Most important at a Whisky tasting party

[Nina]

Hi Everybody.

I work in a advertising agentcy in Denmark, and is curious of what you think is the most important, when you have a whisky tasting?!
-How do you get the right mood set?
-Do you prefer ice/no ice/whiskey rocks?

I really want to learn more.

Cheers, Nina

[MacDeffe]

Hi Nina

1. The mood is usually set by pouring drams . At some tastings the talk can be too much talk and too empty glasses, so pour the first dram before the big speech is put forward. If you lead tastings you know that long speeches at the end often get ruined by people talking between themselves happy and tipsy

So the mood comes automatically if you don't leave empty glasses

2. There's no ice or whiskey rocks at tastings. The idea at tastings is to promote the flavours of the whisk(e)y and cold things like ice cubes only mask the flavours. I've been to 100+ tastings and never seen ice cubes. If the whisky is bad use ice cubes. Do have some water available thou, and some pipetttes. Adding water to a whisky is a personal thing and depending on the initial strength some might want to add water, some might not

/Macdeffe (also from Denmark, we have a danish whiskyforum as well : http://www.whiskynyt.dk)

[ClubSmed]

I will second the water and pipettes and also add oatcakes (biscuits) as I find these perfect for cleansing the palate between drams

[The Third Dram]

Nina,

I'd say that the 2 very most important essentials for insuring a successful whisky tasting are good quality tasting glasses and good quality still water (Evian, for example, remains a favourite of many).

As for the choice of whiskies (and depending on how many will attend), it might help to hand out (if possible) brief questionaires to prospective visitors asking them of their previous tasting experiences and preferences.

I also think that starting off a tasting session with a well-crafted blend before heading on to malt whiskies often makes for an interesting strategy.

[Reggaeblues]

entering a room where whisky bottles of distinction are purposefully and strategically placed, with whisky glasses on table , containg drams, is one of the best welcomes on the planet!

Ditto oatcakes. Possibly with cheese.

And Colin Dunn's right. Talisker and other beefy malts do go great with dark chocolate!

[The Third Dram]

And Colin Dunn's right. Talisker and other beefy malts do go great with dark chocolate!

I'll certainly vouch for Lagavulin and chocolate.

[Reggaeblues]

This was Talisker DE with his special brand of 70% cocoa...

[The Third Dram]

Sounds sublime!

[Willie JJ]

Lots of sensible advice above. I entirely agree with the ice advice.

Whisky with ice = whisky drinking.
Whisky without ice = whisky tasting.

[Maccy]

Lots of sensible advice above. I entirely agree with the ice advice.

Whisky with ice = whisky drinking.
Whisky without ice = whisky tasting.

I like that analogy Willie, first time I've seen it put that way.

[madelinebennet]

I've held a couple of tastings and I only have Scottish Oat Cakes and water during the actual tasting, I find that they clear the palate before the next dram. As for procedure, I always start with the lighter malts.

[Ol' Jas]

Depending on the setting and desired mood, you might want some good tunes. The Pogues can provide a number of suitable whisky-drinking ditties.