or drink alcohol only in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.

And what you eat with your glass of beer or wine or shot of whiskey can affect your blood pressure, too. “All of the pretzels, peanuts, and other snacks that go along with alcohol consumption have a significant amount of salt in them,” said Grayver. “That in itself could be driving the hypertension.”

“Adults above the age of 50 are at much higher risk of heart attack and stroke than they are of any possible harmful effects to light-moderate drinking,” Klatsky says. “So even if they have high blood pressure, they could see the health benefit from something like a glass of red wine a day.”

Reduces Blood Clotting Thankfully, whisky significantly reduces blood clotting. Whisky is a natural blood-thinner. Therefore, enjoying some whisky once in a while can reduce your risk of developing blood clots. Furthermore, blood clots often cause issues when they get stuck in bad cholesterol.

Hence, the ‘safe limit’ for alcohol consumption is said to be 21 units per week (1 unit is approximately 25 ml of whiskey) in men, and 14 units in women. No more than three units in one day, and to have at least two alcohol-free days a week.

Potential Risks of Whiskey Heavy alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. While low amounts may support brain health, in excess, studies show alcohol can disrupt how memories form. Over time, this can lead to cognitive decline.

Eating a full meal before you head to the bar or having teeny bites of food while drinking will only delay the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream, not prevent it. Ultimately you do consume the alcohol and face its damaging effects. “Do you feel fine? Then you ARE fine!”

Here are the best cheap whiskeys.

• Best Overall: Old Grand-Dad Bourbon Whiskey.
• Best Bourbon: Old Forester 86 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky.
• Best Rye: Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey.
• Best Irish: 2 Gingers Blended Irish Whiskey.
• Best Canadian: Canadian Mist Whisky.

Let’s have a look and see what makes these particular offerings so perennially beloved.

• 5.) Seagram’s 7 Crown. This one might surprise a lot of the whiskey purists out there.
• 4.) Maker’s Mark.
• 3.) Evan Williams.
• 2.) Jim Beam.
• 1.) Jack Daniel’s.

The 15 Best Whiskeys to Drink in 2021

• Best Overall: Four Roses Single Barrel.
• Best Irish: Redbreast 12 Year Old.
• Best Japanese: Hakushu 12 Year Old.
• Best Rye: Pikesville Straight Rye.
• Best Scotch: The Balvenie DoubleWood.
• Best Peated Scotch: Bowmore 12 Year Old.
• Best Sherry Cask Scotch: The GlenDronach Allardice.

Bourbon is a good starter whiskey if you’re just getting into drinking it neat. The high proportion of corn used to make it gives it a sweeter flavor that calms some of the alcohol burn.