Guide: How to master the art of whisky tasting ?

First of all, having the right glassware is essential to fully appreciate quality whiskies.

The main role of the glass is to enhance the qualities of its contents by revealing its colour and aromas while offering a comfortable grip. It is therefore crucial to understand both the advantages and limitations of a tasting glass.

Many consumption habits and clichés persist in the world of spirits. Whisky is too often associated with the tumbler glass, round and straight-sided. However, this type of glass is not recommended for tasting, as it makes it difficult to perceive delicate aromas.

Is there an ideal glass for whisky tasting?

To design the perfect glass, manufacturers have explored various shapes, with or without stems, of different thicknesses, and with rims that are either narrow or flared. Naturally, these many prototypes have been tested with various types of whisky to maximise the diffusion of aromas. This is especially the case with the single malt glass by specialist brand Riedel.

In bars, the tumbler—characterised by its straight shape, thick base, and wide diameter—is the most commonly used type of whisky glass.

This style is ideal for whiskies served with ice or soda, but it is less suited for neat tasting.

However, for whisky tasting, a wine glass meeting INAO standards, a port glass, or a copita (sherry glass) are perfectly suitable.

The latter is commonly used in many distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, and Kentucky, and is the preferred choice of blenders during their extended nosing sessions (the process of using one’s sense of smell to assess and identify the aromas present in the whisky) when creating their blends.

The Glencairn glass is also frequently found in distillery visitor centres or whisky specialist bars.

What are the essential qualities of a tasting glass?

The right glass should have a narrow neck or, at the very least, taper towards the top to allow for effective concentration of aromas at the base. Using a straight-sided glass makes it difficult to precisely appreciate the aromas.

Furthermore, a glass with a neck that is too wide compared to its base will not concentrate the aromas enough, while an excessively narrow neck will concentrate both the aromas and the alcohol vapours, which can overwhelm the olfactory senses.

Regarding the height of the glass, it depends on the amount of alcohol poured, but the ideal size of the bowl should be about the same as a small wine glass.

The question of whether the glass should have a stem is also worth considering. The advantage of a stemmed glass is clear: by holding it by the stem, you avoid warming the whisky with your hand and prevent leaving fingerprints on the bowl.

To fully appreciate the nuances of a whisky, the tasting should take place in a neutral setting, with natural light to better observe the whisky’s colour.

A noisy or poorly insulated environment can seriously hinder the concentration required. Room temperature also plays a crucial role: at high temperatures, the alcohol overpowers the aromas, while in an overly cold environment, the aromas fail to fully reveal themselves.

Spaces such as the living room or dining room are generally ideal. However, it is important to ensure that these places are not filled with scents that could interfere with the aromas of the whisky.

For example, it’s best to avoid tasting whisky in a room where cooking is taking place, or in a room filled with the smells of a fireplace or an overly fragrant bouquet of flowers.

The fragrance worn by the taster or by someone nearby can also affect the tasting experience.

Sight in whisky tasting

Like some other cask-aged spirits, whisky is often coloured with caramel colouring (E150).

For this reason, assessing the colour of a whisky does not provide an objective measure of its quality, as the producer can add a few drops of colouring at the time of bottling to achieve the desired hue.

However, in recent years, more and more whiskies have been released without added colouring.

These bottlings usually bear the mention “natural colour” or “non-coloured” and showcase the full range of natural hues, from colourless to very dark brown, passing through gold and mahogany.

These colour variations depend on the type of cask used, the number of times it has been used, and the length of maturation.

A very pale shade, leaning towards straw with greenish or platinum highlights, generally suggests a younger whisky or a cask that has been rather inactive during ageing, allowing the whisky to express itself fully without the wood aromas becoming dominant.

A golden or amber colour, on the other hand, indicates a more pronounced interaction between the whisky and the oak cask. This is not necessarily the result of longer ageing, as extreme climates (like in India or Taiwan) and the type of cask (new or previously used for sherry, for example) can also greatly influence a whisky’s colour.

Smell in whisky tasting

The nose plays a crucial role in the tasting experience.

Mastering the art of tasting is not only about developing your sense of smell, but also about being able to describe and express your perceptions.

Lacking vocabulary to describe smells and flavours, we tend to associate sensory perceptions with elements such as fruits, flowers, plants, spices, and more, to describe each scent as accurately as possible.

These sensations engage our memory. Indeed, the language of tasting often consists of comparisons and metaphors that evoke places, objects, foods, natural elements, or images.

It is through sharing these experiences that one can achieve a certain precision in describing aromas.

You can also apply the funnel technique: start by identifying whether the whisky is fruity, then refine progressively. Which fruit family dominates? Yellow fruits, white fruits, red fruits? If they are white fruits, which ones? Apple, pear, peach? And if it’s apple, which variety exactly? This approach allows you to refine your sensory analysis step by step.

Taste in whisky tasting

After the nose, comes the palate.

When tasting whisky, experts recommend letting it rest in your mouth for two to three seconds to capture its full aromatic palette. Swallowing the whisky too quickly can interrupt the subtle exchange between the product, the palate, and the nose.

The quantity of whisky tasted also plays a crucial role in the flavours perceived. Start with a very small amount to acclimatise your palate to the alcohol, then slightly increase the quantity to allow the whisky to move slowly around your mouth.

Avoid slurping the whisky by drawing air into your mouth as sommeliers do during wine tastings. This technique will cause a burning sensation.

Also, the position of the whisky in the mouth is important.

Many people simply keep it at the centre of the tongue, whereas it is better to let it circulate throughout the mouth to stimulate all the zones involved in flavour perception.

This technique allows you to explore the complexity of the whisky by engaging different taste zones, enriching the tasting experience.

How to detect the texture of a whisky?

Texture refers to the physical sensation of the whisky in the mouth.

It can range from silky and smooth to robust and oily, directly influencing the perception of flavours.

A whisky can feel light, rich, round, silky, lively, dry, warm, or even full-bodied depending on its texture, which influences the overall tasting experience.

Texture is affected by several factors, such as the distillation process, maturation—particularly the type of cask used—as well as the filtration technique, the amount of fatty acids present, and the quality of the water used for dilution.

Retro-olfaction in tasting

Retro-olfaction is the process by which aromas travel back to the nasal cavity from the back of the throat after the whisky is swallowed or spat out.

This phenomenon allows you to perceive aromatic nuances that were not obvious during the initial tasting or through the nose alone.

Retro-olfaction is essential for fully assessing the complexity of a whisky, as it can reveal additional layers of aromas, such as subtle notes of fruit, wood, spices, or flowers that complement the first olfactory impression.

The ability to identify these nuances depends on practice and experience, as well as paying close attention to the aromas after tasting.

Learning to recognise aromas often involves starting by identifying the families they belong to before naming them more precisely.

It is therefore helpful to become familiar with the main families of aromas found in whisky:

• Cereal aromas : including notes of beer, biscuit, wheat, barley, brioche, corn, malt, toasted bread, rye, etc.
• Phenolic aromas : featuring nuances of liquorice, burnt rubber, ash, incense, wood fire, tar, iodine, macadam, smoked fish, etc.
• Fruity aromas : encompassing scents of citrus, white fruits, yellow fruits, exotic fruits, red fruits, dried fruits, etc.
• Dried fruit aromas : with hints of hazelnut, walnut, almond, praline, etc.
• Herbal and floral aromas : including scents of leaves, white flowers, hay, fresh grass, mint, rose, etc.
• Pastry aromas : such as cinnamon, caramel, toffee, vanilla, etc.
• Woody aromas : including hints of cigar, oak, cedar, pine sap, sawdust, etc.
• Winey aromas : varying according to the casks, with notes of sherry, Madeira, port, Burgundy, etc.
• Spicy aromas : cinnamon, pepper, curry, turmeric, etc.

Exploring the richness of a whisky engages several of our senses. Here’s how to proceed in four steps:

Step 1 : Observe the colour of the whisky

Before exploring its aromas and flavours, take a moment to observe its appearance.

Pour the whisky into an appropriate glass and examine its colour under good lighting, ideally natural light. While colour alone does not reliably indicate the whisky’s qualities, it can, if natural, offer some clues about cask influence.

A pale hue suggests a moderate impact from the cask, allowing the distillate’s character to shine through, while a darker colour indicates a cask that has imparted more influence on the whisky. However, colour alone does not reveal the length of maturation.

Step 2 : Discover the aromas of the whisky

Gently bring your nose to the glass to inhale the aromas.

The whisky releases a complex bouquet where fruity, floral, spicy, or woody notes intertwine, depending on its composition and ageing.

This crucial step allows you to anticipate the flavours to come and begin to appreciate the whisky’s depth.

Step 3 : The tasting stage

Finally, bring the whisky to your lips. Let it coat your palate to discover the full range of textures and flavours.

Take your time with the tasting, allowing each flavour to unfold before prolonging the pleasure with the finish, whether you swallow or spit it out.

Step 4 : The final step of the tasting: the finish and retro-olfaction

The final stage of tasting is known as the finish. The length and intensity of this sensation can vary greatly.

A short finish may feel disappointing if the initial impressions and flavours were promising. Conversely, a long finish is often the mark of a great whisky.

It is also at this stage that retro-olfaction occurs. It can even continue for several minutes after tasting: aromas rise from the mouth back to the nose, sitting somewhere between a scent and a flavour.

Often, retro-olfaction highlights notes that previously went unnoticed.

Should you add water when tasting whisky?

Adding a few drops of water can complement the tasting experience. Water should be added after observing the whisky’s colour and reflections. It’s best to avoid adding water at the very first nosing. Sometimes, just a single drop of water is enough to awaken an entire palette of flavours.

When tasting, some people—especially those less accustomed to drinking spirits neat—might find the alcohol burn uncomfortable. Water can make the whisky more approachable in such cases.

Which foods pair well with whisky?

Not all whiskies pair well with every food.

For a long time, the Irish, for example, have developed a particular expertise in pairing their whiskeys with smoked salmon, while the Scots prefer to accompany their whiskies with their national dish, haggis.

By exploring a wide variety of coastal whiskies (Scottish or Irish), you’ll discover they pair wonderfully with dishes like fish or seafood. Peated whiskies, contrary to what one might think, do not pair well with smoked foods.

Whisky, as a spirit, can be enjoyed both during dinner and with dessert.

What does it mean to “chew” whisky during a tasting?

Chewing whisky during a tasting is a technique used to deeply explore its aromas and flavours.

This method involves taking a small sip of whisky and moving it around the entire mouth, as if chewing food. This process exposes the whisky to all parts of the mouth.

By chewing the whisky, you slightly oxygenate it, which can help release more volatile and subtle aromas.

It also ensures the liquid comes into contact with as many taste and olfactory receptors as possible, intensifying the tasting experience.

La Maison du Whisky has three boutiques in Paris:

• 20 rue d'Anjou, 75008 Paris
• 6 carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006 Paris
• 11 rue Tiquetonne, 75002 Paris

In each of these boutiques, you'll find a wide selection of whiskies, rums, sakes, and other fine spirits.

Because a whisky can be described in a thousand words, our experts will be delighted to guide you through the must-try whiskies at La Maison du Whisky.

Follow our tasting calendar for upcoming events, or visit the Golden Promise Whisky Bar, which offers an extensive selection of whiskies and other spirits by the glass.

Written by

• Quentin JEZEQUEL - SEO project manager at LMDW.

Verified by

• Didier GHORBANZADEH - Wine & Spirits Expert at LMDW
• Clotilde NOUAILHAT - Editorial and Corporate Communications Manager at LMDW