1 - Tasting and Evaluating Spirits

Question 1

How should you set yourself up for tasting?

Answer 1

By minimising outside influences that may alter your perception of the spirit

Question 2

…can impair your ability to assess spirits and to learn

Answer 2

Consuming alcohol

Question 3

How must you prepare your palate for tasting?

Answer 3

Ensure it is free from flavours of toothpaste, cigarettes or strongly flavoured foods

Question 4

How might one clean the palate prior to tasting?

Answer 4

Chewing a piece of bread

Question 5

What might interfere with a spirits aromas when assessing the spirit?

Answer 5

Perfume, aftershave or other strongly scented products

Question 6

Why should you be well hydrated before tasting?

Answer 6

Dehydration may cause nasal aroma receptors to become dry and lose sensitivity

Question 7

Besides dehydration, what else may impair one’s sense of smell?

Answer 7

Hay-fever, colds and fatigue

Question 8

Describe ideal glasses for assessing spirits

Answer 8

Odourless, colourless, transparent and free of any residues

Question 9

Describe the ideal features of a tasting glass

Answer 9

A rounded bowl that is large enough to allow water to be added to the sample
Inward sloping walls which concentrate the aromas at the top of the glass

Question 10

What is important when assessing multiple spirits in one session?

Answer 10

To use the same type of glass for fair comparison

Question 11

What is the recommended sample size for tasting?

Answer 11

150ml/1.5cl/0.5 US fl. oz

Question 12

Which are the only two tastes relevant assessing spirits?

Answer 12

Sweetness and bitterness

Question 13

List the aspects of appearance in the SAT

Answer 13

Clarity
Intensity
Colour
Other observations

Question 14

What are the options for clarity?

Answer 14

Clear
Hazy

Question 15

What are the options for intensity?

Answer 15

Water-white
Pale
Medium
Deep
Opaque

Question 16

What are the options for colour?

Answer 16

Colourless
Lemon - gold - amber - brown
Pink - red - orange - yellow - green - blue - purple - brown - black

Question 17

What is an example of ‘other observations’ in assessing spirits?

Answer 17

Louching

Question 18

What are the categories under ‘nose’?

Answer 18

Condition
Intensity
Aroma characteristics

Question 19

What are the options for condition?

Answer 19

Clean
Unclean

Question 20

What are the options for aroma intensity?

Answer 20

Neutral
Light
Medium
Pronounced

Question 21

Give examples of potential aroma characteristics

Answer 21

Raw material, processing, oak and maturation

Question 22

What are the palate categories when assessing a spirit?

Answer 22

Sweetness
Texture
Flavour intensity
Flavour characteristics
Finish

Question 23

What are the options for sweetness?

Answer 23

Dry
Off-dry
Medium
Sweet

Question 24

What are examples for texture?

Answer 24

Rough, smooth, watery, mouthfilling, warming

Question 25

What are the options for flavour intensity?

Answer 25

Neutral Light Medium Pronounced

Question 26

Give examples for flavour characteristics

Answer 26

Raw material, processing, oak and maturation

Question 27

How may finish be sub-categorised?

Answer 27

Length Nature

Question 28

What are the options for length?

Answer 28

Short Medium Long

Question 29

What are the options for nature?

Answer 29

Neutral Simple Some complexity Very complex

Question 30

What is the final category when assessing a spirit?

Answer 30

Conclusions

Question 31

What are the options for conclusions?

Answer 31

Faulty Poor Acceptable Good Very good Outstanding

Question 32

What might solvent aromas indicate?

Answer 32

A spirit containing too much of the heads

Question 33

What might 'tail' aromas be in a poorly made spirit?

Answer 33

Plastic, cheese or sweat