cocktails – Cyclops Creative

Whiskey is more than just a distilled and aged spirit; Distillers and their blenders put in years of expertise and work into making something unique that will stimulate the senses and give you an experience rather than just another drink. Whiskey makers use various kinds of grains and treat them in unique ways before starting the distillation process. The spirit is then put into specific barrels before being aged for several years and sometimes even moved to a different barrel to add some finishing touches. Then, the distillers and blenders pick barrels to create unique experiences in your glass.

With so many processes and skills going into an expression of whiskey, there are hundreds of different aromas and flavours you could find in each glass. There is no right way to enjoy your whiskey but there are ways to maximise your experience when it comes to smelling and tasting as much as possible.

Whether you’re on the journey alone or helping somebody experience whiskey for the first time, these simple tips can help you.

Let’s start with the glassware

Unless you’re making larger cocktails, there are two main glasses used to drink whiskey, the tumbler/rocks glass or Glencairn.

Rocks glass: This short and wide-bottomed glass is perfect for adding a couple of blocks of ice but many whiskey cocktails are also served in these iconic glasses. The flat bottom ensures that ingredients can be muddled and less diluted cocktails fill up the glass, making them look classy.

This is a versatile glass for many occasions but probably not the best when you want to explore the whiskey to its fullest extent.

old fashioned cocktail in rocks glass — The rocks glass or tumbler is perfect for adding ice or making a whiskey cocktail. Photo via Unsplash

The Glencairn: This bell-shaped glass is designed for tasting a distilled spirit. The glass has a very short stem and robust bottom with a wider bowl shape before narrowing and then opening slightly at the top. The bowl shape not only allows some swirling to open up the whiskey but channels aromas towards a narrowed rim.

The Glencairn allows perfect pours, looks classy, and is the perfect vessel for smelling, tasting, and exploring whiskey.

Two Glencairns of whiskey next to a The Belvenie barrel — The Gelencairn glass is perfect for a neat pour of whiskey. Photo via unsplash

Both the rocks glass and the Glencairn come in their own shapes and variations too, all of which can elevate your experiences.

Inspection

This step can seem a bit over the top, but we are often affected by visuals. Whiskies can have vast differences in colour due to casks and climate, so when you’ve got a line-up of whiskies, it can be fun to compare them.

The bowl of the Glaincairn is perfect for seeing the colours at different angles but is also dependent on the time of day or the room that you’re in.

Nosing

Your olfactory sense (sense of smell) is more powerful than taste, so nosing/smelling your whiskey is where you’ll probably spend most of your time. Our sense of smell is also great at finding nostalgic memories to go along with the many aromas you’re about to experience.

First, you might want to think of the ABV or proof of the whiskey. If you’re just starting your whiskey journey, high-proof whiskey might just burn the hairs in your nose and sully the experience. Starting at a lower proof or alcohol percentage will help you experience the whiskey more comfortably.

If you’re new to nosing whiskey, start by holding the glass relatively far away, moving closer. If it starts to burn, just retreat a little bit until it’s more pleasent.

Remember to also keep your mouth open slightly and breathe in through your nose and mouth at the same time. The added oxygen circulation will enhance the experience of the aromas.

It’s not just about the aromas but about the memories they evoke. Whiskey has a way of letting you experience nostalgia, so don’t just think about specific ingredients, but memories. It might be a specific leather chair belonging to your grandfather or gardening with your parents. Spend time with your whiskey and discuss it with those tasting alongside you. You might find that talking about it can help you find notes that you’ve not found before, even if it’s a whiskey you’ve had many times.

Palate

After spending as much time as you need on the nosing, it’s time to taste. One way to not only get flavours but deal with the proof is by dipping very lightly like drinking hot coffee. The addition of air helps you experience what you’ve smelled already (also known as ‘retronasal olfaction’).

However, mouthfeel might be what you experience first as you sip. How does the liquid feels on your tongue and against your very sensitive cheeks? Don’t swirl it at first but let it linger on the tongue. Pay attention to how the whiskey feels in your mouth. Is it soft and creamy or is it direct and spiky? Is it drying or refreshing? These feelings might change to flavours, some of which you’ve smelled, like fruit, types of grass, or a variation of smoke.

Whiskey can develop over time, so don’t rush for another sip but experience, discuss and explore.

The Finish

When you’re ready to swallow, think about the journey. How long can you feel or taste it as it goes down? How long can you sit with the flavour until you’ve experienced how it develops on the palate? Did the experience disappear quickly or can you sit back for a while before needing another sip?

Some final tips

Add water: Drops of water not only bring down the proof for those struggling with the “burn” but can highlight different aromas and flavours.
Write it down: Write down what you’re smelling, memories you’re experiencing, and notes that you’re tasting. This can help you eliminate what’s already there while finding something new.
Smell your elbow: Especially when you’re tasting many different spirits, your senses can get overwhelmed. You’re so used to your smell, that sniffing the inside of your elbow can help reset your senses with a neutral smell.
Enjoy with friends: Share your whiskey! Introducing friends to your collection or reminiscing about the memories you share can be a powerful experience. Whiskey is best enjoyed together.

A line-up of different whiskies to be shared with friends — Share and enjoy your whisky with your friends. Photo via Unsplash

There is no RIGHT way to taste whiskey

These helpful tips are not the only way to taste whiskey. You can and should enjoy whiskey in the way that makes it the most comfortable for you. Whether you follow these tips to the letter, add some snack pairings, or combine everything you’ve learned from this and other resources, enjoy the time tasting whiskey.

You don’t even need to agree on how to spell whisk(e)y

Whether you call it whiskey or whisky, there’s always a reason to enjoy a dram. All over the world, people who enjoy whiskey get asked why they want something that “burns” or “just tastes like alcohol”.

As everybody has reasons for drinking, collecting and sharing the “Water of Life”, it’s always a good idea to find out why we drink it and why it’s so iconic.

Great conversation starter

It doesn’t matter if the person you’re talking to is a whiskey enthusiast or new to the amber spirit; the topic alone provides you with a starting point.

The question of their whiskey preference or if you can pour them a drink can turn into many topics. It can be as simple as “Yes, please” to find out it’s their favourite or something they’ve never tried. It opens up the opportunity to share stories of past experiences with whiskey, mini reviews of what’s in the glass, and reminiscing about non-whiskey topics while having a good laugh, and sipping something delicious.

The history of whiskey

Whisk(e)y has a long and storied history that started about a thousand years ago. Still, the last couple of hundred years are what we usually think about. It originated in Scotland and Ireland before spreading to Europe and the Americas. However, it’s the individual histories of distilleries like Jack Daniel and how a man known as Uncle Nearest taught him how to make whiskey.

There’s also our history with whiskey, including how we started drinking it, enjoying it, sometimes taking a different path, and hopping back on the whiskey train later on. These stories bring us together while making new memories that will become the tales we turn into our new histories down the road.

Variety

There is an enormous amount of whiskey worldwide and subcategories within well-known regions to which we often flock. Part of this whiskey journey comes from somewhere, and the real journey begins when we start colouring outside those lines and take the journey elsewhere. Sometimes, you can be the guide, helping a friend, new or old, try something they’ve never had before and in the past, that person was once you.

It can be as simple as trying Speyside Scotch whiskey like Glenfiddich to trying a heavily peated Islay Scotch like Laphroaig. Or, you can be a bourbon drinker trying out a Scottish single malt or Japanese whiskey for the first time.

The options are almost endless, and the variety keeps us on track.

Versatility

There will always be those who are hard-line neat whiskey drinkers, but we all know that “the best whiskey is the whiskey you like to drink, the way you like to drink it”, according to the Whiskey Tribe.

So, whether you like a block of ice and/or Coke with your drink or make a cocktail, of which there are hundreds of whiskey versions, anybody can enjoy any of the many varieties of whiskey the world has to offer without judgment.

It’s time to relax

There are those days when you want a bit of joy. Whether you’re about to sit down after a very long day and watch the sunset or about to meet some friends at the pub, whiskey has a way of calming the mind and making you feel better. Whether it’s just a flavour you love or that common reaction to alcohol, whiskey will provide the mood for relaxation.

Whiskey is well-loved and iconic, not just because of its history as the water of life but also because of the memories we make while enjoying it.

We all have different reasons to drink whiskey and explore this historic spirit. Still, one thing is for sure: it’s always best enjoyed with great people.

Tag: cocktails

How to taste your new and favourite whiskey