Tasting strong alcohol is much more than a quick sip 'to warm up'. Done well, it allows you to discover the complexity of aromas, flavours and textures that are often the result of many years of maturation and work by the producer. Whether you're sipping whisky, cognac, rum or brandy, it's worth knowing how to do it consciously in order to best discover the aromas and flavours hidden in the spirits you're tasting.
1. Adequate conditions are essential
Tasting is best done in a quiet place, without intense odours (perfume, food, smoke). Strong alcohol requires concentration - noise and haste take away the pleasure of taste analysis.
Temperature is equally important. Most strong spirits taste best at room temperature (around 18-22°C). A beverage that is too cold closes off the aromas, one that is too warm accentuates the alcoholiness.
2. the choice of glass matters
A glass that tapers towards the top (e.g. tulip type) is best. This shape allows the aromas to be concentrated and picked up better. Avoid thick glasses - they make it difficult to analyse the aroma and taste. Try to hold the glass by its stem or base, so as not to warm the drink inside.
3. Look first, smell later
Before you taste alcohol, take a closer look at it. Pay attention to the colour and clarity - these can tell you a lot about the age and maturation of the liquor.
Then gently twirl the glass and bring your nose close, but don't put it in deeply. Sniff briefly, a few times. Try to pick out different notes: fruit, spice, vanilla, wood, caramel or smoke.
4. Small sips, big impressions
Tasting is not drinking. Take a small sip and let the alcohol spill all over your mouth. Hold it for a while - your tongue, cheeks and palate pick up different flavours.
You may feel the intensity of the alcohol at first, but after a while, more subtle notes will emerge. Take note:
-taste, e.g. sweet, salty, bitter, umami, sour
-texture, e.g. light, oily, creamy)
-aromas, e.g. floral, fruity, spicy or more specific -fruits such as fruits of the forest, ripe oranges, preserves, hospital aromas, smoke
-finish - i.e. what is left after swallowing. Whether it is long or fleeting. Intense or mild. It is this that will often tell us about the quality of a particular drink
6. Water - an ally of the taster
A few drops of water (especially with high strength alcohol) can open up the flavours and soften the spiciness. It's also a good idea to sip water between sips to 'reset' the taste buds and neurons contained in our nostrils. Smelling fresh coffee or your own skin is also a good way to do this.
7. company - better together
Tasting strong alcohol is best enjoyed in a good group. People who are also attuned to quietly tasting and talking about their impressions can enrich the whole experience. Exchanging insights often allows you to spot notes that you had previously missed. Let's not be afraid to talk and ask. This does not mean that we cannot sit down in the evening in solitude with a book and a small glass of the golden drink and contemplate the flavours and aromas it contains.
8. Take notes of your findings, use the flavour matrix
When I started my own adventure in tasting strong spirits, I often had trouble naming some of the flavours and aromas I sensed. A matrix of flavours and aromas, and taking notes from previous tastings, came to my aid. It is worth looking at the wheel of aromas sometimes. Maybe the particular one we have just sensed can be found on it. Writing down our discoveries also helps our memory and will allow us to return to specific drinks more quickly in the future and compare them with similar ones from, for example, the same category.
9. Taste in moderation and with awareness
True tasting is about quality, not quantity. It is about the experience, not the effect. Moderation allows you to fully appreciate the beverage and keep your senses clear.
Author's afterword:
Dear friends. If you have managed to get through all these points, all that remains is practice. Let us remember, however, that tasting alcohol to pick up as many flavours and aromas as possible is one thing. On the other side we will always find our habits, favourite compositions and rituals that we celebrate with friends. These are not points that we need to cling to. If we have our favourite glass, which in no way resembles the glass I have described, then let us drink our drinks in it. If we feel like adding ice to our whisky or pouring some flavoured soda over it, go ahead. Lime in your tequila? No one's going to give us a ticket for that. At the end of the day, it's all about us enjoying our tastings. And once again. Remember moderation!
Text: Kamil Skoczek, Prestige Brands Ambassador
