What to eat/drink before a scotch tasting

  • claytonh4
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    Joined: 22.01.2017Posts: 4Ratings: 0

    Hello all,
    I was wondering what would be best to eat or drink before tasting a fine and complex scotch so that the palette is best prepared to appreciate all the whisky has to offer. If Mr. Lüning reads this I'd be particularly interested in his opinion as the master taster!
    Thanks!

  • DaFin Member Joined: 23.05.2016Posts: 103CollectionDaFins CollectionRatings: 15
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    @claytonh4
    Im not Horst,  but here my 2 cents. 
    For a clean and aseptic tasting,  better not to eat anything.  For enjoy a dram,  maybe something with starch (bread,  for example)   Your saliva will help to find sweeter anything you drink after. Something with fat (cheese, ...) will help as well to have nice drams.  French wine drinkers,  know well those tricks. 


  • claytonh4
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    Joined: 22.01.2017Posts: 4Ratings: 0
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    @DaFin Thank you for the suggestions!

  • Carhartt Member Carhartt Joined: 31.12.2016Posts: 3CollectionCarhartts CollectionRatings: 14
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    DaFin said:
    @claytonh4
    Im not Horst,  but here my 2 cents. 
    For a clean and aseptic tasting,  better not to eat anything.  For enjoy a dram,  maybe something with starch (bread,  for example)   Your saliva will help to find sweeter anything you drink after. Something with fat (cheese, ...) will help as well to have nice drams.  French wine drinkers,  know well those tricks. 


    I follow up on these suggestions and advise them highly. Bland starch will assist with finding sweetness, fatty helps with drams, but over all - Don't eat anything. My usual is to brush my mouth out and drink water for sixty-to-ninety minutes before sampling. This includes inviting people over for tastings and when I go to one or two private lounges to enjoy.

    Good luck!

  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    @claytonh4
    Better to eat nothing. Your tastingbuds will be covered for hours after your meal.

    It is also not the best behavior to serve cheese, butter, and crackers. Some crumbs of them will stay between your teeth and enzymes will act on them. The result will be a lightly sugary taste in your mouth which will pretty the taste of the whisky. Serving white bread and butter is very typical for wine tastings where you want to brighten the tastes of the wines.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
    Carhartt liked that
  • claytonh4
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    Joined: 22.01.2017Posts: 4Ratings: 0
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    @horst_s Thank you for your input!

  • claytonh4
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    @Carhartt  Thank you for your suggestions!

    Carhartt liked that
  • [Deleted User] Joined: 04.12.2016Posts: 0CollectionJohn's CollectionRatings: 0
    , edited January 29 2017 at 12:21AM
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    My only problem with not eating anything beforehand is that I can't handle alcohol on an empty stomach (especially strong spirits). I can only consume whisk(e)y in the evening within a few hours of a substantial meal. Otherwise, it burns my gut and goes straight to my head.

    I guess that makes me a whisk(e)y wimp. :neutral:

    SCOTT: I found this on Ganymood, er, Ganymede.
    TOMAR: What is it?
    SCOTT: Well, it's, er. (peers at it, sniffs it) It's green.
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