Top tips for tasting your favourite tipple

WHISKY is a wonderfully complex drink, and those who enjoy it often seem to have an air of sophisticated finesse about them.

If you’re curious what the fuss is about, here are some tips for tasting the next delicious dram that comes your way, like a connoisseur:

Nose the whisky by putting your nose right into the glass and breathing in gently, keeping your mouth open to involve your tastebuds.

Take a sip, swill the whisky around for at least 30 seconds coating every area of your mouth and think about the “mouth feel” – is it chewy? Explosive? Mouthwatering? Dry?

Now swallow – is the finish lingering? Bold? Subtle? Are there different flavours in the finish than you identified on the nose?

Adding a splash of water dilutes the alcohol and releases even more flavour. Repeat steps 1 – 3.

To learn more about the subtle art of whisky tasting, don’t miss the Whisky Live Celebration at The Lookout, Granger Bay, from April 6-8.

A host of whisky experts will be on hand offering advice, beautiful drams and age-old stories.

Tickets cost R200 from www.ticketpros.co.za and include a glass bottle of Consol Still Water, 16 whisky tasting vouchers, a tasting glass and a SA Whisky Handbook when voucher cards are returned on exit.

For more information visit www.whiskylive.co.za, e-mail info@ whiskylive. co. za, Tweet @ whiskyliveSA or go to Facebook/WhiskyLiveSA.

Adding water to your whisky releases even more flavour.

Take a sniff of your whisky before you sip it.