Tasting and Evaluating Spirits Flashcards
Ideal Tasting room
Aroma free, natural, good light, white surfaces
Things to avoid before tasting
food, coffee, salt, tobacco, gum, toothpaste
What can cleanse palate
Bread
What should a tasting glass be like?
Always same. Rounded bowl. Sides slope inwards. Stem to avoid warming liquid.
Suggested sample size
1.5cl
What can cause haziness in spirits?
un-filtered or louching occuring.
Appearance observations
Clarity, Intensity, Colour, Other (louching)
Nose Observations
Condition, Intensity, aroma characteristics
Palate observations
Sweetness, Texture, Flavour Intensity, Flavour Characteristics, Finish
Conclusion observations
Quality level
Aroma and Flavour Observation catagories
(T.R.A.M.P)
- Raw materials (i.e. Corn, Rye, Malt, Grape, Agave, sugarcane, fruits, botanicals)
- Processing: Smoke (peat, medicinal, char), Esters (banana, apple, floral, melon), other (Solvent, plastic, cheese)
- Oak and Maturation: Oak (Vanilla, toast, coffee)
- Age/rancio (Fruit cake, candied fruits, leather, tobacco)
- Texture
How to remove lingering flavours?
chew bread
What causes haziness?
not filtered/ chilled/ or when water added
What is louching?
effect of having added water to aniseed - turning opaque/cloudy.
Appearance heading…
Clarity-Intensity-Colour-other (CICO)
Nose headings…
Condition - Intensity - Aroma (CIA)
Palate headings…
Sweetness- Texture-flavour Intensity- Flavour characteristics -Finish (STIFF)
aromas suggesting heads
solventy /cheesy
aromas suggesting tails
plasticky
how to open up aromas and reveal extra layers of complexity?
add water (50:50) - nb can be less effective with fruit spirits. also avoids the alcohol numbing the mouth. Take small sip and and hold in mouth for a few seconds. . Draw air across tongue when spitting.
Quality assessment?
Balance, Finish (Vodka less applic- consider purity), Expressiveness (not same as complexity) of raw material or how fermented, Purity - and smoothness to texture/seamless integration BFEP
