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As much as a trip to our very own Lochranza Distillery for a whisky tasting would be the perfect experience for an enthusiast, it’s also entirely possible to host your own whisky tasting at home - and what better way to share your love for the golden dram, than with your own friends and family?

Here are our top tips to help you plan and host your very own whisky tasting.

Consider your audience

Before you select your whiskies, think about who’s attending the event. 

What’s their experience and knowledge? Are they complete novices, or can they tell a Highland whisky from an Islay malt?

If your guests are new to whisky, you might want to offer a wide range of styles for them to try. But it’s probably best to steer clear of anything too peated or heavily experimental. You might also need to guide them through the tasting - providing tasting notes and a flavour wheel can be really helpful. 

Decide on a theme and choose your whisky

Select four to five whiskies per tasting - you don’t want to overwhelm your party!

Focusing on a theme such as regional styles or cask finishes can make it easier when picking out your whiskies to serve. 

Some ideas include:

Type

This is a great idea for whisky beginners. By comparing the likes of an American Bourbon to a Scottish Single Malt, the difference in taste and tone will be significant enough for anybody new to whisky to pick out.

Region

Already had a whisky tasting session around the world? Why not get regional? There are five Scotch whisky regions (six if you class the Islands as its own region): Highland, Lowland, Islay, Campbeltown and Speyside. The climate, distillation process, where the ingredients come from, and water source can all contribute to regional variations in flavour profile and appearance. 

Distillery

Explore the different styles of whisky from one distillery, such as a single malt to a blended whisky, or compare the effect of the maturation process by tasting a 10 Year Old single malt and an 18 Year Old single malt.

If you’re not sure which whiskies to pick for your tasting, why not sample a few beforehand with some whisky miniatures? 

Choose your glassware

The right glass helps concentrate aroma and improves the experience. If you have them, use tulip-shaped glasses like Glencairns. They allow you to swirl the whisky and focus the nose.

Avoid using tumblers or wide-bottomed glasses. These are fine for casual drinking, but they don’t focus the aroma in the same way. 

Pour small measures

You’re tasting, not drinking. 15ml - 25 ml measures are more than sufficient if you are tasting several whiskies.

Serve the whiskies from lighter to heavier flavours. Peated or high-strength whiskies should come last, as they can overwhelm the palate.

Add water

Water can play an important role for a couple of reasons. First, it helps cleanse your palate in between tasting the different whiskies, and second, it might help you pick out the different flavours and aromas. As explained in our guide about the relationship between whisky and water, just a drop of two of water can reduce the intensity and release more flavour from your whisky - and allow your participants to appreciate whisky all that more.

Offer guidance

You don’t have to be an expert to lead a tasting, but it helps your guests if you offer a few pointers on what they should look for. Why not print out or write down tasting notes for each whisky? You could also share the story behind the whisky; where it’s from, how it’s made, what kind of cask it matured in. 

Encourage people to discuss what they taste, e.g.

• Nose - Does it smell sweet, smoky, earthy, fruity?
• Palate - Is it oily, dry, spicy, soft?
• Finish - Does the flavour last? Does it change over time?

But remember, there’s no right or wrong answer. Everyone’s palate is different.

Should you serve food?

It’s not ideal to eat a big meal just before you taste complex whiskies, so ask your guests to fuel up in advance or serve a meal after the tasting. Try to avoid pungent or strong flavours beforehand as this can affect the palate. If you want to serve snacks during the tasting, then neutral foods like plain crackers or oatcakes work well and won’t overpower the whisky. 

Hosting a food and whisky tasting? Dark chocolate, cheese or smoked meats pair very well together. 

Finally, remember that whisky tastings should be fun!. With a little planning, you can help others discover something new - whether that’s a flavour they’ve never noticed or a distillery they’ve never tried.

Join a whisky community

Looking for more whisky tasting ideas? Why not sign up to our White Stag community? You’ll get access to our White Stag Facebook group to share stories with fellow members around the world, as well as a regular newsletter, the opportunity to be involved in tasting panels for future White Stag bottlings and exclusive offers and discounts in our online whisky shop.