Hosting whisky tastings is a great way to learn more about the world of whisky in an informal environment. Here are our tips on hosting the perfect tasting:

The Room

Choose a neutral quiet room. Room preparation is important. You do not want a room that will have different smells e.g. the kitchen or a bar with cigarette smoke - whisky tastings have a lot to do with nosing the whisky. A normal dining table with chairs should suffice.

Equipment

Using the right whisky tasting glasses is also very important for whisky tasting. Choose a tulip shaped glass, one which will concentrate the aromas at the top. Consider using Glencairn glasses, if all else fails, a wine glass will be just as effective. Ensure each whisky expression is tasted in a fresh glass. Have a jug of room temperature spring water handy, which will be used to dilute the whisky. Remember, whisky has been scientifically proven to taste better after the addition of some water .

Whisky Flight

Whisky flight is the name given to a selection of whiskies to be tasted in a sitting. The maximum number recommended is six - this is highest number of tastings that will not lead to sensory overload. South Africa's Jameson Ambassador, Ntumi Kondile, suggests that you keep the number of tastings to five whiskies. "Anything above that would be considered a dram session", he added.

The whisky flight also depends on the expressions of whiskies. Cask strength tastings can be heavy on the palate and would require a break in between samplings. Also remember to have coffee beans on the table - a quick sniff of these will help reset your senses. The same goes for crackers for the palate.

Start tasting from the lightest to the heaviest of the whiskies. For example, if you're hosting a Jameson tasting, you would start with the Jameson original, followed by Jameson Caskmates and Jameson Select Reserve. This way, you would be tasting whiskeys that range from floral to Select Reserve which is quite bold.

The Whizzky Tasting Mat. Download here

A Whisky Tasting Mat

While not essential, a tasting mat is a great way to arrange the different glasses of whisky lined up for tasting. Download the official Whizzky Tasting Mat here.

Serve a Mint Julep before the tasting

Download Whizzky App

Whisky tastings require a lot of note taking and these can get lost or left behind after the tasting. Make sure your guests download the Whizzky App. Use it to identify different tastes and aromas while saving your own notes. Whizzky also has a tasting wizard which will make it easy for your guests to quickly identify and log their experiences. Download Whizzky for Android or iOS.

Cocktails?

You are more than welcome to serve a cocktail before the tasting but try steer clear of one which is alcohol heavy. Whisky Rebellion, an experienced whisky tasting agency, mentions that a whisky cocktail will help ease in the palate for the first neat tasting. They recommend a refreshing cocktail such as a mint julep or Jameson and ginger ale. After the tasting session is over, you can serve as many whisky cocktails as you wish!

Do you have any tasting recommendations? Let us know in the comments section below!

(Main Photo Source: Truly Experiences. Image by Unknown)