Hand-dipped. One at a time. Every time.
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5 Steps for a Perfect Whisky Tasting
Mr Lyan and Shinji Fukuyo Demonstrate the Art of Whisky Tasting.
RECREATING THE WHISKY TASTING EXPERIENCE AT HOME
Follow along with our experts
Suntory whisky is made for savoring. Given the chance, it will offer up an enchanting world of flavor that tells the story of its ingredients, age and the craft used to produce it. The key is patience, allowing the flavors to develop in the glass and on your palate.
For a masterful demonstration of whisky tasting technique, watch Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo and cocktail legend Mr Lyan in conversation at the Yamazaki Distillery. They start by carefully noting the taste profiles of three Yamazaki 12 Years Old component whiskies: a puncheon cask whisky, a sherry cask whisky and a Mizunara cask whisky. They then sample Yamazaki 12 Years Old, Toki Blended Japanese Whisky and Hibiki Japanese Harmony to round out the tasting.
Recreate this expert tasting experience at home with the whiskies in the video using our five-step Japanese whisky tasting guide.
1. Select a glass and pour the whisky
Choose a clean glass with a rounded base that narrows slightly at the top, allowing you to experience all the aromas. Pour no more than one-fourth of the glass's total volume to allow for swirling.
2. Check the color and ‘legs’
Notice how the color differs depending on the age of the whisky and type of cask used.
Swirl the glass and check the whisky legs, watching the whisky as it runs down the side of the glass. Slower legs indicate higher viscosity.
3. Nosing
Take a gentle sniff of the top note – the initial release of aromas. Explore what you notice, then revisit the nose as the whisky settles in the glass.
4. Tasting
With each taste, explore the flavors and think about how the aroma changes as the whisky spreads through your mouth. Consider the finish: how the whisky feels as you swallow it, which flavors linger and for how long, and the sharpness level of the aftertaste.
5. Add water
As an optional last step, you can add a couple of drops of soft, filtered water to the whisky – similar in profile to the natural water used at Yamazaki Distillery. Some people find this opens up the aromas, especially after a few minutes have passed. Whether or not you add water is down to personal preference. Choose whichever method you feel best suits the whisky.
When you’re just beginning your whisky tasting journey, it can be useful to try and match what you experience to official tasting notes. This is often an effective way to train yourself to identify any characteristics that aren’t immediately obvious. As you do more whisky tastings over time, you should notice your palate develop and your senses sharpen, picking out notes quicker and with more confidence than before.
Journey into Japan’s Whisky Culture with Mr Lyan
Join the former ‘World’s Best Bartender’ on a journey through Kyoto and Tokyo, as he visits the birthplace of Japanese Whisky and discovers the surprising secrets to a perfect highball in this new show.
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