How to host a whiskey tasting

My husband just had a milestone birthday. We decided to have a party for him, but didn’t want one of those morbid “over the hill” funeral themed parties. I was against having a generic gathering where people are expected to stand around making small talk, especially because we would be inviting people from multiple communities who had never met each other: gym people, church people, and work friends (including a fair number of intelligent but highly introverted and socially challenged engineer types in the mix). 

I’m always a fan of parties where I can learn something new. One of my favorites to attend was a beer tasting, because I came away with a whole set of notes on my phone about what types of beer I liked and didn’t like, and why. We thought it would be fun to do a tasting of some kind. But wine is cliche and beer is old hat (plus, everyone else there would know more than me, and I don’t want a year’s worth of leftover beer in the house). 

We decided on a whiskey tasting. It’s unique, sounds cool, and would give us the opportunity to learn a lot about whiskey. (When we started planning, I knew next to nothing about that, except that it might be made of corn. I picked that up in the country song “Rain is a good thing,” which says, “Rain makes corn; corn makes whiskey / whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky…”) 

I enjoy research, so I spent weeks before the party online reading about what makes different kinds of whiskey unique and what differences we might taste in them. Then I went to our local liquor store to ask some questions, make a wish list, and draw up a budget before buying our whiskeys. (I wanted to clear this with Erik before I did the big shopping spree. I thought it might not be a good day for us if he got a surprise notification from the bank saying his wife had just dropped several hundred dollars at the liquor store!) 

I suppose I made an impression at the liquor store, because there weren’t too many other people in there waving internet printouts around and demanding to know specific percentages of which grain was in which mash bill. The workers had to call someone else in from the back room to help me, who made some suggestions but then timidly admitted this wasn’t his area of expertise.  (No matter, I said. I started snapping pictures of labels and prices. I would go home and research on my own.) 

A few days later when I came back to buy the whiskey for the party, I’m sure they saw me coming. (Dude, hide! It’s the birthday party lady again!)  I had to get a big shopping cart to hold all the bottles while I circled through the aisles: Scotch, Irish, Bourbon, Tennessee, Canadian… I finally made it up to the cash register, and the guy behind the counter smiled. 

“Ma’am,” he asked, “is your husband as excited about this party as you are?” 

No joke, though, it takes quite a bit of research to pull something like this off from scratch. I kept looking online to find tips on hosting a tasting party and information about what whiskeys to include. I was hoping to find this all in one place, but no luck. That’s why I’m giving it all to you here. Maybe someone out there will want to host a whiskey tasting at home. Feel free to replicate this, or use it as a springboard to design your own event. 

Prepping for a home whiskey tasting:  supplies you need

You need a few things to pull this off. At a minimum: 

• Between 4 and 8 types of whiskey (see our whiskey list below for ideas), preferably in pairs by type so people can get a general idea of each category you’re trying to present. Less than 4 is a narrow selection; more than 8 and you’ll overwhelm everyone’s palates. One bottle of each type was way more than enough for 24 people to taste at our party; Erik was pouring about a quarter of a shot glass for each taste. 
• Glassware. Fancy-pants people will tell you whiskey is supposed to be tasted out of a snifter (a rounded little goblet with a mini stem so you can swirl, sniff, and sip with panache). Those are sort of expensive and we decided we didn’t want people to get sloshed before round four, so we went with a smaller option: 1 ounce shot glasses with a nice rounded bottom on the inside so they could still swirl their whiskey nicely. We were planning on almost 30 people at our party, so we bought a whole case of 72 glasses for $33 from here. That made it even easier to taste our whiskeys in pairs, because we poured everyone two at a time and let them compare. 
• If you have more people than you can circulate past your sink, you’ll need a bucket or basin to dump unwanted whiskey and/or rinse glasses between tastes. We put out a big basin with a water pitcher and a couple of dish towels. 
• Information to read between each round about what people will be tasting next and what’s distinctive about it (see our list below).
• A water dropper or drinking straws people can use to add water to their whiskey. 
• Water bottles for people to drink out of. We didn’t do too much snacking between tastes (it messes up your palate), but water was nice! 

It’s also a good idea to have: 

• A bell or some way to make noise so the room quiets down when you’re ready to start another round, if you have a big crowd.
• Notebooks/pens if you’d like people to have a place to record their observations. You can also print out whiskey tasting note sheets like these if you want to get fancy.  We just let everyone type their own notes into their phones. 
• A couple of those handy pour spouts to make it easier to pour small amounts. We picked up some along with our order of shot glasses from the same distributor. 
• A small dish of coffee beans or even dry ground coffee for people to sniff between tastes to cleanse their palate. 

What you need to know about whiskey 

If you’re hosting a whiskey tasting, it’s a good idea to have some background info about whiskey. I did a bunch of research and compiled this crash course in whiskey. We gave our guests a brief lecture on whiskey making at the beginning of the event to help them understand the differences in what they were tasting.  

Whiskey 101

The process of making whiskey: 

Whiskey is made from water, some kind of grain, and yeast to ferment the grain. Then it’s distilled and sometimes filtered, and then it’s aged in wooden barrels. When you change any of those factors (what kind of grain you use; how the grain is processed; how many times you distill it) you get different types of whiskey. The flavor of the whiskey is also affected by those factors, like what kind of water goes into it and what kind of barrels it is aged in. 

The main grains whiskey can be made out of are barley, corn, rye and wheat. 

Scotch and Irish whiskeys are made with barley. The difference between Scotch and Irish is the malting process; we’ll talk about that in a minute. 

Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey are essentially the same thing. They’re both made with at least 51% corn. The difference between the two is that Tennessee whiskey uses one additional filtration through sugar maple charcoal (called the Lincoln County process) so it has a slightly smoother taste. 

Rye whiskey is made with rye, but be careful about terms: rye whiskey made in the U.S. has to contain at least 51% rye. But that’s not true of rye whiskey made in Canada. As a general term, all Canadian whiskey has become known as rye whiskey, but it doesn’t have to contain any minimum amount of rye. 

A “grain whiskey” is made with anything other than barley. It’s usually a blend of different grains and may contain wheat. 

When you taste different kinds of whiskey, try to note the differences each grain makes in the whiskey’s flavor. 

The way the grains are processed makes a big difference in flavor. Scotch whiskeys are malted.  In the malting process, the barley is moistened to make it start germinating. That changes enzymes in the grain so its starches can turn into sugars which will ferment, and it also breaks down proteins so they can be used by the yeast in fermentation. The last part of the malting process is to stop the barley from germinating too much, and they do that by drying it out with hot air. In Scotland, the heating is usually done by burning peat, which gives malted grain a very smoky flavor. In contrast, Irish whiskey uses barley that is not malted, so it doesn’t have the smoky edge like Scotch. 

After the grain is allowed to ferment and the alcohol is distilled, the whiskey is allowed to age in wooden barrels. This aging process is where the whiskey gets its color. During this time, the whiskey absorbs flavor compounds from the wooden barrels it sits in, so that also makes a big difference to the flavor of the final product. Different regions have their own regulations about what kind of barrels are used for aging whiskey. For example, bourbon in the U.S. must be aged in new charred oak containers. Scotch and Irish whiskey are often aged in barrels that were previously used for bourbon or sherry. 

There are also regulations about how long whiskey is aged. Whiskey doesn’t age in the bottle, but only in the cask, so the age of a whiskey is just the amount of time between distillation and bottling. In order for whiskey to be called “straight bourbon” in the U.S., it must be aged for at least two years. 

How to taste whiskey

Tasting whiskey is all about using all your senses. Look at it to see the color and swirl it in the glass to see how much it sticks to the sides. 

Smell it to get a first impression of its flavors. Try not to sniff it with your nose right in the glass, because you’ll burn out your sinuses. Instead, try holding your nose over the glass and breathing in through your mouth. This circulates air gently into your nose and gives you a more manageable impression of the flavor profile. 

Then take a little taste of the whiskey (if you’re brave, some people say you can try to hold it between your tongue and palate and suck air in through your teeth to sort of gargle it in your mouth and sense all the flavors, but every time I tried this, I choked, so I wouldn’t recommend it.) 

After you’ve experienced the whiskey straight, try adding a few drops of water to it and tasting it again. Water really opens up the flavors of the whiskey, so it might be a totally new experience with water added. 

Between whiskies, feel free to drink water or sniff coffee grounds to give your taste buds a reset. 

Take notes on what you notice as you taste different whiskies. This is all about figuring out what you like and don’t like. Don’t worry too much about what the professionals say about undertones; just take note of your own experience of each whiskey and use this as an opportunity to figure out which types you’d like to explore more. 

Our whiskey tasting list

This is the element of party prep that took me the most time. I had to do a lot of research to find out what kinds of whiskeys were available and what was unique about them. 

We wanted to pair our whiskeys so everyone who was new to the game (myself included) would come away with a clear understanding of what defines each subcategory of whiskey. We ended up with these eight, which were all available at our local liquor store. 

Scotch 

• Laphroaig
• Glenlivet

Irish

• Tullamore Dew
• Jameson

Bourbon 

• Maker’s Mark (bourbon)
• Gentleman Jack (Tennessee whiskey)

Rye whiskey 

• Devil’s River Texas Rye whiskey
• Snake River Stampede- Canadian whiskey

Here are the details we read to the group about each one. 

Tasting Round One: Scotch

Remember that Scotch and Irish whiskey are both made with barley. The Scotch is also malted, which gives it a unique smoky flavor. 

Different regions of Scotland are known for different flavors. You can get WAY into the details on this, but we’re just going to try two different Scotches so you can see some of the distinctions. 

The first whiskey we’ll try is Laphroaig (pronounced la-froyg) from Islay (pronounced “eye-luh”). Islay scotch is considered to be the smokiest and strongest-flavored of the single malts. (Some people say it tastes like the sea). The strong flavor is believed to be due to the region’s exposure to the high winds and seas of the west coast. (See more here.)

The second whiskey is Glenlivet. This is from the region of Speyside, which has the highest concentration of distilleries in Scotland. Although the Speyside region is geographically part of the Highlands, it is considered a separate region because of its unique characteristics.  The region received its name from the river Spey, which cuts through the area. Many of the distilleries use water straight from the river Spey in their production process. Speyside scotches are thought to be the country’s most complex, and are known for their sweetness and elegant flavors and aromas. (See more here.)

Tasting Round Two: Irish whiskeys

Our second pair of whiskeys are from Ireland. Like the Scotch we tried, they are made with barley, so you’ll notice a similar flavor. However, these aren’t a smoky because the barley is unmalted. 

The first we’ll try is Tullamore Dew. This whiskey is soft and sweet. Professionals say “Tullamore Dew as a mild blended whiskey, has spicy lemony and malty notes with charred wood undertones giving it a soft, buttery, rounded flavour that lingers in the mouth.” Try to taste the difference between this and the smoky Scotch we just had. 

Now try Jameson. The pros say this one has a notable snap of spice underneath the sweet smoothness. It has a more robust flavor profile because it is aged in barrels that were previously used to hold sherry, bourbon and port. 

Tasting Round Three: American whiskeys

Now we’ll try Maker’s Mark, which is a Kentucky bourbon, and Gentleman Jack, which is Tennessee whiskey. Remember that Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey are almost the same thing. They are both made from at least 51% corn, which gives them a sweeter flavor than the barley whiskies we’ve been trying so far. 

The rest of the mash bill (the mix of fermented grains that are distilled into whiskey) can be made up of other grains like barley, wheat and rye. It is often in the non-corn portion of the mash bill where bourbons become distinct from one another. For instance, Maker’s Mark includes red winter wheat, which is why it tastes softer and richer than most bourbons.

By law, no flavorings or color additives may be added to bourbon. Bourbon’s general flavor profile can be characterized as having big vanilla, oak, and caramel notes.

Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey are both aged for at least 2 years in charred oak barrels. Legally, Kentucky bourbon must be produced in Kentucky, which some people say gives it a rich flavor because Kentucky water contains lots of micronutrients that interact with the yeast in the fermentation process. Tennessee whiskey, like Jack Daniel’s, has one extra step in its production process, which is a filtration through sugar maple charcoal for a smoother flavor. Gentleman Jack is further processed to make it extra smooth. 

Tasting Round Four: Rye Whiskeys

Rye is known for giving whiskey a spicy or fruity undertone. See if you can taste the difference between that and the corn whiskey we just had. 

First we’ll try Devil’s River, which is a Texas rye whiskey. American rye whiskey is similar to bourbon, but must be distilled from at least 51 percent rye grain. 

Then we’ll try Snake River Stampede, which is a Canadian whiskey. This is a good time to remind you that Canadian whiskey doesn’t have a legal minimum percentage of rye. Here’s some clarification on the history from Wikipedia: 

Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles. When Canadian distillers began adding small amounts of highly-flavourful rye grain to their mashes, people began demanding this new rye-flavoured whisky, referring to it simply as “rye”. Today, as for the past two centuries, the terms “rye whisky” and “Canadian whisky” are used interchangeably in Canada and (as defined in Canadian law) refer to exactly the same product, which generally is made with only a small amount of rye grain.

Our whiskey music playlist

We even geeked out and made a whiskey-themed playlist for the party! It starts with Scottish songs, moves to Irish drinking music, then includes American songs about whiskey and a couple of songs featuring rye whiskey to accompany the tasting. There are also a handful of fun international songs mentioning whiskey. Here’s the playlist for your enjoyment! 

From our experience

The party was a big hit. We had over 24 people at the house, so it got a little loud and no one could really hear the background music (but I enjoyed listening to the playlist while cleaning up)!

I think we all came away from the experience with more knowledge about what we like and don’t like. Laphroaig is an intense flavor and it became sort of a test of manliness; Gentleman Jack and Maker’s Mark were universally liked. No one liked the Snake River Stampede (it tasted chemical) but I’ve since found that’s the best one for mixing into blended drinks, like coffee or milkshakes. A few people said this was the first time they actually found a whiskey they enjoyed.

We also had other activities going on between rounds of tasting, like a workshop on making balloon animals (see my post on the wonder of balloon animals for breaking down awkwardness barriers)! I think that helped to space out the alcohol, so no one got sloshed. Overall, we felt like this party was a smashing success!

Have you tried something similar? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to leave comments.