How to taste whisky: a simple guide to nosing, sipping and finding flavour

You do not need special equipment. A few simple things help:

• A glass. A tulip-shaped glass such as a Glencairn concentrates the aromas. A wine glass or a small tasting glass works well too. See whisky glasses explained.
• A small pour. About 15 to 30 ml (half to one ounce) is plenty.
• Water. Room-temperature still water, plus a spoon or dropper to add a little to your glass. Keep a second glass of water to sip between whiskies.
• A quiet spot. Avoid strong smells such as perfume, coffee or cooking while you taste.

Hold the glass against a white background or a light. Whisky ranges from pale straw to deep mahogany. Colour comes mainly from the cask: ex-bourbon casks tend to give gold, and sherry casks give amber and red-brown. Longer ageing deepens the colour too.

Do not treat colour as a quality guide, though. Many whiskies, including Scotch, are allowed to have a little caramel colouring added to make the colour consistent from batch to batch.

Smell is where most of the flavour is. Hold the glass at chest height and bring it up slowly toward your nose. Keep your mouth slightly open and take short, gentle sniffs rather than one deep breath. Strong alcohol vapour can overwhelm your nose, so do not push your nose deep into the glass.

• Swirl the glass gently, then smell again. You will often notice new aromas.
• Move the glass a little to each side. Different parts of the glass can smell different.
• Take breaks. Your nose gets tired after a few seconds.

Take a small sip and let it coat your whole mouth. Hold it for a moment before you swallow, and notice how the flavour changes from the first second to the last. Think about:

• Sweetness, bitterness and spice. Is it sweet like honey, dry like oak, or peppery?
• Texture. Is it thin and light, or thick and oily?
• Strength. Does the alcohol feel warm, or sharp?

If the first sip feels harsh, that is normal. Your mouth needs a moment to adjust, so take a second sip before you decide.

The finish is what remains after you swallow. Pay attention to how long the flavour lasts and how it changes. A short finish fades quickly. A long finish keeps going for a minute or more. Breathe out gently through your nose after you swallow, because many flavours show up at this point.

Adding a few drops of water can lower the sharpness of the alcohol and let more aroma through. Add a small amount, nose it again, then taste it. Add a little more if you like. You can always add more water, but you cannot take it out.

Whiskies at higher strength, such as cask strength bottlings, usually benefit most. For more detail, see water and ice.

Most people struggle to describe flavours at first. Some tips:

• Start broad. Sweet, fruity, smoky or spicy is a fine start. You can narrow it down later.
• Use everyday words. If it reminds you of toast, say toast. If it smells like your grandmother's kitchen, say that.
• Write it down. A few words per whisky is enough. Notes help you notice patterns in what you like.
• Taste before you read. Form your own opinion before you read the tasting notes on the label or in a review.

Your nose and palate improve quickly with practice, and there is no right answer. If you taste something different from the label, you are not wrong.

Taste lighter whiskies before heavier ones, and keep it to three or four at a time. Rinse your mouth with water between each.

• Tasting too many at once. After three or four your senses tire.
• Sniffing too hard. Gentle sniffs reveal more than deep breaths.
• Serving it too cold. Cold hides flavour. Room temperature is best for tasting.
• Rushing. Give each whisky a couple of minutes in the glass.
• Judging on the first sip. The second and third sips are usually more telling.