How To Taste Whisky

Written on January 6th, 2025

With Burns Night around the corner, follow our whisky tasting guide to refine your skills, or learn something new – you’ll be an expert in no time!

Colour

The colour of a whisky can give you clues as to the type of cask the whisky has been matured in. Casks impart flavour and colour to a whisky and the most commonly used casks in Scotland, are those which have either previously been used to age Bourbon or those which have been used to mature Sherry.

Bourbon casks are toasted before being used for ageing Scotch whisky. The casks infuse the whisky with aromas of vanilla and caramel, and produce a whisky with a light straw or golden colour. Casks which previously contained Sherry, often Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez, will provide a richer character to the whisky. They give a spicy, nutty and dark fruit sweetness. This type of cask tends to produce a whisky that is deep amber or coppery in colour. In addition to the Bourbon and Sherry casks, other types of casks are also used. These can all impart different characteristics to the whisky.

Smell

Before tasting, hold the glass by the stem and take a few short, sharp sniffs with your mouth slightly open. If you’re not used to smelling whisky, do this gently as the alcohol can be somewhat over-powering.

Taste

Take a small sip of whisky and hold it in your mouth for a moment. Notice the texture, viscosity and flavours. Swallow the whisky slowly allowing the warmth of the spirit to gently build. Repeat the above steps as you begin to pick up more of the aromas and flavour.

Top Tips

To open up the whisky’s flavours, you can add a few drops of water to the whisky or cleanse your palate with cool water after each sip. Specific glasses are designed to enhance the tasting experience of your whisky. A wider bowl with a narrower stem can focus the whisky’s aromas into the centre of the glass making them more distinct.