Tasting and evaluating spirit Flashcards
What are the 4 steps in assessing a spirit using the SAT approach?
Assessing the appearance, nose, palate and then draw a conclusion.
What type of lighting is ideal for tasting spirits?
Good natural light.
Natural light helps in accurately assessing the color and clarity of the spirit.
What should the tasting environment be free of to avoid interference with the spirit’s aromas?
Strong odours such as cleaning products, air fresheners, food or tobacco.
These scents can mask or alter the true aromas of the spirit.
Why is a quiet environment important during a spirit tasting?
It is free of distractions, it alows you to focus better when assessing the spirit.
What is essential regarding space in the tasting environment?
Enough space to lay out your glasses and make notes.
Adequate space allows for a more organized and focused tasting process.
What is a clean palate ?
It is a palate without any lingering flavours from toothpaste, cigarettes, or strongly flavoured foods.
Chewing a piece of bread can help remove lingering flavours.
Why perfumes, aftershaves, or other strongly scented products should be avoided during a tasting ?
These scents can mask the aromas of the spirits.
Why is dehydration bad when assessing spirits?
Dehydration may cause nasal aroma receptors to become dry and lose sensitivity to aromas
Staying well-hydrated helps maintain sensory function.
What conditions can affect the ability to judge spirits?
Hay fever, colds, and fatigue
These conditions impact the senses of taste and smell.
Fill in the blank: Chewing a piece of _______ can help to remove any lingering flavours.
bread.
What characteristics describe a suitable glassware for tasting?
Colourless, transparent, odourless, free of residues
What features should tasting glasses have?
- Rounded bowl large enough for water
- Inward-sloping walls to concentrate aromas
What is a recommended type of glass for tasting?
ISO glass or whisky nosing glass.
What are the advantages of using the SAT to assess spirits.
Helps you writing accurate tasting notes,
Provides a common language to describe each spirit
Helps you being consistent in tasting sample.
Describe a proper environement for spirit tasting.
It is a place well lit by natural light, free of strong odour, with enough space to place the glasses and note book and well organized.
What should be noted about the appearance of a spirit?
Clarity, intensity, and color
These observations should be made before adding water.
True or False: It is possible to determine the type, quality, and maturity of a spirit from its appearance.
False
Appearance can be manipulated after distillation, making it unreliable for determining quality.
What do most consumers expect spirits to be regarding the appearance?
Clear
A hazy spirit is generally considered faulty, except for some premium spirits.
What happens to aniseed spirits when water is added?
They turn opaque and cloudy
This reaction is known as ‘louching’ and these spirits are typically consumed cloudy.
Fill in the blank: The reaction of aniseed spirits turning opaque when water is added is called _______.
louching
This phenomenon is typical for aniseed spirits.
What is a characteristic of some premium spirits regarding the lack of filtration?
They may be slightly hazy when chilled
This is due to the lack of filtration.
What is the initial appearance of all spirits when they come off the still?
Water-white and colourless
Where does the colour in a spirit come from?
Added after distillation from barrel aging, coloring added
What is the 5 point scale used to measure the color intensity?
Five-point scale. Water white, pale, medium, deep, opaque.
