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How To Enjoy Whisky
Whisky is a classic spirit that can be made into a variety of cocktails, but do you know how to enjoy whisky all on its own? Much like fine wine, the process of enjoying whisky involves stimulating the senses to discover the spirit’s aromas and flavor, allowing you to better appreciate the whisky.
Learn how to enjoy whisky through smell and taste with these steps.
Smell
Smell
When you begin to learn how to enjoy whisky, you may think it begins with the taste. However, you want to begin by evaluating a whisky’s smell or aroma.
This is called ‘nosing’ and you will find many aromas that can either match or differ completely to the whisky’s taste.
Start by pouring your whisky into a whisky glass if you have one, as this will help bring out the aroma and flavor profiles of the whisky.
If you don’t have a whisky glass, an old fashioned or lowball glass will also work.
Begin by placing the glass on the table and giving it a swirl. This will open up the whisky and bring the aromas to the top of the glass.
Next, put the glass up to your nose and take a good sniff. What aromas are you detecting? Write down the smells you are picking up to compare when evaluating its taste.
Be careful not to overwhelm your nose when smelling your whisky. Pull your nose in and out when needed to better detect the aromas.
Taste
Taste
Tasting your whisky is much different than drinking the spirit. When tasting the whisky, bring the glass to your lips and take a small sip, coating the tongue and then moving through the rest of your mouth.
Then take a second sip. Swallow a bit at a time and focus on detecting the flavors.
When tasting whisky, it’s important to focus on the aftertaste and compare to the initial sip. What flavors did you get initially and then later in the aftertaste?
Write down what you taste and compare to the smell. Did the taste match the aroma you smelled? Or were they completely different?
Try breathing out after one of the sips and see what other flavors you might detect.
You may also add a few drops of water or a block of ice to higher proof whiskies and see how this changes the flavor profile. Be sure to have a glass of water for yourself nearby so you can cleanse your palate, especially if you are tasting multiple whiskies at once.
Remember, when you are learning how to enjoy whisky and evaluating the smell and taste there are no right or wrong answers! Aromas and taste can vary from person to person and often can be influenced by smells and tastes we have stored in our minds.
Pick up a bottle of Texas Crown Club Whisky and follow these steps to see what your nose and tongue pick up!