In case you’re clued up in your whisky, you’ll little question have tasted your justifiable share of drams over time. Some can have been good, some first rate, some terrible, and hopefully for you, some completely implausible.
Discovering a whisky that ticks all of your bins isn’t simple. Once I first bought into whisky it took me years to seek out my favorite. As soon as I did discover it nevertheless, that was it, I used to be hooked. It made the hardship of me having sampled all these different whiskies previously completely value it.
Just lately I used to be lucky sufficient to attend a tasting occasion, the place I bought to attempt quite a few superb whiskies. One factor I seen was that every particular person in attendance appeared to have a private choice. Some favored the stronger, closely peated, smoky drams, whereas others most well-liked to fruitier Speyside whiskies or the smoother blended drams.
This bought me occupied with how totally different our tastes and preferences are, and the way vital it’s to discover a whisky that works for you. Due to this, I’ve determined to compile a fast record at present of the qualities to search for in a nice whisky.
Color
They are saying you must by no means choose a guide by its cowl, however come on, you all understand how interesting that incredible caramel-coloured liquid gold appears each within the bottle, after which the glass.
At whisky competitions and scoring occasions, one of many standards that whisky judges take a look at when scoring a whisky is the color. Moreover, almost at all times, they’re in search of a pure color.
When whisky first enters a cask for maturation, it’s clear as water. It takes on its color because it matures, because of the oak wooden that the cask is product of, the charring contained in the cask, and the tannins within the wooden.
Some whiskies are artificially colored to assist in giving the whisky a darker color, and generally that’s okay. Not all artificially colored whiskies are unhealthy, it’s simply that generally artificially colouring a whisky could be a means of reducing corners and making a whisky look older, and extra complicated, than it truly is.
My recommendation to you’d be to go together with a naturally colored whisky, or on the very least, to have a style before you purchase.
Chill Filtration or Non-Chill Filtration
Often, until it’s a cask energy whisky, whisky is diluted with water to scale back the ABV share and produce it all the way down to round 40% – 50% ABV. The issue right here is that diluting the whisky causes it to develop into cloudy.
Within the cask, pure oils within the wooden seep out and infuse into the whisky. When the whisky is diluted, the oils from the wooden and the alcohol emulsify, giving a cloudy look. The style is okay, but it surely doesn’t look nice.
Some firms will calm down the whisky to assist clear it. This is called chill filtering. The issue right here is that heavier oils within the whisky will develop into extra viscous to allow them to be filtered out. This could have an effect on the mouthfeel.
Mouthfeel is one other vital high quality in whisky and chill filtering usually negatively impacts this. You don’t need it to really feel such as you’re consuming whisky-flavoured water, so ideally search for non-chill filtered whisky.
Mouthfeel
Talking of mouthfeel, that’s one other vital attribute to look out for.
Once more, plenty of whisky critics and judges will search for a pleasant mouthfeel on a whisky as this may help give it character, depth, and may affect the flavour.
Completely different individuals favor totally different mouthfeels. Individuals usually assume {that a} good mouthfeel is all about velvet smoothness, creaminess, and oiliness, like a skinny syrup maybe. In reality, some superb whiskies can have a “tough” mouthfeel that nearly feels slightly sharp or grainy.
The vital factor to recollect with regards to mouthfeel, is the truth that you have to really feel one thing. Like I mentioned earlier, if it simply appears like consuming a whisky flavoured water, chances are high that’s not an excellent dram (pardon the pun).
Nostril, Style, and End
When individuals evaluate whiskies, typically they take a look at the nostril, the style, and the end.
The “nostril” is principally the aroma of the whisky. Earlier than consuming the whisky, the most effective issues to do is get your nostril proper into the glass and scent it. Right here you’ll decide up all types of extraordinary scents, that can inform you numerous concerning the whisky and likewise improve your consuming expertise.
The style is self-explanatory. Right here you’ll style all types of various flavours. Widespread ones together with issues like, honey, vanilla, caramel, orange, spice, nuts, oak, smoke, and so forth.
As for the end, this refers to any lasting tastes and flavours you may nonetheless be getting after swallowing the whisky, in addition to mouthfeel. Can you continue to style the identical flavours after swallowing the whisky or are there totally different ones now? In that case, do they linger and final some time or do they disappear shortly.
On the finish of the day, all of it boils down to non-public choice, however hopefully the qualities above can have helped you discover your excellent whisky. In fact, for those who do want a hand, right here at GreatDrams.com we’ve all method of premium high quality, restricted version, and award-winning whiskies to swimsuit all palates and budgets, so be certain to check out what we now have in.
