Imagine holding a tulip-shaped glass in your hand, swirling it slowly to release the intricate aromas that come together to create a truly spectacular whisky. You lean over the glass, and inhale. A smoky nuance with a fruity undertone wafts up to meet you, hinting at the full-bodied taste to come.

Although not as conventional as wine tasting, whiskey tasting has become very popular with connoisseurs and novices alike – who come together to learn more from each other and from their hosts.

The art of whiskey tasting – for it is considered to be an art – is a very subjective experience, and each taste conclusion is as individual as the taster. Various aspects are common to all, however, such as the choice of glass; the method of accessing the aroma; deciphering the taste; and the lingering finish of the aftertaste the whiskey leaves in your mouth.

Choice of glass
By ensuring that the glass that you use for tasting has a broad base and a narrow opening, all flavours that are released will be channeled to your nose. If using any other glass – such as a tumbler, for example –the essence of the whiskey is lost, because the aromas dissipate too rapidly.

The smell/nose of the whiskey
Much can be deduced about a whiskey before you even taste it. By pouring a reasonable amount into a glass and swirling it around to release the flavours through evaporation and the introduction of air, scents that have been compacted in a bottle or a cask for years are allowed to move freely. Place your nose over the opening of your glass and inhale – naming the scents that you can pick up; be it fruity, smoky, spicy, or woody.

The taste and finish of the whiskey
When you take a mouthful of the whiskey, savour the taste as much as possible – ensuring that it coats all areas of your tongue. The question often arises as to whether or not one should add ice or water to a whiskey – and this is up to personal preference; although it must be said that a whiskey reveals itself best when it warms up slightly. Once swallowed (and beyond the alcoholic burn of the neat liquid), the whiskey will leave lingering tastes in your mouth. By taking note of how long each of these tastes last, you are experiencing what is known as the length of the finish.

At The Business Centre, whiskey tasting evenings have become very popular among business owners within the various centres – with the latest event made possible by Pernot Riccard. The evening was spent learning about the various processes involved in the creation of a sublime whiskey, and how to experience the taste of a whiskey to fully appreciate the work that goes into each and every bottle. Guests – which included both men and women, even though whiskey is often considered to be a “man’s drink” – were encouraged to experiment with the various flavours, and to see for themselves which whiskey best suited their palate.