LOOK
First, select your glass. The right glass is extremely important. The best is a nosing glass, which is shaped like a tulip so that the aromas do not escape, but a wine glass or brandy glass would do just as well.
Second, select the whisky you wish to taste, and pour a measure (1/2 to 1 oz.) into your glass. Hold the glass up to the light and observe the colour. The colour of the whisky depends on its age and the type of cask it has matured in. The colour of whisky can vary between heavy treacle in older whiskies, through mahogany and sherry colours all the way through to pale straw. All tasters use a similar scale of colour descriptors, but at this stage in your tasting development (assuming you are a beginner) it is easier to describe it how you like. As you taste more whiskies, and even if you go to tasting events, you will come across the “correct” terms.
SMELL
To release some of the aroma, swirl the whisky around in the glass. Now put your nose into the glass and sniff. Don’t be tempted to take a great lungful - if the whisky has a high alcohol content it can make you temporarily ’smell blind’. Take short sniffs. The cardinal, characteristic aromas of the particular whisky will be present. What aromas do you detect? You should note them down, if you can identify them - but they may well be ‘closed’: subdued, spirity and vapourous. Note down whatever comes to you, no matter how outlandish it may sound. Also, don’t worry about describing everything, you may only be able to get a hint of some smells, most of the aroma will only be released when you add water.
TASTE
Take a large sip of whisky, let it fill your mouth and roll over your tongue.
Note down your first impressions straight away. Is the primary taste sweet, salty, dry, bitter or a mixture of some, or all, of them? What other flavours are present? Does the taste compare with the aromas you detected earlier?
Again just note down any description that comes to you, no matter how strange it may sound.
Now put the glass to one side and consider the finish or the flavours that linger in your mouth. Does the taste last a long time or disappear immediately? Is the aftertaste pleasant or not? Make a note of your findings.
(Optional)
Now add a splash of water. Usually the same amount of water as whisky will do. Be aware, though, that some older whiskies lose everything if diluted too much. Use your best judgement, add a little at a time if you so desire.
When whisky is diluted, more aromas can be detected. Make a note of how the aromas you first detected have changed, (if they have changed) and what new ones have been released by the addition of water. It is very difficult to put words to smells, but great fun when you let go. You’ll find that when you come up with an accurate descriptor, your friends will respond immediately and enthusiastically!
TASTING THEMES
We suggest basing the selection of whiskies on one of these themes.
- For a Single Malt tasting select a single malt from each of the five whisky producing regions of Scotland — this theme presents representatives from the Highlands (Speyside and Orkney), the Lowlands, Skye, and Islay
- A Vertical Tasting of the same brand — sampling different expressions (ex. ages) of the same brand
- Choose Whiskies from a singular region — “Whiskies From Speyside”, “Whiskies from Islay”, etc.
WHAT IS CASK STRENGTH WHISKY?
Malt whisky comes from the still at over 60% alcohol volume; during maturation it loses both volume and strength. It is forbidden by law to top up the casks during the maturation process and this loss is known in the trade as ‘the Angel’s Share‘.
Before the First World War, all whisky was bottled straight from the cask, then in 1916, as a wartime measure it was ordained that the strength be reduced; a compromise was reached at 40% and has remained that strength ever since.
Whisky bottled at cask strength tastes remarkably different from that which has been reduced prior to bottling and many connoisseurs, drinkers & tasters prefer to drink it this way.
