At risk of repeating myself (regular readers of the blog will know what I mean) there are still days where I wake up in a morning and can’t believe how truly blessed we are to do what we do. 

It wasn’t easy to build the Great Drams brand, and more than a decade on, that’s truer than ever. As tough as the biz can be, I wouldn’t change it for the world as I get the opportunity to do whisky-related things I could only have dreamed of as a young lad just getting into whisky. 

One of the best parts of my job, for obvious reasons as well as professional, is getting to attend whisky tastings. I’ve taken part in whisky tastings at distilleries, in shops, in cafes, bars, restaurants, and even in people’s homes. 

In fact, so inspired by these tastings was I, that I decided to host my own whisky tasting at home, to showcase some of the new Great Drams whiskies we’d recently developed. Not to toot my own horn, but I felt it was a huge success. I want yours to go even better! 

Here’s a quick look at how you can host your very own whisky tasting at home. 

Select Your Whiskies

This should go without saying, but the first thing you need to do when hosting a whisky tasting at home is to provide whiskies for your guests to taste. 

You can provide as many, or as few, whiskies as you like here, but just be sure to give your guests a decent amount of variety. If you’re simply providing 3 whiskies for example, make sure each of the 3 are completely different to the last. 

You could, for example, host a Great Drams tasting and provide a selection of the whiskies we stock for your evening? Whichever whiskies you do provide, just make sure each one is unique in its own way. 

Cover Different Regions

I can’t tell you how many people have told me they don’t like whisky because they tried a heavily peated whisky from Islay and didn’t enjoy the harsh smokiness. Having recommended a much smoother, sweeter, fruitier whisky from Campbeltown or Speyside, it turns out they WERE in fact, fans of Scotch, just not smoky whiskies. 

In the same vein, some people don’t enjoy whiskies edging on the sweet side and instead prefer a smoky whisky, heavy on the peat. Guess what I recommend? 

The idea behind a whisky tasting is for everybody to try different whiskies, in the hopes of finding at least one that they enjoy. In order to do that, I recommend that you provide a selection of whiskies from all of Scotland’s whisky regions. 

Most people tend to cover just Islay and Speyside, because the two regions contrast each other so well. While that is the case, each whisky region is renowned for its own unique qualities and properties. If you’re going to do something, do it right, so I recommend whiskies from: 

• Islay 
• Highlands 
• Campbeltown 
• Speyside
• Islands
• Lowlands 

If you’re sampling whiskies from other parts of the world, Ireland, America, and Japan for example, make sure you also include them. 

Sample the Whiskies in the Correct Order

Another tip I picked up fairly early on when it came to hosting a whisky tasting event, was to sample the whiskies in the right order. 

Don’t just pour out a series of whiskies from different bottles or casks and plonk them on a table in any old fashion, so people can help themselves, instead, provide samples in the correct order. 

So, what is the correct order? Well, from past experience, it’s always best to begin with the milder, softer, smoother, more delicate whiskies and gradually increase from there. As you might expect, the smokiest, peaty whiskies are best reserved for the end as the smoke can be overpowering. 

Provide Palate Cleansers

Palate cleansers are another integral ingredient at any whisky tasting, yet you’d be surprised by just how many hosts forget to include them. 

A palate cleanser is designed to cleanse your palate and reset it between tastings. This is so the previous whisky you sampled doesn’t affect the profile of the next one you try. 

When sampling whisky, you aren’t just tasting a spirit, you’re taking part in an experience. You’re nosing the whisky to pick up its scents and aromas, you’re tasting it to pick up the different flavours, and you’re savouring the finish to determine its body, length, and complexity. If your palate is dulled, you won’t get to enjoy the full experience. 

Plain crackers and/or bread between tastings are great for cleansing the palate, as are mild fruits like apple, watermelon, grapes, and bananas. Failing that, plain old water will work just fine. Filtered or mineral work best, so be sure to grab a few bottles before the big night. 

Don’t Forget Your Glasses!

When you host a whisky tasting, it’s also important for you not to forget your glasses. No, not your specs, although you’ll also need them. The glasses I’m talking about however, are the ones you’ll be drinking your whisky from. 

While it may be easier, and cheaper, to pick up a pack of plastic disposable cups or shot glasses, and fill them up, plastic does whisky no favours at all. Nor our planet for that matter, but that’s a whole other story. 

The best glasses for enjoying whisky in are the tulip-shaped ones, just like our Glencairn Whisky Glass. Because of their unique shape, these glasses help to concentrate the whisky’s aromas up at the top, so you can get a good whiff of the whisky and nose it before sampling it. 

Failing that, a narrow-rimmed glass which lets you swirl the whisky beforehand will also work. Oh, and don’t forget to let the whisky breathe for a while.  

Set the Mood

Ultimately, a whisky tasting is supposed to be about sampling some fantastic whiskies and having fun. You are essentially hosting a party, so go ahead and set the mood. 

I can’t tell you what music to play, how to decorate your home, or which snacks to provide because that’s down to you and your guests. I would, however, recommend providing snacks that pair well with whisky. Cheeses, cold cuts, and smoked meats work especially well here. 

The most important thing to remember is to have fun. 

The Tasting

Finally, it’s time for the main event – the tasting! 

Nobody needs to be told how to drink something, but there are a few things you should do to enhance the tasting experience. Swirling the whisky in the glass, letting it breathe, and nosing the whisky before tasting it are all important aspects of any whisky-tasting experience. 

Before the tasting, I recommend doing a bit of homework on each whisky. Find out which distillery it’s from, how old it is, which casks it was aged, matured, and finished in, and any other fun little bits of trivia regarding the whisky you can think of.