5 Tips on Tasting Whiskey Flavor Profiles
Tasting whiskey for beginners:
A guide to developing your palate.
If you are trying to get into the bourbon and whiskey scene, you know there are so many whiskey options out there, how do you know what you like to drink?
The flavor profiles can be confusing at best… An old leather shoe, tobacco smoke, apricots, fresh dew in spring.
Why is it that all I taste is alcohol?
It is actually normal that you don’t taste the subtle flavors of whiskey at first!
Your body takes a while to get used to the higher alcohol percentage in whiskey. Until you get used to this, whiskey may feel harsh or burn.
A lot of tasting notes are subjective and a way to try to make sense of the experience of tasting whiskey.
Professionals and whiskey nerds use a set of characteristics that a whiskey’s flavor and smell is closest to. That doesn’t mean that it’s going to taste or smell exactly like a plum or leather. It will still taste like whiskey.
Doc’s whiskey ranges in flavor complexity. Our finished whiskey takes on the unique characteristics of the barrel it is aged in.
how to start tasting subtle flavor profiles in whiskey?
When starting out, it's hard for whiskey to taste like anything but alcohol. Even good bourbons don't land quite well for someone who isn't used to having strong liquor in their mouth.
The "burn" associated with drinking high proof spirits can be a barrier to enjoyment and conceal the fancy flavors that veteran drinkers like to talk about.
Getting used to the level of alcohol in whiskey is an important first step in finding the flavors.
With enough repetition, your mouth and tongue acclimate to higher proof alcohol and then the flavors come through.
Over time, you will be able to pick up the more subtle differences (if you care to) and be able to better understand which whiskey you enjoy most.
Learning how to taste is a process of experimentation to find what you like!
Whiskey is about relaxing, hanging out with friends.
We want you to enjoy the wonderful world of whiskey.
You don’t need to over analyze the stuff to be able to do that, but maybe developing your palate can lead to more enjoyment and finding the right bottles for you!
Welcome to the bourbon and whiskey community.
5 quick tips to tasting & drinking whiskey for beginners.
1) Start with affordable but high quality whiskey:
If you want to sip whiskey neat, we recommend starting with something in the $30-$60 range aged 5years or more.
Good beginner bottles in the Doc Swinson’s collection:
SESSION BLEND BOUBON
Affordable, quality bourbon in the $30 range. It also makes a great cocktail!
Lower proof makes it easier to drink and a great mixer if all else fails.
BLENDERS CUT BOURBON
Higher proof than Session Blend, this one is full of classic bourbon flavors.
Folks new to the whiskey community may want to add an ice cube or a few drops of water.
TRIPLE CASK BOURBON
If you like wine, this is the bourbon for you. Triple Cask Bourbon is a bit more fruity and sweet on the tounge.
A crowd pleaser for whiskey curious folks.
You can buy one of our whiskey picks or do a reddit/google search to help you find whiskey that piques your interest & fits your budget.
Check out docs online store & store finder if you want to pick up a bottle.
2) Get the right glassware for tasting whiskey:
The right glassware will elevate your whiskey experience.
Glencairn for sipping whiskey neat…
The glencairn brings out different flavors on the nose and tongue due to its shape.
Whiskey glass for on the rocks or cocktails…
A whiskey glass is great for an old fashioned, whiskey sour or whiskey over ice.
3)Add some ice or water to your whiskey:
When you are starting off, the high ABV can make whiskey overwhelming to your palate.
Try tasting your whiskey neat in a glencairn first. If you find this to be too strong, add a few drops of water or a single ice cube.
On bottles over 110 proof this can really help you enjoy the whiskey!
Adding water or ice to high proof whiskey can make it more smooth, mellow and not "boozey". You don't want to feel overwhelmed by a hard flavor profile.
A cube of ice (or drop of water) really brings out a lot of flavor that you don’t get neat also.
Even after you gain some miles in your whiskey journey, you may still prefer an ice cube in some of your higher barrel proofs.
Alcohol is an acquired taste. The more you drink it, the more you like it. Start with a cube or two and ween yourself down.
There is no shame in cutting your whiskey, even our master blender does to suss out hidden profiles sometimes!
4) Taste different types of whiskey to find what you like:
Everyone has a different palate, so that means different opinions on which whiskey tastes good or bad. That’s ok! The great thing about whiskey is that there are so many different kinds out there.
We recommend trying lots of different kinds of bourbon and rye whiskey and here’s how:
Set up a bottle swap with friends
Everyone brings a bottle of whiskey and you taste each one.
Bottle sharing
Go in on a bottle (or two) of whiskey with your friends! After all whiskey is meant to be shared.
Join a local whiskey club or group
There are lots of different whiskey groups, both virtual and in-person. Google search is your friend
Go to whiskey tasting festivals/events near you
There are tons of events that will give you an opportunity to taste many different whiskey brands. Google search for whiskey events in your area. We share our upcoming events in the newsletter each month, subscribe to stay up to date!
Get mini samples
We will have our own samples coming soon! But there are also sample websites such as taster’s club.
Go to the bar!
Sample whiskey straight or on ice. Ask for recommendations and favorites from your bartender!
Most people need to try 15-20 bourbons and ryes to understand their preferences. It may make more sense for you to focus on sampling rather than buy full bottles at the beginning of your journey.
Friends, your local whiskey club, and sample swap clubs are also great ways to meet and hang out with people who are interested in whiskey.
Sharing bottles with friends can help save each other money and show each other new experiences.
5) NO SWIRLING:
NO SWIRLING your whiskey like wine drinkers!
The whiskey gets angry and will bite your nose.
INSTEAD simply roll your glass gently to allow the aromatics gradually rise up the glass to enter your nose and mouth.
Agitating it with swirling will make the alcohol evaporate too quickly and shock your olfactory system.
Want to advance your whiskey palate even more?
Over time you can improve upon your understanding of whiskey profiles by paying close attention to the flavors in what you are drinking.
Sip with intention. Absent minded sipping isn't going to lead to any improvement in this area.
Smell your whiskey! A lot of the flavors come out through the nose.
With more premium whiskies qualities are as likely to show up in the aromas as they are in the flavors. This is why having specialized whiskey drinking glassware which enhances the aromas is a good investment.
Pay attention to what is written on the bottle and what other people are saying- but make your own opinions too!
The more you start to be able to pick out what other people are saying, and identify how you would describe something, the more you will be able to understand tasting notes.
Once you put the whiskey in your mouth, your opinion is the only thing that matters.
Knowing which whiskey notes you enjoy, you are more likely to understand what bottles to buy in the future.
You can also sip whiskey with a Flavor wheel and try to identify what flavors you smell and taste.
So to advance your whiskey palate do:
Smell your whiskey
Make notes on what you taste
Use a flavor wheel to compare
Sip with intention
NO swirling
Add a drop of water
Use proper glassware
Taste many types of whiskey
Enjoy with friends!
Smell. Sip. Explore. Repeat.
Happy hunting and good luck in your whiskey journey!
Have a friend who’s getting into whiskey? Please share this blog with them if you think it would be helpful.
