Tasting and Evaluating Spirits Flashcards
To learn to taste and understand rather than simply drinking
What allows you to taste and evaluate spirits in a consistent way and to record your notes systematically?
The Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits (SAT)
An ideal tasting room will be…
- Odor-free
- Good natural light
- A white surfaces against which you can judge the appearance of the spirit.
Define:
ISO glass
A great glass for tasting spirits, which includes a bowl with a tulip shape to concentrate the aromas toward the nose.
ISO stands for International Standards Organization
With spirits, what is the ideal size for a tasting sample?
.5 US fl. oz / 15 mL
What is the order of tasting components, according to the SAT?
- Appearance
- Nose
- Palate
- Final conclusion about quality
What should you make a quick note of regarding the appearance of a spirit, before adding water?
- clarity
- intensity
- color
Hazy in a spirit would be considered…
Faulty
Some premium spirits that are not filtered and can become hazy when chilled or with the addition of water.
Define:
Louching
A reaction that happens with some spirits turning opaque and cloudy when water is added for dilution.
One example is Aniseed based spirits
Define:
Water-white
It describes the color of all spirits when they come off the still.
One example of a spirit that remains water-white when bottled would be Vodka.
What is the measure of how easily one can see through a spirit?
Intensity
What term is used for spirits that can not be seen through at all?
Opaque
Cream liqueurs are opaque.
When would a spirit have a pale intensity?
A spirit would be described as having a pale intensity when the producer has used no caramel color or has aged the spirit in barrels that were not new.
What are three color terms often used for wood-aged spirits?
- Lemon
- Amber
- Brown
Should you swirl a glass of spirit when smelling?
No, swirling can cause increased alcohol evaporation, which can impact the ability to smell fine aromas in the spirit.
What is one of the most commonly encountered faults in a spirit?
A common fault is the bottle becoming out of condition due to being open too long.
Define:
The Spirit Lexicon
A table of suggested aroma/flavor words that can be used to describe characteristics in a spirit - these are divided into three systematic groups: raw materials, processing, oak and maturation.
Excessive aromas of heads and tails in a spirits are generally considered to be what?
Faulty
What aromas are associated with oxygen during oak maturation?
‘Oak and maturation’, these aromas include vanilla, cinnamon and other spices.
What is a good ratio of water to spirit addition for assessment purposes?
50:50, this allows the aromas to emerge while diluting the impact of alcohol.
The tongue is responsible for recognizing five tastes:
- Sweet
- Sour
- Salt
- Bitter
- Umami
What taste is not present in spirits?
Salt
What are the two important tastes in spirits?
Sweet and Bitter
With regard to taste, newly distilled spirits are accurately described as…
Dry
Sugar is added after distillation.
How can vanilla and fruity aromas be deceiving with regards to sweetness?
They give the illusion of sweetness when in combination, even if there is no sugar present.
What does texture refer to?
Texture refers to how the spirit feels in the mouth.
What should you focus on when assessing the length of the finish of a spirit?
One should focus on the positive flavors. Unpleasant tastes, textures or flavors should not be considered.
What should you focus on when considering the nature of the finish of a spirit?
When considering the finish of a spirit, one should focus on whether the finish is simple, complex or neutral in nature.
Balance considers…
Whether one flavor, texture or structural component dominates, or if they all present in harmony - and according to the style of the product.
A high quality spirit will have…
A balanced, pleasant finish where complex flavors linger and evolve for several seconds.
When does Purity become a consideration?
For neutral spirits such as vodkas, this will be THE consideration, as opposed to complexity of flavors and aromas.
The best spirits express what?
The best spirits espress something about their raw material, how they have been fermented, distilled and matured.
What are we looking for in expressiveness?
Precision and Clarity - can be for both complex and simple products.
Spirits that are aged in oak and have some color removed using charcoal are refered to as what intensity?
Medium
True or False:
A spirit described as neutral has no aroma.
False
A spirit described as neutral may be intentional produced with a very light intensity.
Describe the difference between off-dry, medium and sweet.
- Off-dry refers to a spirit that has a very small amount of sugar added
- Medium refers to a spirit with a sweet taste but it is not the defining characteristic
- Sweet spirits have a defining characteristic of sweetness
