The art of tasting spirits

By INDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK | Dec 26, 2006, 12.00 AM IST

Here are the joys of tasting spirits along with tips on what to look for in terms of appearance, nose and taste when sampling classic spirits.

Distilled products are referred to as spirits, since they represent the essence of the substances from which they’re made. A great brandy captures the very spirit of the grapes. A great whisky captures the spirit of its original grain. In spirits, the humble products of the earth -- grapes, corn, wheat, barley, potatoes, and sugarcane -- are transformed into a rarefied quintessence.

Vodka

Vodka is popular because many mixology mavens consider it the perfect base for cocktails. Vodka can be infused with flavors, mixed in cocktails, appreciated neat or over ice. It is famous as an accompaniment to caviar, and complements rich and spicy food. It can be made from almost any agricultural ingredient; grain, vegetable, even fruit. It has a mysterious history and inspires great affection, its name even means “dear little water” in Russian.

What to look for while tasting Vodka

Drink it straight up in a chimney-style glass & freezer cold, which brings its viscosity & flavor. The three senses involved are sight, smell & taste.

Good vodka will have a creamy, sweet or grainy fragrance. Bad vodka smells medicinal & has a harsh odor of ethyl spirits. Let the vodka rest on your palate while exhaling through your nose, swallow & note the aftertaste.

Each brand will have a surprisingly unique second life after you swallow or spit. The finish or aftertaste should linger, perhaps for several seconds. Lower-quality vodka will have a short aftertaste. Next, cleanse your palate with spring water and down a sip without letting it linger in your mouth.

Gin

Gin is considered a quintessentially English drink. The first gin was made in Holland. Originally created as a medicinal tonic, the spirit made its way into the hearts of the common folk and the nobility & eventually became the basis for one of the most enduring cocktails of all time: the martini.

There are three types of gin: London dry gin or British dry, Genever, Holland gin or Dutch gin, German or Steinhager gin.

What to look for while tasting Gin

Mix gin into your favorite cocktail or pour them over ice and let your taste buds seek out myriad flavors of licorice, pepper, lemon peel, the sweet violet whisper or orris root, and the tang of juniper.

There is a dizzying array of flavors and botanicals used to make gin -- lemon, rose petals, cucumber, orange -- the list is endless. Hold the glass up to the light and look at the liquid’s color.

Rum

Rum is made from fresh sugarcane juice, cane syrup or molasses, which is the byproduct of processing raw sugarcane into refined sugar. There are deviations, as there are no regulations regarding ingredients or distillation of rum.

What to look for while tasting Rum

The label can help you decide which rum to choose and whether to drink it in mixed drinks or to enjoy it on its own as you would a fine brandy. Sipping rums are generally heavier and dark. Pour the spirit into a snifter or chimneyed spirits glass, which will focus the aroma.

Swirl it in the glass and judge the color and clarity.Aged rum will be a pleasure to inhale, a young, raw rum could burn your nasal passages.

A little water mixed with an overproof rum might soften the jolt to your taste buds.

Tequila

Many people mistakenly believe that tequila is a drink made from cactus, however, it is made from the blue agave, which is part of the lily & amaryllis family of flowering plants. This bluish-green succulent takes eight to 12 years to mature.

What to look for while tasting Tequila

The best way to truly enjoy it is to sip it neat. In Mexico, tequila is served completo with a side of sangrita, a mixture of orange juice, grenadine and a hint of chili pepper. Pour it into clear, tulip-shaped wineglasses or chimney glasses. It is important that the glass be clear so that you may observe the spirit’s color.

Take a sip and let it sit in your mouth. Is it sweet, pleasantly sweet or barely sweet? Is it oily, watery or pleasant on the tongue? Sip barrel-aged tequila as you would a fine whisky and enjoy the mingling flavors of the agave and the oak.

Scotch whisky

There are two basic types of Scotch whisky: malt whisky (made from malted barley) and grain whisky (made from raw grain such as corn or wheat).

It can be used in such simple mixed drinks as the Scotch and soda or in more complex cocktails such as the Rob Roy or the Scotch sour.

What to look for while tasting Scotch whisky

Hold your tasting in a room that is free of cooking odors or other smells. Don't wear perfume or cologne or heavily scented deodorant, which will interfere with the aroma of the Scotch.

Choose sherry, port glasses or small dessert-wine glasses since they allow you to swirl the spirit before nosing and tasting.

Hold the Scotch up against a white background and examine the color and clarity. The darkness of the whisky is a clue to its age and the type of wood in which it has been stored.

A small sip is plenty. Let the whisky coat your tongue and note whether it feels rough or smooth. Is it sweet or savory?

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