It’s World Whisky Day and many will be partaking of Uisge Beatha – the water of life , including me. It’s easy to love whisky- and why not? It’s a delicious drink that has excellent flavour and gives one a pleasant, boozy high and who can argue with that? People should do as they choose, and if they choose to drink whisky, then they made an excellent choice!
More elusive than drinking whisky, however, is what I consider to be Whisky Appreciation. There are, in my mind, clear distinctions between drinking whisky and appreciating it, for indeed any other beverage, food, or even art form.
That last point there is the key to understanding the difference.
Looking through a different lens
Let’s look at an example of popular modern culture:
One can look at art, and oftentimes, can come out saying, “that looks nice”. That is a reaction to what one sees- the immediate, visceral instinct that draws the attention. If one looks at this piece in the simplest of manners, it is just the words “Keep Calm and Carry On” topped by a crown, set on a red background. One might even think that it’s trendy or fashionable.
Pause to consider the visual more carefully, and one takes in the details. By observing the colours used, how the image is laid out and composed- one can appreciate its form. One understands that it is kept uncluttered and sharp. The colour is striking and bold. One can then infer that this piece is meant to communicate simply and directly to a large audience.
One then thinks hard about the substance of the work of art- what is the story or message that it’s trying to tell? How does the composition help to tell that story? In doing this, one can bring in prior knowledge and relates it to earlier observations. Knowing that “Keep Calm and Carry On” was created in 1939 by the British Ministry of Information, would lead one to the conclusion that it was designed as a piece of wartime propaganda; a simple message meant for the British people for World War 2. One then understands that it was meant to inspire confidence and provide reassurance to the British people in a time of great crisis- hence the simplicity of the message. The crown also takes on a new significance- now we know that the message comes from the British monarch; the King that is reassuring and counselling the people of Britain.
It also helps in appreciating why it’s so popular when one sees how this simple message plays to British stereotypes. The very directness of the language reinforces the archetypical stiff upper lip and stoicism that is commonly attributed to them. If one then takes into account its intended use as a propaganda piece, meant to inspire a nation, then one realises that the language might be a subtle appeal to British nationalism and culture. One can now better appreciate the genius of this very simple looking poster.
Where it gets really interesting is when one finds out that the poster was never actually used. It was the third in a series of posters and was only meant for use in an actual invasion on British soil. It was only discovered by the public more than 60 years later, in 2008, when a surviving test copy was found in a used bookstore. One can then reflect on its current popularity- is there a reason why this simple message is still relevant today?
What this means for whisky
That’s a lot of time spent on discussing a poster, but what does this have to do with drinking whisky?
The philosophy, as it turns out, is much the same. One only gets back as much as one gives. Drinking is simple consumption- a focus on the self and one’s own enjoyment. Appreciation is taking the limelight and putting it on what one drinks- investing a bit of time and effort to go beneath the skin.
One can be content with simply drinking a whisky and find enjoyment in knowing reflexively if one liked the drink or not. Should one choose to dip a toe beneath the surface and take a moment to immerse the senses, then one can get to know the whisky more intimately and lengthen the pleasure of drinking. Should one learn something of the drink’s origin, its history and character, the experience can be go beyond the what and start to head into the why, engaging mind, body and heart.
Does one have to be an expert to appreciate whisky? Absolutely not! Everyone can appreciate whisky of any sort. The conclusions that one draws from a whisky tasting does not detract from appreciation; the process is what matters. Whether one disagrees with a popular opinion or review or not is unimportant– those are opinions. One simply has to adopt the philosophy of appreciation and start modifying one’s approach to experience things more fully.
Whisky Appreciation
That being said. there are techniques that can help one appreciate whisky better. I’ll recount an Aberlour tasting session organised by a media friend to show you what I mean.
One needs to first try to get the right equipment to fully experience whisky. A typical rocks glass or tumbler is not the best tool for that – they are designed with large, open bowls to accommodate ice cubes (“rocks”). One should look for a tulip shaped glass like those pictured below.
If one doesn’t have a glass like that, then any narrow nosed glass or even a white wine glass will do. Why so particular? It has to do with smell- almost 75% of taste actually comes from the nose. The tongue can only taste 5 flavours – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (savouriness). The nose, however, can differentiate thousands of different scents – and lets your brain know about it whenever you eat or drink anything. If one uses a wide-mouthed glass, then a lot of the smell of the whisky wafts off into the thin air- a pity.
A common way to enjoy whisky is on the rocks- and that’s good if one is simply drinking it. For appreciation, however, this is not ideal. Adding ice constricts the flavour molecules of the whisky while diluting it, making it a little bitter and less flavourful. Not using ice goes a long way in helping one appreciate the whisky.
Step 1- Take a good look
Start off by swirling the alcohol in the glass. Check that it’s clear and free of impurities when nothing is added. Observe the colour of the whisky, which can range from a darker amber to a light yellow colour. That’s just a guideline, however. Some companies add caramel just to give the whisky a deeper colour.
You should see also rivulets slowly moving down the sides of the glass. Those are called the “legs” of the whisky- and they are caused by the alcohol content in it. The slower the legs move down the side of the glass, the stronger the alcohol is. Try to guess how strong the alcohol will be by simply looking at it – just for fun.
Step 2- Like smelling flowers
Put the nose close to the lip of the glass and take a good first whiff. This is meant as a marker- to give an idea of what the whisky smells like in broad strokes. One’s nose should be close to glass to capture as much of the scent as possible. Now, take a second sniff, a third, and perhaps a fourth. Breathe deep.
Try to make out what you’re actually smelling- think about what the smells remind you of. If you want to have a bit of help, it helps to prepare some ingredients beforehand to compare side-by-side. There’s no harm in checking up tasting notes online to get a good idea of what to buy. Good bets are usually apricots, peaches, oranges, chocolate, vanilla and prunes.
It’s also rare for whisky to have only one scent note. That’s the beauty of it; the complexity of a whisky manifests itself in the blend of different scents. Try to identify what you can, but don’t worry about trying to get them all. The idea is to enjoy the fragrances; I’m astonished that no one is selling a whisky perfume.
Step 3- Adding a bit of water
Add a few drops of still, cool water into the spirit, to release the flavours in the whisky, and dilute it slightly so that it doesn’t burn the tongue.
Step 4- Just a taste
Finally! Take a sip of the whisky, but don’t swallow it just yet. Swirl it around the mouth so that the whisky goes through all the taste centers on your tongue, enjoying the texture as it sloshes about- whether oily or clean and smooth. Try to play a small game of trying to figure out what the tastes in it are. One can suck in air through the teeth to aerate the whisky further and enhance the flavour. Then, one can finally swallow the whisky. One can of course repeat this as many times as one likes.
Step 5- Enjoyment and Contemplation
That’s all there is to enjoying the flavours of the whisky. One can now take the time to read up a bit more about the whisky if one wishes- online is a good place, of course. While not necessary, one can often enjoy a good story about each whisky. Sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the whisky- knowing that there’s no extra cost in appreciating and getting more out of the whisky.
Bonus Section: Aberlour and Having Fun
One can have even more fun with whisky by being creative with the selections and learning a bit about where the whisky is made.
Aberlour is a Speyside distillery that was opened in the 1960s. It’s named after the town where it’s located, which in turn is named after the river which forms the distillery’s source of crystal clear water. The interesting thing about Aberlour is they use both sherry and bourbon casks for the full maturation process, which leads to a combination of plum and vanilla flavours. Like many other Scottish distilleries, they have a range of single malts with various age statements…and a surprise No-Age-Statement whisky bottled at the cask strength of roughly 60% ABV.
So why not try them all at once?
I had such an opportunity recently- a combination of 12, 16, 18 and the cask strength A’bunadh was up for a vertical tasting. The idea was to both appreciate the whisky for what they were on their own, but also in comparison to each other; to experience the effect of years and strength on a whisky. Exploring the nuances, especially with friends, helps to increase the appreciation of the whisky- and is just plain fun.
My notes from the event:
Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask Matured
- Nose: Strong scent of ripe red apples, sweet and tart. A little hint of ginger.
- Palate: Ginger, chocolates, apple and toffee
- Finish: Short- toffee and chocolate coat the tongue briefly and are gone
As a young whisky, the flavours and mouth feel are somewhat raw and “greener” compared to the other whiskies in its range. Apples are a unique note here.
Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Cask Matured
- Nose: Dry cereals and oats, raisins
- Palate : Smooth and sweet. Nectarines and plums evolve slowly into honey, walnuts and spice
- Finish: Long – spicy and nutty flavours dry in the mouth, but not unpleasant
In the middle we have a 16 year old, which is much different from the 12. Instead of a very strong fruit flavour, what we have is closer to nuts and grains, with a bit of stone fruit mixed in for good measure.
Aberlour 18 Year Old Double Cask Matured
- Nose: Very rich and full of brilliant complexity. A strong whiff of orange peel blended with chocolate, along with whiff of peach
- Palate: Marmalade, dried apricots, peaches and oak. It acquires a touch of maple and honey and a light shade of walnut and chocolate
- Finish: Long, lingering and full of honey and orange
We can think of the 18 as an evolution of the 16 in many ways. It retains the honey and nuts, but gives up the spice for a very marked orange flavour. The peaches can be thought of as a slightly stronger, rounder flavour from the nectarines in the 16. Very flavourful.
Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 53
- Nose: Dates, figs, peaches and prunes, with a bit of chocolate and cinnamon spice balancing the saccharine scents. Very slight nuttiness evident as well
- Palate: Exploding with flavour. A sweetness of honey, dates, raisins and demerara sugar. Prunes, overripe peaches eventually relent to reveal dry nuts and spice.
- Finish: Walnuts, dark chocolate and a slight spiciness. Light and yielding.
The A’bunadh, the Origin in Gaelic, is clearly of the same blood as the other expressions, but stands distinct from the other Aberlours. This is immediately evident from a quick nosing; being a cask strength whisky at 59.7% ABV, the vapours rising from the glass are much stronger and flavourful. One must be careful to not inhale too deeply to avoid getting knocked senseless.
The flavours on the tongue are similarly strong, and tend to burn much more strongly than its brethren. I added much more water to soften the tastes. In return for the sacrifices made, one can taste a wide range of flavours that combine many of the stone fruit and spicy characteristics of the other Aberlours.
This is a once-only experience as each batch of A’bunadh is different, sometimes very much so. One can never tell for sure what the flavours will be just by knowing that it is an A’bunadh!
