To start with, jumping straight away to a whisky will not fulfill the motive of this blog, which is AWARENESS, so lets try to understand the art of enjoying whisky [not drinking whisky, its a different thing which i'll discuss later].
The ultimate question before all of us is why do we drink[which most people do] whisky, sometimes maybe
for some fun, to celebrate a special occasion, to create an identity among friends, to get flat [hangover], to get rid of some tension and many more, individuals will have different reason for it.
But the main motive of some fine whisky is not related to any of the above reasons.
Enjoying whisky is an art, you need to access it like a professional, like a whisky connoisseur.Get to know the whisky and the effort that has gone into its making and drowning it through your throat like a cowboy is injustice to this wonderful spirit. So give it some time, you pay for it and its gone within seconds for ever.
SO HOW DO YOU ACCESS A WHISKY...?
There are certain terms related to whisky tasting, which are - the LOOK, the NOSE, and finally the TASTE.
First, select your glass. The right type of glass is extremely important. The best is a nosing glass, which is shaped like a tulip so that the aromas do not escape, but a wine goblet or brandy snifter would do just as well.
the LOOK
Select the whisky you wish to taste, and pour a measure (1/2 to 1 oz.) into your glass. Hold the glass up to the light and observe the colour. The colour of the whisky depends on its age and the type of cask it has matured in. All tasters use a similar scale of colour descriptors, but at this stage in your tasting development (assuming you are a beginner) it is easier to describe it how you like. As you taste more whiskies, and even if you go to tasting events, you will come across the "correct" terms.
the NOSE
To release some of the aroma, swirl the whisky around in the glass. Now put your nose into the glass and sniff. Don't be tempted to take a great lungful - if the whisky has a high alcohol content it can make you temporarily 'smell blind'. Take short sniffs. The cardinal, characteristic aromas of the particular whisky will be present. What aromas do you detect? You should note them down, if you can identify them - but they may well be 'closed': subdued, spirity and vapourous. Note down whatever comes to you, no matter how outlandish it may sound. Also, don't worry about describing everything, you may only be able to get a hint of some smells, most of the aroma will only be released when you add water.
Now add a splash of water.
Usually the same amount of water as whisky will do. Be aware, though, that some older whiskies lose everything if diluted too much. Use your best judgement, add a little at a time if you so desire.
When whisky is diluted, more aromas can be detected. Make a note of how the aromas you first detected have changed, (if they have changed) and what new ones have been released by the addition of water. It is very difficult to put words to smells, but great fun when you let go.
the TASTE
Take a large sip of whisky, let it fill your mouth and roll over your tongue.
Note down your first impressions straight away. Is the primary taste sweet, salty, dry, bitter or a mixture of some, or all, of them? What other flavours are present? Does the taste compare with the aromas you detected earlier?
Again just note down any description that comes to you, no matter how strange it may sound.
Now put the glass to one side and consider the finish or the flavours that linger in your mouth. Does the taste last a long time or disappear immediately? Is the aftertaste pleasant or not? Make a note of your findings.
