Tasting and Evaluating Spirits

Question 1

What allows you to taste and evaluate spirits in a consistent way and to record your notes systematically?

Answer 1

The Systematic Approach to Tasting Spirits (SAT)

Question 2

An ideal tasting room will be…

Answer 2

• Odor-free
• Good natural light
• A white surfaces against which you can judge the appearance of the spirit.

Question 3

Define:

ISO glass

Answer 3

A great glass for tasting spirits, which includes a bowl with a tulip shape to concentrate the aromas toward the nose.

ISO stands for International Standards Organization

Question 4

With spirits, what is the ideal size for a tasting sample?

Answer 4

.5 US fl. oz / 15 mL

Question 5

What is the order of tasting components, according to the SAT?

Answer 5

1. Appearance
2. Nose
3. Palate
4. Final conclusion about quality

Question 6

What should you make a quick note of regarding the appearance of a spirit, before adding water?

Answer 6

• clarity
• intensity
• color

Question 7

Hazy in a spirit would be considered…

Answer 7

Faulty

Some premium spirits that are not filtered and can become hazy when chilled or with the addition of water.

Question 8

Define:

Louching

Answer 8

Louching is a reaction that happens with some spirits turning opaque and cloudy when water is added for dilution.

One example is Aniseed based spirits

Question 9

Define:

Water-white

Answer 9

Water-white describes the color of all spirits when they come off the still.

One example of a spirit that remains water-white when bottled would be Vodka.

Question 10

What is the measure of how easily one can see through a spirit?

Answer 10

Intensity

Question 11

What term is used for spirits that can not be seen through at all?

Answer 11

Opaque

Cream liqueurs are opaque.

Question 12

When would a spirit have a pale intensity?

Answer 12

A spirit would be described as having a pale intensity when the producer has used no caramel color or has aged the spirit in barrels that were not new.

Question 13

What are three color terms often used for wood-aged spirits?

Answer 13

• Lemon
• Amber
• Brown

Question 14

Should you swirl a glass of spirit when smelling?

Answer 14

No, swirling can cause increased alcohol evaporation, which can impact the ability to smell fine aromas in the spirit.

Question 15

What is one of the most commonly encountered faults in a spirit?

Answer 15

A common fault is the bottle becoming out of condition due to being open too long.

Question 16

Define:

The Spirit Lexicon

Answer 16

A table of suggested aroma/flavor words that can be used to describe characteristics in a spirit - these are divided into three systematic groups: raw materials, processing, oak and maturation.

Question 17

Excessive aromas of heads and tails in a spirits are generally considered to be what?

Answer 17

Faulty

Question 18

What aromas are associated with oxygen during oak maturation?

Answer 18

‘Oak and maturation’, these aromas include vanilla, cinnamon and other spices.

Question 19

What is a good ratio of water to spirit addition for assessment purposes?

Answer 19

50:50, this allows the aromas to emerge while diluting the impact of alcohol.

Question 20

The tongue is responsible for recognizing five tastes:

Answer 20

• Sweet
• Sour
• Salt
• Bitter
• Umami

Question 21

What taste is not present in spirits?

Answer 21

Salt

Question 22

What are the two important tastes in spirits?

Answer 22

Sweet and Bitter

Question 23

With regard to taste, newly distilled spirits are accurately described as…

Answer 23

Dry

Sugar is added after distillation.

Question 24

How can vanilla and fruity aromas be deceiving with regards to sweetness?

Answer 24

They give the illusion of sweetness when in combination, even if there is no sugar present.

Question 25

What does texture refer to?

Answer 25

Texture refers to how the spirit feels in the mouth.

Question 26

What should you focus on when assessing the length of the finish of a spirit?

Answer 26

One should focus on the positive flavors. Unpleasant tastes, textures or flavors should not be considered.

Question 27

What should you focus on when considering the nature of the finish of a spirit?

Answer 27

When considering the finish of a spirit, one should focus on whether the finish is simple, complex or neutral in nature.

Question 28

Balance considers…

Answer 28

Whether one flavor, texture or structural component dominates, or if they all present in harmony - and according to the style of the product.

Question 29

A high quality spirit will have…

Answer 29

A balanced, pleasant finish where complex flavors linger and evolve for several seconds.

Question 30

When does Purity become a consideration?

Answer 30

For neutral spirits such as vodkas, this will be the consideration, as opposed to complexity of flavors and aromas.

Question 31

The best spirits express what?

Answer 31

The best spirits espress something about their raw material, how they have been fermented, distilled and matured.

Question 32

What are we looking for in expressiveness?

Answer 32

Precision and Clarity - can be for both complex and simple products.

Question 33

Spirits that are aged in oak and have some color removed using charcoal are refered to as what intensity?

Answer 33

Medium

Question 34

True or False:

A spirit described as neutral has no aroma.

Answer 34

False

A spirit described as neutral may be intentional produced with a very light intensity.

Question 35

Describe the difference between off-dry, medium and sweet.

Answer 35

Off-dry refers to a spirit that has a very small amount of sugar added

Medium refers to a spirit with a sweet taste but it is not the defining characteristic

Sweet spirits have a defining characteristic of sweetness