The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Tasting Guide

Tasting Malt Whiskies

For the purpose of enjoying malt whiskies you need certain basic equipment: a supply of water, a glass, a mouth, a nose, and—optionally—a pair of eyes. Plus, of course, the whisky.

The water ought to be soft and, as far as possible, tasteless. Tap water is fine if you are lucky enough to live in a society which regards the provision of good water as one of the elements of civilisation. Otherwise, use still water from a bottle.

The glass should be tulip-shaped, with a narrow opening. The Society nosing glass is best, then the sherry copita, brandy snifter and wine glass in descending order of desirability. The open-mouthed cut glass article that is traditionally called a whisky tumbler is not suitable at all. The mouth is for pouring the whisky into for the purpose of tasting. The tongue and palate, both of which are located within the mouth, detect the primary tastes: sweet, sour or acidic, salty, bitter or dry. The size and shape of the mouth are irrelevant, but prior to tasting they should not be encumbered by other flavours such as lozenges, tobacco, etc.

The nose is far and away the most important bit of kit when you are evaluating malt whiskies. Our most sensitive organ—there are a mere 4 primary tastes and 3 primary colours, but there are 23 primary aromas—it can pick up scents diluted to one part in a million.

The eyes are not essential, though they are useful to be able to see the colour of the whisky. Having said that, we would advise tasters that, because the eye is such a dominant sense in humans, it often misleads. Since dark whiskies appeal more to the eye, professional tasters often use cobalt blue glasses and red lighting to disguise the colour of the whisky.

The procedure for inspecting malt whiskies is simple. Look at the stuff in the glass, sniff it, add some water, sniff it again and taste it. The water is essential in tasting full-strength malts. Not only does it soften the influence of the alcohol, it draws out the nose of the whisky to an astonishing extent. When tasting Society whiskies, try to divest yourself of expectation and concentrate on the present experience. Casks are infinitely diverse, and often very different from what you would expect from a particular distillery.

What to look for

Appearance

The colour of a malt is sometimes an indication of its character—but not always, so beware. A pale whisky can be rich and powerful, just as a dark one can be light and fragrant. A bourbon or fino cask will usually give a paler colour, whereas whiskies aged in oloroso casks tend to be the darkest.

Nose

Nosing is a true delight, and reveals much about a whisky’s true character. Every whisky has a distinct bouquet, but a few characteristics are easily identifiable: Islay whiskies will smell smoky, and sherry casks usually give a sweet or caramel smell. The bouquet can change remarkably as water is added. There are seven main scent groups: esters, phenols, aldehydes, sweet associated, cereals, oils and woods.

There are many combinations of the above, which is what makes malt whisky so fascinating. On the other hand, there are many fine whiskies where the scents are so well integrated that they are almost impossible to unravel.

Taste

Some malts are fruity, others spicy or dry or sweet. This varies not only from one distillery to the next but indeed from one cask to the next. Much depends on the variations in distilling practice, the shape and size of the still, the alertness of the stillman and, of course, cask. Bourbon casks are usually mild and sweet with distinct vanilla notes, whereas sherry casks impart heavier wine notes to the malt.

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