Learning to taste the differences in Scotch

[timelinex]

As a beginner and with no one to 'show me the way', all the different flavor categories are making my head spin.

smoky
peaty
spicy
herbal
oily
full
rich
sweet
briny
salty
vanilla
tart
fruity
floral

It seems like every review of a whisky I read, everyone can differentiate between such subtle flavors with great clarity.

At this point (15 or so nice scotch's later) I'm still trying to figure out the difference between peated, spicy and smoky tastes haha The second I think I know what peated tastes like, I have a no peat but 'spicy' scotch and I could swear it tastes peated.

Any advice for us beginners on how to figure out exactly what flavor is what and increasing acuity to them?

[sorren]

Firstly.. Don't worry about it, it will come in time, it's all about experience.. And remember a lot of it is personal references.. So where to start.. Get a simple whisky and get some notes, try nosing and reading the notes, you might recognise some aromas and flavours.. The peated whisky has many different flavours and smells, get something like Ardbeg of Laphroaig, compare it to a Glenfiddich or glenmorangie and you will soon find the differences, what you will sense will be the peat if your inexperienced, you will not get past the peat at the start, it has taken me years to get past the peat notes.. Just remember it's all about the fun.. Don't worry too much ðŸ"

[Quaich1]

Welcome to the Forum. Experience is everything when it comes to scotch whisky tasting.
Practice makes perfect. Most folks starting out are affected by whisky burn and it takes time, patience and persistence to permeate that membrane into aromas, fragrances and tastes.
A clean palate before tasting is important, achieved with water or white bread, etc. The order of scotches you might have in one sitting should be ordered such that the stronger, more peaty drams should come at the end. Adding a few drops of water allows the whisky to open (try it neat first) and compare aromas and taste. Trust your own taste buds and call the aromas and flavors as you smell or taste them. Smoky, peaty, spicy etc are on a continuum and sometimes merge into each other as hybrids.

Cheers.

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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

[Diademo]

The most commonly used tool for defining taste is “whisky wheel”:
http://www.whiskymag.com/media/nosing_course/Whiskywheel-Big.jpg

[opelfruit]

Spicy usually refers to the prickle and mouth puckering that goes on, usually attributed to oak but higher strength whiskies also display this - that's mainly because they are strong.

When I say smoke, or spice it means something to me. It may mean something different to you and what you think it spice may mean something else to me.

We all have our own palates, as mentioned these are based and calibrated on our past experience, both taste and emotion. So don't worry about it and trust what you palate and nose tell you. For you, they are right


.....oh practice, which is the good bit!
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"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."