Anyone have good ideas for a tasting

[Ian_Hamilton]

Hi
I'm setting up a tasting, any ideas?

I have the following available for the tasting, I believe you should be tasted in a certain order, but which?
All help much appreciated.

Springbank 10yrs
Longrow
Jonnie Walker Blue Label
Bowmore 17 yrs
Port Ellen 22yrs
Highland Park 18yrs
McCallan 12 yrs
Laphroig
Scapa
Glen fiddich Cask Strength

[Steve]

I don't know the etiquette, but you'll get pretty mashed drinking a good amount of all that lot, and more power to you.

If so, I'd take the biblical method, and serve the good stuff first, so by the time you reach the less exclusive drink, no-one will care anyway! (When Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding - always a good trick - remarks were passed that, unusually, they'd saved the best til last)

If it'll be a more genteel affair, I'd save the peaty Islay malts for last, starting with the more delicate floral speysiders.

Enjoy!

[Ize]

Are you really going to taste all the whiskies in the one "event"?

I, as well, do not know the etiquette, but my own experiencies have shown to me that 4 to 6 different whiskies at the time is the maximum amount that I can efficiently rate or taste. And even between those 4 to 6 tastings ale/lager and or white bread is good to have to neutralize mouth for next tasting. Of course, this thing might differ between individuals, but I need that break so that I can really evaluate and compare whiskies with each other. Also I do need at least 1cl preferable 2cl of each whisky to get hang of all notes of the taste.

Kippis,
Ize

P.S. Have you tried sniffing your glass after few minutes you have drunk your glass empty, it gives some clearer indicators for few notes of the taste that the whisky had. I'm not sure how widely this is used, I learned it from Johannes van den Heuvel's brilliant whisky webpages (maltmadness), but I find it very useful.

[bartok]

I would start with the Johnny Blue

[hpulley]

As long as I take notes, I can work on a good number in an evening if I don't drink a lot of each. If I'm not taking notes, 3-4 is about the most I can remember the next day and is about the number I'd recommend for a serious tasting. For fun, drink as you'd like.

A good and fun way to work with a large number is to put a small amount of each in a glass and nose them first. I find this allows for better comparison than by remembering earlier examples. Put stickers on them with anonymous numbers or letters and do a blind nosing for real fun.

In general, I think it is best to start with the lighter ones and finish with the stronger ones, and as others say taking some water and/or bland food between to cleanse the palate. I don't find beer cleanses it well for light malts though it might work to cleanse the palate for strong ones.

So, I'd start with the Glenfiddich and JW first, next the Mac, then compare the Orkney malts Highland Park and Scapa, on to Longrow and Springbank, finishing it off with the Islays, saving Port Ellen or Laphroaig for last.

[Ian_Hamilton]

Thanks for all your help,
I think I have decided on this.
1cl of each...

1) Johnnie Walker OB Blue Label 40%alc.

2) Glenfiddich 15yo Cask Strength 51%alc.

3) The Macallan OB 12yo 43%alc.

4) Scapa 10yo 43%alc.

5) Highland Park OB 18yo 43%alc.

6) Springbank OB 10yo 46%alc.

7) Longrow OB Bourbon Matured 10yo 46%alc.

Port Ellen 1979 22yo 43%alc.

9) Bowmore 17yo 43%alc.

10) Laphroig 10yo 40%alc.

Any more comments?

[St.Peat]

Ian --

... just an idea. I have the CS Glenfiddich and love it! I recommend putting it further down your list, in tasting order. Though it is from a 'sleeper' distillery, the malt is very strong, nutty, and thoroughly warming.
I might change the list like this:

1) Johnnie Walker OB Blue Label 40%alc.
2) The Macallan OB 12yo 43%alc.
3) Scapa 10yo 43%alc.
4) Springbank OB 10yo 46%alc.
5) Highland Park OB 18yo 43%alc.
6) Glenfiddich 15yo Cask Strength 51%alc.
7) Longrow OB Bourbon Matured 10yo 46%alc.
Port Ellen 1979 22yo 43%alc.
9) Bowmore 17yo 43%alc.
10) Laphroig 10yo 40%alc.

Of course, everything is different for my eyes and taste

[Ize]

I pulled through tasting event last weekend and there were 7 whiskies (2cl) to be tasted. With my limited skills, I'm afraid, last two three whiskies lost their nuances (not the last one though). Whiskies were:

Chivas Regal 12
Dalmore 12
Highland Park 12
Talisker 10
Lagavulin 16
Laphroaig 10
Loch Dhu 10

IMHO, Lagavulin and especially Laphroiag lost their edge completely. Next time, I'll concentrate to max 4 different whiskies. Loch Dhu, well, did not lost anything of it's taste. If one likes digestivos like Fernet Branca, Loch Dhu would be the choice ... I don't enjoy myself at the evenings drinking Fernet Branca, so Loch Dhu was pretty awful. Luckily there was beer around ...

Kippis,
Ize

[Deactivated Member]

Hi Ian,

It's a nice collection you have there for nosing and tasting.

By the looks of the list I wouldn't use a blend, and certainly not JW Blue Label, why? because none of the malts you are serving are in it, and It's a very old blend, at least from 25 Y and older.

I would start with some ligther malts, for example:

1) Glenfiddich Cask strength
2) Macallan 12Y

My next step would be a combination of two Island Malts, for example:

3) Scapa
4) Highland Park 18Y

As you can see, you can switch between some slightly heavyer malts and lighter malts, just try to balance them a little. So the next malts I would go for are:

5) Springbank 10Y
6) Longrow

After some fine and slightly robust malts from Campbeltown, it's probably time to finish off with the Islay malts, and I would choose in this order:

7) Laphroaig
Bowmore 17Y
9) Port Ellen 22Y

I started with the Laphroaig first, because it's quite a peaty monster, and to give the taste buds some rest, you switch to a lighter peat level by using a Bowmore, and the finishing touch would be a nice Port Ellen.

Again the list would look like this:

1) Glenfiddich Cask Strength
2) Macallan 12Y
3) Scapa
4) Highland Park 18Y
5) Springbank 10Y
6) Longrow
7) Laphroaigh
Bowmore 17Y
9) Port Ellen 22Y

And between the glasses it's very useful to have some clear water and some crackers, just to clear your palate.

Ian, I hope you like this list.

Slainte,

Erik

[bartok]

Hi Huurman- Sorry but I must disagree.The most important thing is to have fun at a tasting.If your host starts with JWBlue, hallelujah.I had it a few years ago(before I was into singlemalts)and found it superb.It would be a treat to compare it to some high end singles like the Port Ellan or Longrow.I think its smoothness would make a nice reference point.

[Deactivated Member]

Hi Bartok,

It's allright if you disagree, I mean it's just a sugestion I put down, but that's personal. It's the same if you do things differend then others, that's personal too.
Put all the sugestions together and make a nice blend of it, and have a lot of fun, and you are right that's all it matters.
I just depends how you look at things, and that varies a lot wich I have noticed here on the forum, and I believe that's the beauty of it, but if you watch things very closely, there's always a thin red line to discover....

Slainte Bartok,

Erik

[Ian_Hamilton]

Thankyou all for your very imformative replies. I can see some of you have spent a bit of time to study my list and come up with your ideas.
To answer your questions,
I am including the JW Blue because it was a gift and as it is very expensive at retail (my friend who works at Ballantines got it for me as a gift much cheaper than the GBP125.00 retail price) people who will come (and pay) at the tasting will get a whisky that they have probably not tasted before (or again).
Thanks for all your comments and I will look again at the order and maybe just maybe change something!
Also the price for the tasting is GBP11.00 each do you think this is good value for the tasters??
Thanks
Ian

[Deactivated Member]

Hi Ian,

I'm glad to see, that you do what you like/want to do, and will serve to the tasters.
Your price is very much resonable, but it will depend on how much tasters you'll finally have. I would go for a 15 GBP charge, and that's still resonable compared what you'll get, perhaps some here at the Forum will advice you to go a little higher, but then again it still depends on the numbers of tasters, to play even.

Slainte,

Erik

[Ian_Hamilton]

Hi
I have 20 tasters coming.