How to taste whiskey and appreciate its taste and aromas
What to do and what to avoid to enjoy a good whiskey
If you are among those who want to start approaching world of whiskeys, it is good that you know some simple rules so that the first approach does not turn out to be a resounding disaster.
The right whiskey glass
The first thing not to be overlooked is the glass, maybe you have in your hands a great distillate with important aging that is said to give off sensational aromas and would you like to deposit it in any glass? No, not really.
The glass is not just a "scene", the glass does its part because it helps or not to release aromas and prevent them from being immediately dispersed.
The suitable glass can have different shapes, it is certainly not narrow like a flute nor has the shape of a balloon, it can also have the shape of a tumbler just wider on the bottom, so as to release the aromas and concentrate them upwards without closing them too much or letting them slip away, it is no coincidence that the famous Talisker distillery chooses this glass.
How to serve whiskey
Having chosen the glass, make sure that it has been washed with detergents that do not leave aromas, the glass must be at room temperature just like whiskey, not too hot, nor at fridge temperature. between 18 and 20 ° it will be fine.
Whiskey can be tasted smooth even if I think it is by no means the best method for beginners because the high alcohol content (minimum 40 °) ends up anesthetizing taste and smell and this obviously negatively affects the experience.
Served with ice it is the most classic of the alternatives, even if it is often a practice banned by experts as too much ice ends up watering down the distillate and cooling it too much, to avoid all this you should drink it too quickly to appreciate it.
In my opinion the best way is diluted with a little running water (about 1/3 of the whiskey in the glass), the reasons are different. In this way the distillate opens showing all its aromatic bouquet that the alcohol content imprisons, preserves and preserves over time.
In this regard, try to smell the same smooth whiskey, just poured into the glass and to smell it after adding a splash of fresh water, it will seem a completely different product.
The lower alcohol content, thanks to the dilution, will open you to a real taste experience, each sip will allow you to appreciate all the flavors of the distillate, instead of reducing the experience to swallowing the alcoholic liquid.
Since whiskeys are distillates aged in oak barrels, just like wine, they need some time to open and release all the aromas acquired with aging, which is why to taste and appreciate a good whiskey you must not be in a hurry.
Drinking a whiskey is a gesture to be associated with a moment of relaxation that cannot last less than 30-40 minutes.
Savor the whiskey
You are finally ready to enjoy your whiskey, do not get caught up in the rush to gulp it right away.
Flavor is made up of smell and taste, it is no coincidence that when you are cooled the food seems to change flavor, so start smelling your glass, once, twice and thrice before taking it to your mouth.
A little sip, swirl the liquid around the tongue, slowly, thus activating all the receptors present, then swallow and begin to appreciate all the scents present in the distillate.
Let your taste buds "rest" and put them back to the test looking for all those spicy, brackish, citrus and peaty notes present in your whiskey, slowly, with calm and training you will learn to discover, recognize and appreciate them.
How to combine whiskey
The whiskey is the distillate from meditation par excellence, a pampering at the end of the day to be dedicated strictly without haste.
You can do it alone or accompanying with cheese snacks podolico or with a seasoned pecorino for a more "powerful" distillate or with a goat toma for something more delicate. Amazing is the combination with a dark chocolate excellent quality.
Have you got an idea of how to approach tasting but did you realize that the bottle is already finished? Try taking a look at our selection of whisky single malt e blended.
