Whisky tasting is a skill that uses all your senses, but even pros make slip-ups. Here are 10 blunders that could mess up your tasting and how to dodge them:
- Sipping Too Fast: Speeding through tastes can hit your mouth hard and hide small tastes.
- Not Smelling First: Skipping the sniff means you miss major hints that form the whisky's soul.
- Wrong Glass: The glass type shifts how smells and tastes come across - pick tulip-shaped ones like the Glencairn.
- Ice Too Early: Ice lowers smell and taste. Try it pure first, then think about ice.
- Too Much Pour: Small pours (15-20ml) let you zoom in on the whisky's small bits.
- Eating While Tasting: Bold foods or drinks can take over your mouth. Just have plain snacks or water between tastes.
- Forgetting Water: Sipping water clears your mouth, and a few drops in whisky can pop new taste levels.
- No Palate Cleansers: Use water, plain bread, or simple snacks to clean your taste buds between different whiskies.
- Bad Storage: Keep whisky upright in a cool, dark spot to keep it good.
- Not Keeping Notes: Jot down your thoughts to sharpen your tasting skill and remember likes.
Top Whisky Mistakes You’re Probably Making
1. Drinking Too Quickly
Whisky isn't meant to be rushed. Quick sips can overwhelm your palate with a harsh burning sensation, drowning out the delicate and subtle flavours that make each whisky unique. It takes time for your taste buds to fully appreciate the complex layers of a good whisky, as many of its nuances only reveal themselves gradually over multiple sips[1][5].
To truly enjoy whisky, take small sips and let the liquid coat your entire tongue. This allows all your taste receptors to engage with its full range of flavours. Some whisky enthusiasts recommend 'chewing' the whisky - gently swirling it in your mouth for about 30 seconds. This not only stimulates salivation but also helps release volatile flavour compounds. After doing this, exhaling deeply can enhance retro-olfaction, intensifying the tasting experience[3][4].
And don’t overlook the finish. The lingering aftertaste and evolving flavours that follow each sip are just as important as the initial taste. Taking your time allows you to appreciate the craftsmanship behind the whisky and uncover its full character[1][4].
2. Skipping the Smell Test
Your sense of smell holds the key to unlocking whisky’s hidden depths. Yet, many whisky enthusiasts jump straight into sipping, bypassing the opportunity to explore its aroma first[6]. The scent alone can reveal a world of complexity - fruity hints, floral whispers, spicy warmth, and woody undertones all make their presence known before the whisky even graces your palate.
As master distiller Vic Cameron puts it:
"The aroma can pre-empt what you are about to taste and in my opinion the nose is just as important as the palate." [7]
To truly appreciate the whisky, ease into the aroma instead of rushing. Start by swirling your glass gently to release its aromatic compounds, then hold it just below your nose. Take short, light sniffs rather than one deep inhale - this helps prevent the alcohol vapours from overpowering your senses[6]. For an even smoother experience, part your lips slightly while inhaling. This simple trick reduces the "nose prickle" that can overshadow more subtle aromas[8].
Patience is essential here. Let the whisky sit for around 15 minutes to "open up" and reveal more of its character[2]. You can even softly blow across the surface of the liquid to coax out additional scents[2]. Adding a few drops of water can also work wonders, unveiling entirely new layers of aroma you might have missed otherwise[6].
Skipping the smell test means missing out on one of the most rewarding aspects of whisky tasting. Take the time to savour the scents - it’s a step worth lingering over.
3. Using the Wrong Glass
Your choice of glass isn’t just a minor detail - it’s a key part of the whisky-tasting experience. The glass you use can either enhance or diminish the aromas and flavours, and many enthusiasts overlook this by using whatever glass is at hand. But the shape of your glass has a direct impact on how well the aromas reach your nose.
Dr. Dwight Furrow offers a clear explanation:
"The glass must be large enough to allow the liquid to be swirled to release aromas. The bowl of the glass should be wide enough to allow aroma molecules to pool on the surface of the liquid, yet not so wide as to hasten oxidation."
For serious whisky tasting, tulip-shaped glasses are the way to go. They encourage oxygenation while concentrating the aromas, providing the perfect balance. One standout example is the Glencairn glass, designed in Scotland specifically for single malt Scotch. It embodies all the qualities needed for a proper tasting experience [9][11][12].
Alex Thomas, Bushmills Master Blender, praises the Glencairn for its design:
"I love the Glencairn because the size of the opening at the top is reasonably small, but the base of the whiskey is breathing in the bottom. When you put it to your nose for the first time, all of those aromas are captured in the glass."
In contrast, wide tumblers are less effective for neat whisky. They allow aromas to dissipate, making it harder to pick up on subtle notes. However, as Jameson Whiskey points out, tumblers have their place:
"The wide mouth of a tumbler glass doesn't concentrate aroma like many other glasses on this list but, it does make it an excellent container for personalising whiskey with ice, soda, or as a cocktail."
The shape of the glass also influences how the whisky hits your tongue, which affects the way flavours are perceived. A well-designed tasting glass can soften the alcohol’s intensity and highlight the more delicate notes [10][11].
Choose your glass based on your intention: tulip-shaped glasses are ideal for savouring whisky neat, while tumblers are better suited for whisky on the rocks or in cocktails. This small adjustment can make a big difference, elevating your appreciation of every dram. The right glass isn’t just an accessory - it’s the foundation for a great tasting experience.
4. Putting Ice In Too Soon
A common slip-up by those who love whisky is to pop in ice before they try it plain. Ice changes the whisky's true self, hiding the deep tastes and smells the maker meant to show.
When you add ice, it cools down the whisky, which holds back the strong smells that make whisky rich [13]. Also, as the ice melts, it waters down the drink and makes your sense of taste less sharp. This makes it tough to notice the soft hints [15][14]. As Rob Dietrich, from BLACKENED®, a top whisky maker, says:
"Well-made ice can make for a pleasant whiskey experience, with the light amount of water from the melting ice allowing the whiskey to open up, releasing new layers of flavor."
David Williamson of the Scotch Whisky Group also talks about how key it is to keep the heat just right:
"Prevents an overwhelming taste of alcohol masking more delicate, complex flavors."
To really enjoy good whisky, have it pure first. This way, you taste the drink as it was meant to be, with no mix-ins. Then, see if you like it better with ice.
If you do add ice, pick big cubes or round ones. Round ice melts slower. It has about 25% less top part than cube ice, so it waters down the drink less [15]. You might also use whisky stones to cool your drink by 5–10°C without making it watered down, although they don't cool as well as ice, which can drop the heat by 10–15°C [16]. Ian Logan, who speaks for The Glenlivet globally, shares this idea well:
"It's like hugging yourself when you're cold – when it's cold, whisky keeps all its flavours wrapped up rather than releasing them."
So, what's the takeaway? Ice isn't a no-go, but timing counts a lot. Try your whisky with no add-ons first, then see if ice makes it better for you. Your taste buds will be glad for this extra step.
5. Too Much Pour
It's simple to go too far and pour too much when you're happy. But too big pours can mess up a good tasting time. Keeping it even lets you enjoy each drink truly.
For whisky try-outs, pour about 15ml to 20ml in each glass – that’s about half an ounce. It may seem small next to a normal serve, but these little pours help you taste the soft tastes and smells in each whisky.
Adding too much to the glass can be too much for your taste buds, making it hard to sense the light bits. Begin with a small pour to let your taste buds get used to it, and then you may take bit larger drinks to know the whisky's full taste.
If you're trying many types at once, go for even tinier pours. This stops your taste buds from getting too tired and lets you enjoy each whisky without losing your touch.
6. Eating While Tasting
When you taste whisky, your taste buds are hard at work, and food can mess them up. Eating during a tasting can leave strong tastes that stick to your mouth, making it tough to sense the light hints in the whisky. Plan a bit to stop this.
Big tastes - like those from hot curry, sharp coffee, or even strong tea - can hide the slight parts of a good single malt. To enjoy each sip, stay away from hot or cold drinks, hot foods, sharp coffees, or cured meats right before tasting. If you've had any of these, wait an hour for the tastes to fade away.
Even sweets and desserts can take over your palate, so it's best to have them after the session. And remember - brushing your teeth or using mouthwash just before tasting can also mess up your chance to fully catch the whisky’s taste.
To keep on track, wash your palate between tastes with something plain like baguette, celery, breadsticks, or crackers. Having water ready is also smart to clean your taste buds between sips.
Time matters too. Set your tasting for when your mouth is clear of strong tastes, so you can fully dive into the distinct feel of each whisky.
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7. Not Drinking Water
When you think about how to sip and clear your taste, don't forget how key it is to drink water. Using water in whisky tasting is vital - it not only cleans your taste but also keeps your mind alert, helping you enjoy each drop’s small special bits. If you don’t drink still water as you go, old tastes from past whiskies can mix up your current tasting, hiding the soft hints that make each whisky its own.
A dry mouth can make it hard for you to notice quiet tastes. As you try many drinks, your mouth and throat might dry out, which makes it tough to catch the fine points of the whisky's taste. Drinking lots of water is an easy but key part in really getting the deep side of whisky.
Putting water into your whisky can lift up the tasting event, more so with strong bottles. For whiskies at 40–46% ABV, you might not need water. But, for those at 46–54% ABV, a bit of water can smooth it out, and those over 55% ABV often do well with a few drops to calm the sharp taste and show hidden flavours.
Here’s why it works: a whisky at 40% ABV is 60% water already. When you add more water, it changes the mix of alcohol, water, and taste parts, often showing new layers of taste. Calum Fraser, a top mixer at Bowmore, says:
"Whisky comprises alcohol molecules, water molecules, and various flavour compounds, which arrange themselves in a particular composition. However, when water is added and the alcoholic strength changes, so does the make‐up of the compounds and molecules relative to each other, which in turn alters the flavour profile." [17]
To enjoy your whisky fully, have it plain first. Next, add water bit by bit, tasting every time you add a drop. See how the taste changes. Blair Bowman, who knows a lot about whisky and has won awards, says to do this:
"I always recommend trying a whisky neat (even at cask strength) then if I felt it needed it - and it depends on the whisky and whether I'm drinking for enjoyment or to assess a whisky - I would then gradually add water." [17]
When you add water, use room temp, still water with no strong taste. This makes sure it goes well with the whisky and does not hide its taste.
8. To Pass By Palate Cleansers
To skip palate cleansers is a common slip that can mix up the clear tastes of each whisky. These helpers make sure that tasting notes stay sharp and do not mix, keeping the special traits of every pour. Here are some simple tips to reset your taste buds during a tasting.
It's key to clean your taste buds between whiskies to stop the tastes of one pour from spoiling the next. This is very key when trying whiskies that taste very different.
To bring back your smell and taste, try these ideas: smell fresh roasted coffee beans to wake up your nose, and wash your mouth with water that's not too hot or too cold. Keep away from tap water or very cold water, as they can hide the whiskey's soft tastes.
As Gabriel Alden says:
"It's not just about a good flavor, it's about letting the whiskey share its own story."
Take a 5–10 minute pause between bottles to let your senses clear up fully. For whiskies with strong tannin, drinking full-fat milk first can set your taste right.
Harold McGee, a known chemist, points out:
"Cleaning methods are key in tasting times much more than one may think at first."
9. Bad Storage Before Tasting
Keeping whisky the wrong way can wreck its taste, giving you a drink that's not what the maker had in mind.
Heat and light are the worst things for whisky - they start changes that mess up the parts that create its taste. The end? Bad, strange tastes you sure don't want in your drink [18].
Big changes in heat are another bad thing. Whisky likes a steady spot, best between 15°C and 20°C. To keep the heat the same and cut light can also slow down changes that keep the whisky's first taste good.
When you first open a bottle, changes start to be a bigger worry. A bottle kept right and not opened can be good for many, many years, but open bottles won’t be good for long. If the bottle is mostly full, it holds its taste for about a year. But when there isn't much left, changes happen fast, and the taste gets bad quick.
Frances Wilson from The Whisky Shop Journal says it just right:
"When stored correctly, a bottle of whisky can pretty much last forever." [19]
To keep your whisky good, place bottles up in a cold, dark spot - far from windows, warmers, or any heat. For open bottles, be sure the cap is on tight or move the whisky to a smaller pot to cut air touch. Not like wine, whisky's strong alcohol can hurt the cork if it lays on its side, so always have it stand up. These little acts can make your whisky last longer and keep its taste for more months.
Taking care to store your whisky right makes sure that even the best bottles keep their deep taste and feel.
10. Not Writing Down Notes
Taking notes when tasting whisky is key, just like knowing how to use your senses well. If you just rely on your mind, you might miss small details and different tastes. By writing down what you feel, you make a real link between smell, taste, and what you think, helping you know each whisky better.
A good notebook just for tasting helps a lot. Write down important stuff like the whisky's name, where it's from, smell, taste, end flavor, and even your own score. You can also write about what food goes well with it or where you drank it. Writing makes you pay attention to details, noting things you might forget.
Looking at your notes often can show what you like most, helping you know what parts of the whisky you enjoy - maybe a certain smell, feel, or last taste. This not only makes you better at tasting but also helps when picking new bottles, making sure they match what you like.
Your notes can also help you later on. When trying a new whisky, you can see how it stacks up to ones you wrote about before. Sharing what you know with other fans can start talks and show new views you might not have thought of.
Quick Look Table
To wrap it up, here's a brief rundown on the main changes between basic and better whisky tasting ways. Small tweaks can change a lot in the way you take in and enjoy whisky. The table below gives a good tip guide to lift your tasting game.
| Aspect | Simple Way | Better Way | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Glass | Using any glass you grab | Using a special glass for whisky | A good glass keeps the smell, bad ones lose it, making less strong sniff. |
| Smelling | Not smelling at all | Smelling it slow before you sip | If you skip the smell, you miss out on parts of the taste. Smells shape what we taste. |
| Water or No Water | Putting ice right away or just drinking | Try it as it is, add water drop by drop if you want | Ice can hide tastes too soon, a bit of water can show more. |
| How Fast You Sip | Drinking fast | Small sips, let it stay in your mouth | Fast sips feel hot and hide the light tastes, go slow to find more. |
| Taste Clean Up | Eating while you sip or not clearing your taste | Plain snacks and water in between different drinks | If you don't clear your taste, old tastes cover new ones. |
| Taking Notes | Just trying to remember | Write down what you see, smell, taste, feel | Writing things down keeps them clear. Trying to remember can mix them up. |
These small changes may look simple, but they can really make your whisky tasting trip much better, more fun, and full of new insights.
End
You don't need to know it all to enjoy whisky tasting. It's more about not making big errors and just letting it happen. As drink pro Zach Mack says:
"One of the most beautiful things about whiskey is that a complex liquid can be savoured by allowing its flavours to unfold naturally on your palate" [20].
Even though these ten errors may look tiny, they can have a big impact on your whisky drinking feel. The right glass, not rushing, and getting your mouth ready can lift a mere drink into a quest to find deep tastes and smells. Each little change shows more of the whisky's true form in ways you might miss at first.
Want to try out these hints? Curated taste packs from The Really Good Whisky Company provide a great chance to up your game. These well-picked sets, with full notes, let you try different whiskies - from Scotch singles to ones from Japan and America - all at once. It’s an easy way to work on your taste skills without the fuss of choosing bottles [21].
FAQs
Why pick a tulip glass for whisky tasting?
In the world of whisky tasting, a tulip glass is a key tool. Its build, with a broad base and a slim top, is great as it pulls the whisky’s smells together. This form sends the smells right up to your nose, keeping other smells away, so you can enjoy the deep notes of the whisky. To make the most of your taste, just swirl the whisky softly. This easy move brings out the full range of its smells, prepping you for a much richer drink.
Why does putting water in whisky make it taste better?
Putting a bit of water in whisky can change how it tastes when you drink it. It makes the strong alcohol taste softer, so the light smells and tastes come out more. This lets you enjoy the full range of what's in the whisky. This change happens because the water mixes with what’s in the whisky, breaking up the alcohol and freeing small tastes that you might not notice otherwise.
That said, it's all about the right amount. Too much water - more than 20% of the whisky's size - can wash out its strong points, making the tastes and smells weaker. The best way? Start with just a few drops, trying it as you add, until it tastes just right for you.
Why should you write down things when you try whiskies?
Writing things down when trying whisky is a good way to know more about it and like it more. When you note down what you smell, taste, and feel, you start to have your own way to talk about what you feel. This can make each time you try it even more fun.
These notes also help you keep track of different whiskies' special traits. This makes it easy to see how they are different and how what you like changes with time. Whether you're new to whisky or have liked it for many years, having a log of your tries can make each time more deep and fun.
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