Sperling Silver’s Golden Tip on How to Taste a Good Whiskey

Sperling Silver in Regina shows you the best way to drink a good whiskey

There’s no better way to enjoy a good whiskey than mixed with Coke (or Pepsi), am I right? WRONG! For some of us, there’s not much more “science” behind enjoying a good whiskey than simply mixing it with a bit of pop and slugging it down. The best way to enjoy a whiskey is to get it into your guts, where the alcohol can be absorbed. As the local liquor store which provides all kinds of local spirits, today we invite you to taste our best whiskey in Regina using our method.

Pop with whiskey? You probably are undercutting the real taste

To tell the truth, aficionados don’t think too highly of this method, nor of “mix”, when used as a “mask” for the flavour of any beverage alcohol—especially good whiskey. Don’t get it twisted, there’s no “wrong way” to drink whiskey. It can be great with cola or ginger ale, on the rocks, neat (by itself), or mixed up in a cocktail like a traditional whiskey sour. However, in order to taste whiskey—especially a good whiskey locally made—it’s best to taste it by itself. You can buy one of the best local spirits from our store. On top of that, here are a few other steps you can try:

Use a proper piece of glassware. There are a million out there. Look for something with a shape designed to trap flavour and aroma in the air space above our local made whiskey and aim it directly into your nose.
Study the appearance of the whiskey. Spend some time thinking about the colour and the other visual characteristics of the spirit. Is it cloudy, is it clear? Is it yellow-gold or deep amber? What flavours do the colours and other appearance lead you to expect?
Smell the stuff. It isn’t hard to forget how important our sense of smell is in relation to our sense of taste. Swirl the whiskey around the bottom of the glass, and let it warm a little in the palm of your hand. This action helps the whiskey “open up”, releasing more delicate aromas and subtle flavours that can hide behind the main body of it.

4. Taste it. Think about the mouthfeel of the whiskey while using your tastebuds to confirm or deny the earlier reports of your nostrils. Use your sense of taste to look for notes that your nose didn’t pick up on, and appreciate the depth of flavour. Is it soft and round on your tongue, or hot and pointy? Dry, or somewhat sweet? Try to think about the taste in separate phases: beginning, middle, and end. Try to think about how these phases differ from each other and still tie into one another. When you swallow, try to appreciate how the “finish” differs from the “start”.

5. Taste it again. This time, throw in a couple of drops of water or a couple of ice cubes (and then let them begin to melt). Sure enough, this will dilute the strength of the product to some degree, but for some people, this extra step opens up the flavour even more. Importantly, if you are tasting many whiskeys at once (say, at a whiskey tasting event), this will also help slow down the effect of the alcohol on your body, helping you maintain a clear mind while enjoying the products equally. At Sperling Silver, we offer the tasting tour so you can drop by and learn more about our local made whiskey in Regina, SK.

Here is foodquig’s tasting of our very own 100 Bushels Single Malt Rye:

As one of the best local spirits, 100 Bushels Single Malt Rye Whiskey gives the classic and clear taste you do not want to miss. It won the “Best Single Malt Rye Whiskey” at American Distilling Institute Portland Oregon 2018. Give it a try and tour our Saskatchewan distillery in Regina, or pick up a bottle at our liquor store in Regina. We promise you will not be disappointed.

(Follow him on Instagram @whiskyformymotorcycle or foodquid on Youtube)

Book our “Tours & Tastings” anytime, enjoy the amazing journey of local spirits in Regina

Keeping these steps in mind, go ahead and try it. Even better, have a taste of our local made 100 Bushels Single Malt Rye Whiskey, and let us know what you think! Maybe if you come down to our facility some day, you can get a free sample. If you would like to try more of our local spirits, email or call us, we will make sure you have a great experience and learn more about Saskatchewan local spirits.