Bourbon Tasting 101 - How To Improve Tasting & Nosing

[@lfd_eng9219]

On a couple of tours in Louisville, they suggest that the first taste gives you that "Kentucky Hug"...so it basically shocks the senses to know whiskey is coming. The second sip...let it sit in the mouth for about 10 seconds, and then the 3rd and 4th sips are where you will discover the flavors. You two are awesome...love the father/son back and forth...keep doing what you are doing...you are helping so many of us "rookies". Cheers!

[@brandonlyman7256]

Have seen alot of comments saying "i cant taste anything but whiskey" or "why do we try to do this, just drink it". I hated whiskey at first but had a friend who seemed to be able to get different notes. I tried and tried and almost gave up. Granted 30$ bottles (younger, lower proof) tend to be more generic and plain. But over time i could sense if it was darker, or sweeter. Then smoother or more ethanol forward etc. Fast forward years later the most exciting part is discovering the vast amount of nose and taste notes on a whiskey. It makes the journey exciting and the experience with each bottle more personalized. You can taste the care and detail a distillery puts into their craft by how complex the product is and how well they handle the proof and viscosity. Its truly an art to have 2 same age whiskeys be either vanilla, cinammon, oak, pepper, spice OR go the route of floral, fruity, sweet, honey, no burn and long finish. So yes you can buy a bottle and just drink it and be happy but for most of us there is this journey we look forward to in each bottle purchase and new experience to discover all these qualities that make up that whiskey beyond just pouring and downing. Cheers!

[@johng5710]

I learned a neat trick when tasting bourbon (or any other spirit). This is a bit tricky, but when you take a small sip, try to let it sit in your mouth while quickly inhaling a small amount of air through your mouth, without accidentally inhaling the bourbon. The inhaled air passing over the bourbon carries the vapors of the bourbon all up into your olfactory system and greatly intensifies the smell, taste, and overall experience. Also, it's worth noting that although you don't really ever see Kurt and Trenton do this, but adding a few drops of water to your whiskey can make a big difference in opening up the nose and flavor of the whiskey, especially for higher proof whiskeys. Doing side-by-side tastings can also help you pick out individual flavors in each whiskey more easily than just sipping on one whiskey alone, and it helps you determine which one you enjoy more.

[@davidsommerfeld2955]

I appreciate your nosing and tasting notes in your videos. A traumatic head injury severed my of olfactory nerve 22 years ago. Absolutely no sense of smell and my taste is diminished by about 25 percent. I can still taste a good bourbon or single malt Scotch. Just can’t enjoy the nose. Your videos help me appreciate the tastes I should be finding or tasting.

[@baconator1550]

Can you guys do a review of the full line up of Old Elk? That’d be sweet!!

[@dakodasteele123]

When smelling the whiskey, if you smell the back of your hand it will tend to reset your sense of smell and allow you to pick up things you may have missed previously. I also like to let my glass sit after I finish the whiskey for a few minutes and then smell again. The aromas will be so much more prominent.

[@Quatsch83]

Completely agree with smelling the glass a few minutes after finishing the whiskey 👃

[@MadisonPours]

I love doing this. The glass after a eh taylor is pure butterscotch.

[@louiss6788]

It's for videos like this that I follow your channel. I really appreciate your honesty. Thank you very much for your teachings. Hugs from Portugal.

[@CB-li9gw]

Watched this video tasting a Widow Jane Apple Wood Rye. Followed along with your suggestions. Quite enjoyable.

[@umami0247]

Most whiskies have the primary notes a vanilla brown sugar and a fruity sweet smell. It’s the individual palate that takes it in various directions from there. I found it helpful to get different spices and herbs and smell them. I’m a retired chef and had the opportunity to make many different types of dishes which truly helped me with my understanding of how tasting and smelling effects one’s enjoyment of food. For me with rye’s on some not all I get a buttered popcorn smell. But I still just spend a little time smelling for me it’s about the taste that determines if I’m going to continue to enjoy what I’m drinking. Enjoy!!

[@ItsShatter]

I get a nice light milk chocolate on BT. It’s there and gone. But overall good. Great video!

[@michaelwyatt665]

I was turned onto bourbon maybe a year and a half to two years ago. Didn’t know what I was doing or looking for. Luckily I found your channel and I watched you guys taste and describe different bourbons and I picked and chose the profiles I liked. I now have a decent understanding of what I want and what I’m doing and it’s thanks to Kurt and Trenton. Now I have a list of my favorites and a list of bourbons I want to try. And for the most part I’ve spent under $80 a bottle. I joined Patreon this year and will continue to be a member.

[@DaveNorton-yi5ix]

Many years ago I was fortunate enough to be introduced to single malts while in Scotland by someone who knew what they were doing, and was able to go to several distilleries with him, which was an amazing experience. I'll never forget smelling Highland Park at the distillery and having it remind me of the sea oats at Edisto Beach in South Carolina when I was a kid. My friend grinned at me and said that the sea oats were all around in the Orkneys. It was the beginning of my own whiskey journey.

[@msspi764]

Really good advice. I started with wine. There was a group of us during Covid who did zoom calls with the same wine. At first I couldn't find what others were. When I stopped trying to do that and started trusting my palate it all changed for me. There are two others in the group who have similar palates, not identical, and that reinforced my trust in my palate. I learned a lot about my own ability to smell and taste. I learned that things change as they open up with time in a glass. So when I moved on to bourbons I trusted my palate enough to accept what it was telling me. It helped that I took part in a tasting that included water and ice. That helped me understand how that relationship changes the whiskey for me. So now I trust my sense of smell and taste enough to understand what I enjoy. A month ago we gave an informal tasting to a friend who was new to bourbon. Same thing, helped him trust his palate and understand how water and ice change things. His palate is dramatically different from mine. That's OK.

[@rrkaminski9]

Glad Trenton mentioned sommeliers - I was going to mention them as a good source of inspiration and "training" your nose and palate techniques! There's a good book called "Cork Dork" by Bianca Bosker. She's a journalist who was never into wine, but decided to take it very seriously and train to take a sommelier exam and really get to know the world of wine. Since the point of the book is to really dig deep into the process and experience, she describes what her and the people she "trains" with do to improve their ability to pick our scents and flavors (which is something sommelier documentaries I've watched before don't touch on enough). It might provide some inspiration.

[@meursault.1984]

wow, the breathing out of the nose is really life changing for me, seriously. Because sometimes I wonder how I get some good finish from some sips yet sometimes I don't - the breathing out of the nose really helped in getting a good and consistent finish! Thanks guys!

[@Guy_GuyGuy]

I find the best way to notice and isolate notes in whiskey is to always have a standard to compare it to. Whenever I buy and try a new bourbon, I pour a glass of Jim Beam White to compare it to. I get almost nothing besides some dry peanut shells and acetone from Beam. It's so much easier to notice what glass #2 has when you have a glass #1 first that has none of it.

[@Valefolken]

That's what it is!! Most of my life I've picked up a sort of Hairspray or Nail Polish Remover smell/taste ever since I was a kid. Smirnoff was a big one. I got into bourbon not long ago, started with Beam, had no point of reference so it was "just bourbon" to me. Now I have some Woodford Straight (not double oaked) and I'm sitting here taste testing the two of them, and I noticed an absence of the Hairspray smell, which your comment made me realize was Acetone. It's not totally eliminated, but it seems to be 80% replaced with a... caramelly creamy dark and dense sort of smell, compared to the Beam. Sure has more bite to it though, it's still hard for me to pick up on flavours when the bite is so strong.

[@Ron46143]

When it comes to smell I discovered one thing that has really helped me. I have always measured my pours with a shot glass. The thought process was to always have equal amounts in pours when comparing bourbons. What I noticed is if you smell the shot glass over time the smell goes through a progression that really helps picking out different notes.

[@justadudeintheworldman.120]

Will try this. I use a 1.5oz shot glass to measure as well

[@dustinhebert4162]

One note I tend to get but never hear about is a distinct cola on the nose. Like an RC or Coca Cola. It doesn't always transfer to the palate but it does quite frequently on ryes that I've tasted. It's very nostalgic mainly because I don't drink soda any more at all. So it comes from when I did drink lots of soda when I was younger. Classic Coke was always my favorite. Curious if anyone else gets that.

[@robertbrotherton2118]

Great show. I found when I changed from a tumbler to a copita/ glencarn glass it made a huge difference to my whiskey experience

[@robertbooth3367]

SLB Old saying Strong Like Bull Smart Like Buffalo Two guys, which is which Gotta leave it at that Lol Great video - and the fact that you two are NOT 'professionals' is what makes SLB so relatable to the rest of us amateurs. Some of the 'pros' who list 6, 7, 8, 9 tasting notes are either gifted or full of it.

[@hunterrgntr]

I'm glad you guys are here. I don't think I would like the so-called "professional" evaluations. I would rather have regular people giving honest opinions about what they smell and taste.

[@ALaw-Fights4theusers]

I roast my own coffee and I can pull flavors out after freshly roasting the beans, I’ll let it sit in the container for an hour or a day then I’ll pull more flavors. When I pull the shot, I get more. That’s why I get drawn in to smelling different drinks. Thank you for explaining this out, I haven’t been able to pull more than the heat of the alcohol unless I’m drinking a lower proof or a rye. You guys are awesome.

[@billsnyder1067]

Thanks guys! I have never seen you specifically cover the topic but for those of us who set our MWF clocks by the SLB video release I was able to pickup on most of this. My favorite is letting the sip breath for 15 to 20 minutes before you sip. I did this for the first time with a glass of 4 Roses Small Batch Select. I opened the bottle and poured a glass and began sipping. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. It was AWFUL. I was kicking myself for wasting 65.00. Then I watched one of your videos and Trenton mentioned that he poured the glasses about 15 minutes before filming started. I went back to my 4 Roses and Wow what a difference. I will say that it doesn’t work every time but it has never made it worse. Thank for all you guys do.

[@guitar_gnome]

I get the sweet candy over oak. But also Christmas notes, pine and spruce. Got a nose of dried apricot, but only on one inhalation and couldn't repeat it.

[@richblaha727]

Best background music of any KZbin channel

[@stacyellens2874]

The one method you get correct IMO is the rolling of the Glen, but rolling it in your hand? Novice at best. The Glen shape is meant to roll on the counter with the appropriate amount of whiskey in the glass. Full circle, full “smelling”! And no spill!

[@dustinpulliam9262]

Since I saw you rolling you glass and explaining it I started doing it with mine and it has helped me immensely to determine different aromas

[@jacobkohler]

I’ve heard (from a few distillery tour guides) that you’re better able to identify taste profile/notes on the second sip/drink (meaning after the initial Kentucky Hug).

[@timhoekenschnieder9109]

You guys make it so enjoyable to watch and to learn. I don’t typically drink it straight so a video on how to mellow a shot would be nice. I know, those true tasters just gave me THAT LOOK.

[@stayupjs]

Drop of water

[@rathuel4701]

Nah man the best way to enjoy whiskey is however you like it

[@bks7842]

Great advice! I struggle with nose, pallet and, finish.

[@POPPAsmurf-ic9vk]

I think taking smaller sips will help with tasting different flavors. Bigger sips tend to cause a burn and all you taste is alcohol

[@bobwlkr]

Awesome vid, guys! Always learning here and appreciate all the great information. 'Strong Like Bull'...can't help but think of a big, burly wrestler back in the 70's who used that phrase. 😂 Keep up the good work! Cheers!!

[@currahee63]

Great job guys. I definitely enjoy nosing, or smelling, the whiskey nearly as much as the tasting when the aromas are more pronounced. And when the nose matches the palate, well, that's a home run. Cheers SLB!

[@j.b.6855]

I am amazed that anyone can pick out notes. Granted I am still in the early stages of experiencing bourbon. This video was a little helpful, and I will keep trying to pick out notes. All I know is when I sip I can tell if I liked it or not. I dont have a big budget so its going to take some time to try everything on my list. I think on the 1st it will be either an Old Forster (likely the 100 proof) or Wild Turkey 101.

[@richardschrader9170]

The tip on slightly opening the mouth when smelling is a great idea! I picked up tobacco and maple notes in my Russell 10 year. Thank you for sharing!

[@JeffreyLieberman-cs5bm]

Great episode. Really enjoy these teaching episodes. Thanks

[@moniquegonzalez9276]

I have noticed that my preferences has changed over time. When I began, my sweet spot was 45-50 ABV. Now that I’ve been tasting at the 55-60 range. I have been finding the lower proofs less enjoyable, or at least notice that they taste ‘watered down’ and less complex. But then again, OGD 114 is one of my favorites, indicative of a less discerning palate. To me, OGD 114 is big boy/girl dr. Pepper, and just loving it right now.

[@tonybeckman1774]

A few years ago I toured Bluegrass Distillers in Lexington and among the information that they handed out was a Tasting Wheel by Distilled Living. The American Bourbon Association also has a tasting wheel on their website. Great show, love watching and comparing my experiences to yours, TonyB

[@dmkelly5491]

Great video guys! I have spent a lot of time trying to be good at this. I have just decided it's more enjoyable to decide right away if I like the juice or not, then focus on the primary note or overwhelming theme of the juice. Basically, identifying the most prominent quality overall (viscosity, finish, flavors, etc.), then I decide if I want to explore more. I have found that this tasting thing is actually a little harder to do in a social setting with music and conversation happening all around you as well.

[@paulmerhoff433]

Thanks!

[@bbpete8349]

I like the instructions you give. I never pick out more than a couple the notes and I use to think - oh man that's bad that I can't. Then I came to just one thing that you said that I think is the best advice you said today: do you like it or not? Drink what you like. Thanks.

[@BuckMcAntlerson]

Right on cue! Literally searched KZbin for this yesterday!

[@michaelwalters4128]

Nice video . Helps us that are new to bourbon.

[@mannyrosado9887]

Gentlemen, you have become my bourbon Bible as I'm learning more about the nature of this enjoyable spirit.

[@JCTexanRyeGuy]

I was legit looking for a video like this last night with no luck on what I was looking for. Thanks for your information and advice. I only have two bottles and I will practice with them. Buffalo Trace for the start and Mr. Kurt’s recommendation with Rarebreed.

[@rrkaminski9]

ADHD Whiskey and Bourbon Junkies have videos I found helpful too and all of them really help build on each other and give different approaches so it's not repetitive.

[@neonwraith]

"We're not professionals. Not at all." So get an interview with a professional on your show and lets all get an education! I love your show and have learned so much from you both, keep up the good work.

[@WhiskyForBeginners]

It is amazing what aromas and flavors whisky can deliver. I never thought of such things before I began drinking whiskey, and at one point I really suspected that whisky reviewers were making things up. But we really do smell and taste things that *to us* smell or taste like this or that. I frequently get honey, butter, caramel, and oak - among others, of course, but those are the frequent notes. 7:34 I habitually swirl the glass too. And I nose it (for me, that *is* a verb 🙂) along as I drink, both out of habit and because the nose evolves over time just as the taste does. 21:15 I get the most notes on the nose, fewer on the palate, and usually just one or two on the finish. This was a very good video. Finding basic stuff like this online is hard, so thanks. And for some Blatant Self-Promotion, my Whisky For Beginners channel exists to try to put basic information in one place for newbies. If anyone wants to head on over, you'll be welcome. 🙂

[@grasshopperhawk]

Fresh cut garden hose is really similar to the basketball note if your childhood involved a lot of cheap, rubber basketballs.

[@jeffcsMN]

Admittedly I’m not very good with tasting notes, but I tend to focus on flavor profiles. I’m generally good at tasting the unique differences between different brands and types of whiskey.

[@bobmazzarese5078]

Excellent approach for new whiskey drinkers. I too struggle with tasting notes for bourbon. Can't wait to try a few new tricks!!!

[@lsteve5170]

I think Trent thinks with his eyebrows! 😂 Love your videos!

[@seanh1591]

Really enjoy watching you gentlemen! Thanks

[@Fisklina]

A great video. I would also encourage anyone to smell spices, taste spices and smell and taste anything really.

[@joshteague8904]

Thanks guys, just getting back into it. It was pleasure to listen.

[@sandracipollone7217]

Good timing on this video. I've been trying a few bourbon, and they all seem to taste more or less the same. Scotch, on the other hand, can taste wildly different depending on so many things. I was beginning to think I was missing something with bourbon.

[@WhiskeyBusinessFL]

Love this! Glad to see you guys tackle this topic. Thank you!

[@fce_1235]

Finally I'm first in the two years I've watched you guys !!!!

[@tharrigan5661]

This was an excellent educational video for a novice like me. I have always struggled with the ‘notes’ of a whiskey. I simply may not have the nose or the taste buds to discern some of the flavors. However, it is a journey that never ends. I’ll continue my tasting journey even if I never can quite taste or smell what others pick up. Great fun.

[@paulhendershot111]

Very instructive video. It's funny how you can taste a bourbon and struggle to pick up anything but maybe vanilla or oak, and then when someone mentions another note they are getting you can go back in and look for that specific note and often times find it. I have a lot of respect for people who can truly find these notes on their own.

[@DJESHGAMING]

About one year ago I started enjoying premium cigars. Every time i found new flavor note. What i know from that experience is that one must not be mistaken and think the flavor notes are exact flavors. It are more specific flavors that remind u of something. When there is a leather flavor, it does not taste like leather. We did not eat leather. Its a flavor that reminds u of leather, the smell of leather. What i found out, in my cigar journey, is that people who were mistaken by what flavor notes are, had problems finding them. That said, i just ordered a bottle of Buffalo Trace and a bottle of Four Roses SB as my first ever bottles and cant wait for this new journey. I am exited and wonder if i can immediately pick up similar notes i already found when smoking premium cigars. One can get the weirdest flavor notes but it depends on your own experience.

[@seankimbrell7247]

Thank you for your advice, I will be trying out some of these tips. Have a GREAT weekend.

[@itisjustmedude]

Gary Vaynerchuk on Wine Library TV did a video about training your palette. It’s still available on KZbin.

[@toddt7557]

I have been drinking whiskey and bourbons for about 5 years and it is hard for me sometimes to get different tasting notes and smelling notes other than alot of them really smell similar but can tell the difference on what ones I really enjoy.thanks for the advice, I enjoy your content, you guys do a great job cheers

[@bt4760]

SLB rocks!! Thank you for this video.

[@maxmann8607]

Kurt, you claim not to be a “professional” (“nor will we ever be”). However, by definition, you actually are. Technically you are getting paid for your opinion in this field, therefore you ARE a professional! Congratulations buddy!!! 😂

[@markzellmer3223]

I have been waiting for this. Thank you so much for the tips and strategies. I always wondered where you get your 'notes' because, frankly, I still get nothing... but will follow the tips in this video and comments to enhance my tasting experience. I also find it interesting when you have a tasting and say things like, "this is nothing like the one I have at home", or the sometimes huge differences in 'batches'... same bourbon, different dates or batches. This makes it difficult to take any recommendations from your blind tastings, and why you're sometimes very surprised by their outcomes. Oh, so it depends on which batch or how long since the bottle was first opened, or other multiple other factors. At any rate, thank you so much for your content and help steering me in the (sometimes) right direction. Best always.

[@mikestewart3670]

Excellent video! Helpful to beginners and a good reminder to those of us that have been drinking bourbon a while.

[@jeffbates5401]

Great video guys. Some information I will be using. Thank you

[@sweetsinnndy5201]

Love the video, most important thing said, do I love this or not, great job.

[@adamvancamp327]

Thank you for doing this video. This helped and made a lot of sense

[@domingocorona7028]

Love this video! I don’t feel bad if someone I’m with picks up crème brûlée, toffee, peanuts, strawberry vanilla wafers, tobacco, charred blueberry and green m&ms and I’m getting a large bag of brown sugar and gasoline.

[@ShaneBelanger-ro5lw]

I've been waiting for yall to do a video on this subject. Thanks guys!

[@kevincrook2524]

guy's you are on the ball keep it coming loving this bourbon journey

[@DougDemsko]

Good info for the newbies! 🥃

[@timrigney5810]

I enjoyed the show love to learn new methods or confirm old methods I have a Question have you ever been to Frankfort Kentucky Bourbon on the Banks Festival???

[@leviashby6900]

The way I learned and recommend to people to is to start with smelling and write down notes than drink and write down notes then google a pro review and compare what you got. If they have something you dont, look and see if you can find it. Often you will find the word for a note you had but couldnt name.

[@Pirate_Henry_Avery]

When I am about to do a bourbon tasting I recently learned to start with a familiar bourbon - WT 101 - in my case just to see where my palate is. I know WT 101 well and what it should taste like and if it's not right it may not be a good day for a tasting. I forged ahead with a 10 year ( ORVW 10, ER, HMcK 10 and Russell's 10) recently and was sorry I did and feel like I should do it again

[@josephpowell7998]

Excellent video and especially for newbies or beginners to bourbon and whiskey

[@marcremington7375]

Really great video. In my whiskey journey I’ve always tried to understand how people can get so many different notes on their taste and smells. It isn’t the easiest to discern all of them, but it’s fun trying!

[@doohee16]

Hi Kurt, Would you please consider doing a show on the Pecan old fashioned? I’m wondering how it will compare with the Black Walnut old fashioned and the proper ingredients and how to make it. I trust you!

[@brianwallace789]

I’ve learned that I can’t smell or taste from a glencairn nearly as well as I can from say a martini glass. It was a game changer when I tried different glasses.

[@smac2047]

I prefer a rocks glass, neat.

[@timhenderson7282]

Where can I find out about the meaning of SLB? Please! And thank you , you are so easy to listen to, and understand.

[@gishg3833]

The measures you have in your Glencairns is about right for laying it on its side and rolling it on your bar top for utmost rolling accuracy.👍

[@davevogelsang6791]

Awesome content. It is all about enjoying bourbon and sharing experiences with family and friends. I drink all my bourbon over square or round ice. I have just ordered a Whiskey Aroma Kit from Bourbon Real Talk to try to pick up aromas from bourbon neat. 🥃

[@garywaters1672]

Another good video thanks I enjoy your content

[@davemajors6730]

Excellent primer. I need this to become "Smart, like tractor".

[@stevenreed007]

I’ve always wondered what SLB stood for!!!!! Now i know ;-)

[@ryxguy99]

I am getting into my whiskey journey and you guys are my go to channel if I am looking for an opinion on good or not. I see if you guys have reviewed it first before anyone else. That being said if you have to concentrate and really focus to pull out the nose and the pallet notes then is it really there? I mean if it tastes or smells a certain way it should be obvious to me not a game to barely pick up a hint of something cause then it’s not what it actually tastes or smells like.

[@Pirate_Henry_Avery]

Like you I had the big sinus surgery and my smell and taste never quite recovered. I had the deviated septum fixed, turbinate reduction and they burned all the soft tissue to scar it and keep it from swelling. So I struggle mightily with lower proof due to lower flavor... some exceptions of course. The fruit flavors are the hardest to pick up, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and spices come easier and influences my preferences in bourbon. The one "trick" that I've picked up is to literally squeeze the bourbon between my tongue and the roof of my mouth essentially forcing it into my tongue while doing somewhat of a " Kentucky Chew " I guess with a press and release. But we all have our bears to cross I guess 😁

[@Wonkzzilla]

My favorite Trenton tasting note was "lightning bug".

[@curtlondon]

I don’t get a basketball but sometimes I get a tire rubber smell like walking into a Goodyear shop which is similar.

[@safromnc8616]

For wine drinkers, there are a lot of similarities. It's interesting to just now see the aeration techniques used on bourbons. I was always raised to roll the glass in my hand to help w/aeration and to 'warm up' the spirit.

[@tontobb8956]

I’m sure I can remember the head distiller at McAllan said not to warm the scotch up prior t drinking

[@andrzejsliwinski8961]

Thanks guys, another great video 🥃

[@kevinfoster2246]

Great video, I'm trying to get better a catching and naming the notes myself. I can pick out 'maybe' 2 when I'm by myself, if do help when you taste with other people. And also after you finish your pour smelling the glass after you can pick up notes. so dont go for that second pour to quick! lol

[@paulhendershot111]

That is a good point on smelling the empty glass.

[@rlmillercpa]

I find it interesting how 1) what I have eaten earlier as well as 2) what the weather conditions are impact my reaction to a pour. I tend to gravitate towards a just a handful of whiskeys - which should lead to some consistency - but I seem to react differently based on these two factors.

[@waydechristophel6148]

Would like to see you guys do a Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Battle Royal like Mash and Drum did. Interested in how it comes out for each of you

[@michaeljames2250]

Great educational video. Love the channel!

[@beaudwayful]

I always get vanilla from Buffalo Trace as well

[@honker1307]

Love the breakdown on this, great video guys.

[@yelworb]

Thank you for this video, I struggle with some of the more unique smells like grape laffy taffy