Spirits_Bourbon_Spr20_Ed-final.qxp_Road Trip_Cinci.qxd 3/1/20 11:22 PM Page 14
liquids | bourbon Tasting whiskey is not like tasting wine. Whiskey, including bourbon, is far higher in alcohol by volume than wine and needs to be approached with some serious respect. The good news here is that a bottle of bourbon lasts a lot longer than a bottle of wine, since you are drinking it by the ounce, not by the glass. To enjoy every sip of that ounce (or two) here are some techniques for mindful tasting you can put into practice in your home and also apply to enjoying bourbon at your favorite bar or restaurant.
How To
Conduct Your Own
In-Home Bourbon Tasting BY SUSAN REIGLER | PHOTO BY DAN DRY
14 Spring 2020 www.foodanddine.com
Four Dimensions Appreciation has four components: Appearance, Nose, Taste, and Finish
Because of its classic hue, Kentucky’s Finest is often referred to as Amber Elixir. But bourbons express themselves in a range of color from pale straw to dark bronze, even red. Often, though not always, the darker the hue, the longer the bourbon has been aged in its charred oak barrel. Higher proof bourbon may be a bit darker than lower proof ones, too. But the Nose — aromas emerging from the glass — is where the true sensory action begins. Many whiskey drinkers favor the Glencairn glass developed for evaluating Scotch. Its bulbous base allows the whiskey to evaporate a bit, but then the chimney-shaped neck holds and concentrates aromas. A tulip-shaped wine glass will do much the same. Some people are fine with rocks glasses. Whatever the glass, do not just stick your nose down into it. All you will smell is alcohol. (Remember that high alcohol by volume!) My favored technique is to nose the glass with
my mouth partially open.Then I turn my head and exhale to blow away the alcohol. I nose again. Voila! The aromas of vanilla, caramel, fruits, spices, and nuts, leather, tobacco, and a raft of other aromas depending on the bourbon, will greet you. Now, take a sip and let the bourbon move around in your mouth. (Yes, this is the famous Kentucky Chew.) What is the texture like? (The fancy word for that is mouthfeel.) Is it thin and watery or rich and tongue-coating? Somewhere in between? Are there flavors on the palate that were not on the nose? Did some promising aromas vanish upon tasting? Finally, how long does the flavor linger in your mouth and throat? And which flavors predominate until the end? That’s the finish. If it disappears quickly, the finish is short. If you are still tasting the whiskey after a couple of minutes, that’s long. If you feel some warmth in your chest, that’s the always-welcome Kentucky Hug.
Amplifying the Notes
Water will change whisky, too. That’s because it acts as a solvent to break apart aromatic molecules that are binding with the alcohol.This is especially true of high proof bourbons. Add two or three drops of water. Let the glass sit for a minute and try the nosing and tasting again. You can also amplify the fruit notes on the palate by eating a dried cherry or dried cranberry. Then taste again. Have a sip of water. Then eat a pecan. The nut will wipe away the fruit and bring the oak tannins to the fore.Take another sip of water, eat a caramel candy, and the various flavor factions will magically meld back together.