Helpful Tips

The Nose

Whisky tasting is done principally with the nose – a far more acute organ than the tongue, although the two interrelate as the sample is swallowed.
While there are only four primary tastes, there are 32 primary smells. These are aromatic volatiles, which are detected by a small fleshy bulb called the Olfactory Epithelium, located at the back of our noses and having a direct link to the brain.

The Tongue

As well as registering the primary tastes, the tongue also detects what is termed ‘mouthfeel’ – the viscosity, texture and smoothness of the fluid we are swallowing – and ‘pungency’ (which is essentially an evaluation of pain – from irritation to unbearable – and is also picked up by the nose). In whisky tasting, pungency is particularly apparent in very strong spirit, which may sting your nose and tongue and induce numbness (temporary anesthesia). So you have to be careful when nosing whisky at full strength – i.e. as it comes from the cask.

Flavor

Is a combination of three factors: smell, taste and feeling.
Our noses detect scents – nuances of flavor from volatile aromatics – and pass this information direct to our brains. Our sense of the smells that surround us are recorded unconsciously, yet smells probably trigger memories more effectively than sounds or sights: they are the most evocative of experiences. With a little practice you can soon learn to break smells down and identify their constituent parts. Putting names to them is more difficult, and will be explored later in this section.
Primary tastes are registered by little sensory receptors on our tongues and palates. These are broadly arranged so that sweet flavors are picked up on the tip of the tongue, sour and salt flavors by the sides and middle and bitter flavors at the back. The time it takes to stimulate the different areas of the tongue varies, with the bitter receptors taking the longest, so it is important when tasting to hold the liquid in the mouth and to make sure it coats the tongue thoroughly.

1. Start with a clear wine glass. The rim of the glass should bend inwards to help funnel aromas to the nose, and allow you to swirl without spilling on your $50 tie.
2. Now pour a little wine into your glass. An inch or less is best. If you are tasting several wines, begin with the lightest (sparkling wines, roses, then light whites followed by full-bodied whites) and progress to the heaviest (light reds to more full-bodied reds followed by dessert wines). This will help keep your taste buds more sensitive so you can better appreciate each wine in the series. A sip of water between wines can also help preserve your palate.
3. Notice the color of the wine. It often helps to hold the glass up to light or hold it against a white background, like a white napkin. The color can give you a clue as to the age of the wine. White wines generally gain color as they age. Red wines lose color. That is, young red wines are more red or burgundy while older wines tend to show a hint of tawny brown around the rim. Regardless of age, the colors of wine are just fun to see, ranging from pale yellow-green to ruby red to brick red-brown.
4. Swirl the wine a couple of times by moving the glass in a circular motion. Holding the glass by its stem, instead of the bowl, allows you to swirl more easily. Swirling is done to aerate the wine and release vapors, evaporating from the sides of the glass, for you to smell.
5. Then put your nose right over the rim of the wine glass and breathe in. Take note of the wine’s aromas and bouquet (more details below).
6. Take a sip, letting the wine spread across the tongue from front to back and side to side before swallowing. Notice the flavors and acidity of the wine. How silky or rough does the wine feel? See more tips below on evaluating wine “taste”.
7. Swallow a small amount if you wish to note any lingering “finish”. But if you are tasting a number of wines — in a winery tasting room, for example — your host will usually provide a large container for you to spit out the wine instead of swallowing. (It is not rude.) Everyone in the wine trade is accustomed to the swirl-sniff-sip-slosh-and-spit routine. No one wants an intoxicated taster or –worse — an intoxicated driver.

The bottom line is that a good wine should always give pleasure. It should smell good, taste even better, and be smooth and satisfying by itself or with whatever you’re eating.