I’ve been getting into classic cocktails and loving old fashions. But I just have no sophisticated palette. I can say it taste good or smooth or bitter or harsh. But I just never can discern hints of vanilla or peach or oak or pepper or whatever. I’m like, “yup hints of whiskey on the nose.”

Is this something learned or just natural talent.

I’m aware posting in my condition is frowned upon. But seems a reasonable question.

I don’t taste any of that either but I’ve learned that I don’t have a great palate anyway. Which frankly, as a husky fella, has saved me a lot of money in food and fine alcohols I think.

I can tell you if I like something or not, but not necessarily why. I can’t tell you that it tastes too “oaky” or whatever.

Bulleit Rye is my favorite whiskey in an old fashioned but I like a lot of ryes. Redemption is good as is Old Forrester. I’ve even got a bottle of Old Overholt that I break into occasionally.

A tasting nose is definitely acquired.

Also helps if you have a proper tasting glass.

https://www.glencairnwhiskyglass.com/

But yes, I can taste many of those notes and more….leather, honey, chocolate, etc.

I'll say from the start, I'm a beer "snob" in the way some call us "gun nuts".

I think it can be both learned and natural talent.
Things from my experience:
1)Your palate can change w/ age.
2)Your palate can change w/ mood, maybe related to your environment.
3)Not everyone has the same acuteness to detecting certain flavors. In the beer world, some are more apt to detect certain off flavors in judging competitions.
4)The temperature of the beverage will have an effect on what you perceive.

As I say, I'm a beer guy but you have a good question and look forward to responses from the spirit world.

I am, without question. a "beer snob." I prefer malty, non hoppy English-style ales, Bass, Sam Smith's. etc. There's a lot to be said for quality Bourbons as well, and I'm kind of particular about Champagnes. I don't pretend to have a particularly sophisticated nose, nor can I find much correlation between what I like and beverage reviews/evaluations. I think the descriptions one sees are pretension with a dose of marketing. "Notes of vanilla and blackberry...blah blah" I just ignore this fluff.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:
I think it can be both learned and natural talent.
Things from my experience:
1)Your palate can change w/ age.
2)Your palate can change w/ mood, maybe related to your environment.
3)Not everyone has the same acuteness to detecting certain flavors. In the beer world, some are more apt to detect certain off flavors in judging competitions.
4)The temperature of the beverage will have an effect on what you perceive.

I agree with a lot of what dsiets says. My palate has certainly changed as I age.

Sometimes a drop of water or ice brings out different flavors too.

Do I taste everything that the expert reviewers do? Nope, but I still enjoy my bourbon .

The verbosity of alcohol reviewers is just silly. I swear they just make up all the fake tastes that don't actually exist just to sound sophisticated. Whisky is made from various grains or from corn, and aged in wood barrels. The type and treatment of the wood gives it the color and a lot of the taste. Scotch has a little peat moss in it which gives it that earthy taste. I like Irish Whiskey best, but among scotches I like MacAllan because it lacks the earthy (dirt) taste. Johnnie Walker Black is actually pretty good, and Blue (free serve yourself in the Seoul Incheon Aiport International First Class Lounge) is very good. But I like them because they are more like Irish Whiskey than the more earthy Scotches.

For an Old Fashioned I like Bulleit Bourbon and use their recipe which tastes right to me. In a restaurant I like when they use a big ice ball and the drink is concentrated and not watery. Bulleit Rye works too and is more "Old Fashioned" if used with the original aromatic bitters and not the orange bitters used today.

But really just about anything works, and I'll use Jameson at home because it's good on the rocks or in a mixed drink.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lefty Sig,

For the mixing brands it really doesn't matter all that much, IMO, because you're polluting it anyhow with other flavors.

I think most of the real "skill" comes from tasting it "neat" and comparing brand 1 to brand 2 and telling me the difference. I can definitely tell the difference between certain bourbons, like comparing Elijah Craig to Larceny. EC is sweeter and Larceny is a hotter finish. Then I compare EC to Woodford Reserve, and they are closer but still different, and while I struggle to explain exactly HOW they are different, I know they ARE different. I leave it to others to 'splain that, I just drink it.

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
The verbosity of alcohol reviewers is just silly. I sear they just make up all the fake tastes that don't actually exist just to sound sophisticated.

Boy, I bet you’re a lot of fun at art museums and birthday parties.

Indeed, you were so sophisticatedly unsophisticated stating your opinion in your first sentence that I didn’t even need to read the rest of it. You mean to say that just because you can’t smell or taste anything means that the rest of us who can smell smells and taste tastes are making it up??

Yeah, nice take. Don’t forget to clean your Hi-point.

I can discern differing tastes and scents, I just can't afford to go on taste and scent excursions.

As for taste snobs, they're definitely out there and huddling with the rest of the douchebaggery, probably right now. But the ability of a normal human to articulate the differences of taste and scent in words can be of great value to the rest of us. Especially those of us who can't afford to be trying everything for ourselves. Use your words, it's useful information.

I had a Comp 1 professor in college who assigned us all to write a restaurant review early in the semester. He laid out the requirements for the paper to us, the last being the most relevant. He said if the word 'tasty' appeared in the paper anywhere, he would stop reading and assign an automatic failing grade to it.

I'll probably never forget that guy, as that lesson has come back to mind again and again over the years.

I like them all !
Especially

Im gonna go with it just takes time, I drank nothing but capt morgans on the rocks for 17 years, talk about tasting differences. I could tel which bottles were freshly opened and which had been open for a day or more. I swear I could tell slight differences in batches as well.

Back when I didn’t drink beer they all tasted the same, not that is quite the fun learning just how different they are.

I don’t drink much anymore and continue to drink less and less, maybe a beer or two a week now, but I think I’ve done enough research to say it’ll come to you the more you experience similar whiskeys.

I have 2 oz.s of bourbon a day. No more, no less.
[FLASH_VIDEO] [/FLASH_VIDEO]

There are definitely people that can differentiate different aromas and flavors in beverages.

My oldest daughter is a senior chemist with E.&J. Gallo Winery. She is involved with aroma and flavors in wine.

Her PHD is in Food Science and her research and thesis involved physicochemical properties of wines produced from grapes grown in Arkansas, which included studying enchantment grapes and wine-making potential and identifying how to highlight and enhance unique flavors and aromas in the wines made from enchantment.

A mouthful saying basically how to naturally enhance grapes to enhance aroma (which has a lot to do with taste) and flavor of wine.

Don't waste good money if your using it in a mixed drink.
Old Forrester is as high priced as I''d go for something like that. The other flavors in the mix make it a moot point.

I picked up a bottle of Basil Hayden Dark Rye recently.


Can I detect all they list on their web page? No but I can taste the rye and really enjoy it with a cube of ice.


AROMA
Oaky notes balanced with dark berries and molasses

TASTE
Complex blend of caramel, dried fruit, and oak with back notes of spice and a rounded mouthfeel

FINISH
Lingering dried fruit with a hint of sweetness and rye spice

You can learn to notice those more subtle things.

The good news is that part of learning is to drink more whisky. Seriously. Pour out a tot of whisky, and as you drink it, think about what you notice. Smell it - taste is at least half smell.

Maybe pour two different whiskys. Drink one, think about what you notice. Have a drink of water, and maybe eat a bland cracker, and try the other one. What is different?

You'll begin to notice the less obvious flavors and aromas that are lurking under the main whisky flavors.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Don't waste good money if your using it in a mixed drink.
Old Forrester is as high priced as I''d go for something like that. The other flavors in the mix make it a moot point.

I never understood this thought process. Why is it a waste of money to mix it? Different whiskeys make drinks taste different. Are those of us who enjoy mixed drinks not worthy of good flavors too?

I drink a lot of whiskeys a lot of ways. Some I like neat, some with a little water, some on the rocks and some in mixed drinks. And I want all of those to taste as good as they can so I always use whatever whiskey I’m in the mood for regardless of price.

I like wine and I laugh when people talk about how something really brings out the tannins. I dont even know what a tannin is! It either taste good or it doesnt.

I read the description on the back of another bottle and it talked about a nod of gooseberry. WTF. First time I ever heard of a gooseberry so if you say this taste like gooseberry I will have to believe you.

And remember, your palate is at it's best in the morning.

I don't know about whiskey distillers but I remember reading about Steve Dresler, head brewer(retired?) at Sierra Nevada describing his day and he mentioned tasting the beer in the morning. Pretty rough job.