How to Choose a Whiskey Glass - By: Allan Michael Taylor

Scotch whiskey, as the name strongly implies , is a whiskey prepared in Scotland. Around the world, Scotch is being used synonymously with whiskey. In the United Kingdom however, the use of whiskey only refers to Scotch, otherwise whiskey should be preceded by a description of origin like Irish, American, German, Russian, and so on to establish identification.

To be deserving of the title Scotch whiskey, it is a must therefore that the manufactured spirit adheres to the standards and procedures of the Scotch Whiskey Order 1990, a ratification to and clarification of the provisions of Scotland's state-mandated Scotch Whiskey Act in 1988. The Order sets five strict rules in the production of the drink. For one, the spirit must be distilled in a distillery located only in Scotland, with water and malted barley as the main ingredients. Two, it must have an alcohol content of less than 94.8%; three, it must be matured in an oak cask for at least three years; four, it must not contain other substances aside from water and caramel; and four, it must not be bottled with less than 40% alcohol strength.

Given the government's preoccupation regarding the quality of the drink, there is no doubt that any Scot that you know has this inherent instinct to be discriminating in judging whiskey. To be as adept in tasting whiskey as someone born in Scotland, you must therefore know the right style and steps in evaluating the drink. The discussion below deals on this.

To experience the true taste of Scotch, make sure you don't eat anything at least an hour before drinking. Open the bottle and pour a small amount into the whiskey glass. A cut glass tumbler is traditionally used in drinking scotch, but in terms of tasting, a tall copita, one that is also used in sherry, is the best. The mouth of the glass should be smaller than the bottom.

Carry the whiskey glass by the stem, and then hold it upward to the light. The color of whiskey actually indicates in what material it was matured. A single malt whiskey kept inside a sherry oak cask will present a golden brown color, while the one matured inside a bourbon cask will turn out with golden light brown. To display your sophistication , if you will be made to choose between two drinks, pick the darker one.

Next thing to learn is how to nose the whiskey. After checking the color, hold the whiskey glass and make it pass slowly under your nose at an arm's distance. As the glass passes, breathe deeply and imagine how the smell looks like. Does it smell like candy, or wood, or alcohol?

After the olfactory observation , it's time to taste the spirit. Shape your tongue as if it's a tiny teaspoon inside the mouth. Sip from the whiskey glass and allow the drink to linger in your tongue. Again, just as how you imagine how the smell looks like, now envision in your mind how the taste looks like, and how the liquid changes in taste and smell in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end until it disappears in your throat. Be articulate as you can be in describing the aromas and flavors. When you learn how to compare one spirit from the other, you'll later know what qualities of whiskey you really prefer.

About the Author

Lawrence Reaves is a freelance writer working for a online marketing ideas company and writes about his passions such as single malt scotch whiskey which is always to be served in a scotch whiskey glass, better known as a Glencarin Glass.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Allan-Michael-Taylor/45501

Additional Articles From - Home | Food & beverage | Barbecue