This month I had the pleasure of conducting a tasting experience with an audience that wanted to learn about multiple whiskey styles. The suggested whiskeys had different flavor profiles, with one being a limited edition and not available in the U.S.

The order of the tasting experience was as follows:

• Milam and Green Triple Cask Texas Bourbon (USA)
• Wendel Clark Limited Edition NHL Alumni Series (Canada)
• Yellow Spot Pot Still Whiskey (Ireland)
• Talisker Distillers Edition 2007-2017 (Scotland)

I delivered the tasting with a presentation that contained the following sections:

The Definition of Whiskey

We reviewed the U.S. and European (primarily Scotland and Ireland) definitions at the beginning of the tasting to understand whisky before reviewing specific country regulations.

The Flavor Profile

We discussed primary and secondary flavors and the impact of adding water. I had several questions about whether or not we should add water or ice to a whiskey, and things started to get fun and interactive, as these are personal choices.

How to Taste

We talked about appearance, color, nose, palate, finish, and what to look for in a whiskey. Participants took the first whiskey and started following the appreciation process. Everyone started to share their perceptions and insights of the first whiskey and provided a score on the tasting sheet.

Foundational Concepts

In this section, I walked the audience through distillation methods (i.e., Column Still vs. Pot Still) and how different styles (i.e., bourbon, Scotch) use them to create their target profiles.

Since I was offering Scotch and Irish Whiskey, I described the malting process to get deeper into the production process. Participants enjoyed geeky topics that most tasting experiences do not cover.

History and Country Regulations

I shared a snippet of whiskey history by country and regulations before I introduced a new whiskey. Participants enjoyed the storytelling aspect of this topic while they nosed and tasted the whiskeys. As participants tasted each whiskey, I asked them to describe the dominant flavors and aromas and got their feedback about whether they disliked or liked the whiskeys.

I presented one slide for each whiskey to highlight the distillery, casks used, mash bills, more stories, and fun facts about each brand. The foundational knowledge section certainly paid off since most of the key terms and details of each expression were already understood.

After participants provided their opinions about a whiskey, I shared the official tasting notes (nose, palate, and finish) and some thoughts about the importance of letting a whiskey breathe in the glass.

The Whiskey of the Tasting Experience

After sampling all four whiskeys, each participant shared a favorite based on the total score. Yellow Spot Pot Still Irish Whiskey was the winner among all participants, followed closely by Milam & Green Triple Cask Bourbon. Participants appreciated the information explained in simple terms and the charcuterie board, which added a classy touch to the experience.

If you have questions about my tasting experience, feel free to contact me at tastings@thewhiskyknights.com or you can also contact me on my Instagram account (click here). You can also look for more information about my tasting experience, here.

Cheers!

Guillermo Barrios

Executive Bourbon Steward

Certified Bourbon Professional

Diploma in Single Malt Scotch

Certified Specialist of Spirits