You may have heard of wine tasting, however, some people don’t know that you can enjoy whisky taste testing too. Just like wine, it is important that you follow the correct steps in order to maximize the tasting experience.

The right glass

The first thing you need to keep in mind is that you will need the right glass for your whisky taste testing. The right glass for the best experience is a sherry glass. The tulip shape of this glass will help concentrate the aromas so that you can properly analyse them along with the quality of the whisky.

Preparing to taste

Whisky taste testing does not require a large amount in the glass. It is best to pour just a sip or two into the glass and make sure it is served at room temperature. Swirl the whisky around in the glass so that it is nicely coated. Hold your glass by the stem and pour it out as you swirl it. This will help you analyse the viscosity of the whisky and therewith the quality of the bottle.

Pouring

Next, you need to pour whisky into a glass for tasting. Again, you only need enough for a few sips. This will allow you to really take in all the flavours.

Let your nose lead

The term ‘nosing’ refers to smelling the beverage before you taste it. You should swirl the glass for a few seconds to release the aromas and then smell. You should also tilt the glass from side to side so that you can take in the scent from each nostril.

Add water

Next, you can add a dash of distilled water to reduce the alcohol content to 35%. This helps make the whisker easier to analyse. It is advisable when tasting whisky that is younger than 12 years. Older bottles do not need to be mixed with water when tasting. Of course, if you take a sip and it seems too strong for your liking, youc an always add a splash of water. Remember, when you add ice, this can often mask different flavours and you will not get the full whisky taste testing experience.

Ready to taste

Take a small sip and allow the whisky to swish around in your mouth. You should start by allowing it to flow over your tongue and then under the tongue. After this, move it back to the middle of the tongue and hold it here for a few seconds. Next, swallow and enjoy! You should wait for about 30 seconds so that you can fully experience all the flavours after swallowing.

You can line up more than one bottle when you want to do some whisky taste testing. Make sure that you keep track of which ones you like the most. In addition, you can sniff coffee beans to clear your senses and give yourself a fresh pallet to taste the next glass.