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@cwspangler
cwspangler started a discussion

I did search this time through the forum and did not find a complete noobie thread. Being new to something in any field and having questions can feel a little daunting. No one wants to ask the seemingly simple questions that might make them feel silly. So let me start things for the rest of noobs like me!

1) Glass wear. Does it really matter what type of glass you pour your whisk(e)y into? And why? I just bought a really nice set of Glencairn glasses that I have been eyeing up for awhile now. 2) Opening a bottle. How long should you allow a newly opened bottle to settle? And why? 3) When pouring. Do we allow the whisk(e)y to settle in the glass and open? If so, for how long? 4) What is a dram? Just a splash or "wee bit", correct? 5) I see that people add drops of water to higher AVB whisk(e)y to flatten it out some. Is this a personal thing? Is it mostly done for tasting reviews? Is this spring water or de-ionized low total dissolved solid (TDS) water? 6) Personally I don't add ice to my drinks. But, I have seen SS ice cubes to keep your drink cold. Do these mess with the taste of your drink? 7) To gas or not? When closing a bottle that is going to set for some time, what is the best method? How long will a open bottle last for? 8) Should I store my whisk(e)y in a dark place? Does storage temp matter? What about humidity? 9) What are some of the acronyms being used on the forum like CS being Cask Strength? Just the most common? 10) Does the age of a whisk(e)y really mean it is going to be better? 12yo vs 30yo?

I know the answer to some of these or at least think I do. But I know that there are new people that wont ask these smaller questions that seem to me to be the foundation of this wonderful and science filled hobby. A book on whisk(e)y is a one sided view from the point of the author. So lets have all your views if you don't mind replying to this long post. THANKS!

Take us noobs to school fellas!

5 years ago

18 replies

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

Lots of good questions. You'll probably find a lot of the answers by following along with popular threads or reading back, though I admit with so many posts over so many years it seems like an impossible task.

To address some of your questions:

  1. Use the glass you like the best. Many of us routinely use Glencairns but there are many other options and there is no right answer. Try the following relatively short thread:

connosr.com/glassware-whisky-discussion-20…#

Personally, I find different glasses enhance the qualities of different spirits.

  1. Some bottles are great from the get-go, and some take upwards of a year to display the best quality of the spirit. Whether you use oxygen-free gas between pours will also affect how quickly things change.

  2. Some commentators say “a minute in the glass for every year in the cask”. I’m not sure there is a set amount of time but oxygen will open up your pour, as may a few drops of water. I find gassed bottles take a little longer for the nose especially. Some bourbons, like Stagg Jr and OGD 114 can peak as late as a half hour after pouring (which is definitely more than a minute per year). If you can pour and walk away, as Alton Brown says: “your patience will be rewarded”.

  3. Technically a dram is about 3.7 cc (or mL), but here we tend to use the word as a noun to mean a pour. For some of us a dram is 15 cc, and for others 60 cc, but I would suspect most pours are 30-45cc around here.

  4. Particularly in cask strength whisky, adding water can cause a chemical reaction that aids in the release of volatile chemicals that help to open up the whisky. I like most of my whiskies at CS with a few drops, some with more than a few drops, and some (particularly some bourbons) with no water. What I like about doing reviews with and without is that I then have a reference point and somewhere to remind myself how i liked one of the 70 bottles I have open. Some people will enjoy their whisky with a significant amount of water. You have to experiment. I tend to be very hesitant to add water to most spirits that are pre-diluted to under 46%.

  5. The only time i add ice to a whisky is when I serve it to my uncle, or if I pour a commemorative glass of Canadian Club in my father’s memory.

  6. a) Generally, because I have many bottles open, and I may not get to any one bottle for several months, I gas them unless I think they need oxygen to open. One particular example was my Bladnoch 12 YO which must have been left ungassed for up to 2 years before I could actually call it moderately good.

  7. b) If properly stored, most whisky will last a long time. I find those with high ABV and peat levels are the sturdiest. Interestingly, I prefer my Amruts (even the peated and CS ones) in their first year, even with gas.

  8. Store whisky in a moderately cool, dark location. Light and heat are the enemies of preserving whisky.

  9. CS is indeed Cask Strength. NAS is “no age statement”. PX is Pedro Ximenez, a type of sherry which lends its casks to maturing some whiskies.

  10. Age is not a predictor of quality per se. Some styles, like heavily peated whiskies, do well at a young age. Some young whiskies are rough and unidimentional. Older whiskies can take on unbelievable complexity. But the type of wood that is used is important, how many times the cask has been used prior is important, how the spirit was distilled, the maturation environment, and many other factors have a bearing on the final product.

I hope this is a good beginning for you. I’m sure others will chime in with differing opinions and I too look forward to reading them and learning.

5 years ago 4Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

Lots of good questions. You'll probably find a lot of the answers by following along with popular threads or reading back, though I admit with so many posts over so many years it seems like an impossible task.

To address some of your questions:

  1. Use the glass you like the best. Many of us routinely use Glencairns but there are many other options and there is no right answer. Try the following relatively short thread:

connosr.com/glassware-whisky-discussion-20…#

Personally, I find different glasses enhance the qualities of different spirits.

  1. Some bottles are great from the get-go, and some take upwards of a year to display the best quality of the spirit. Whether you use oxygen-free gas between pours will also affect how quickly things change.

  2. Some commentators say “a minute in the glass for every year in the cask”. I’m not sure there is a set amount of time but oxygen will open up your pour, as may a few drops of water. I find gassed bottles take a little longer for the nose especially. Some bourbons, like Stagg Jr and OGD 114 can peak as late as a half hour after pouring (which is definitely more than a minute per year). If you can pour and walk away, as Alton Brown says: “your patience will be rewarded”.

  3. Technically a dram is about 3.7 cc (or mL), but here we tend to use the word as a noun to mean a pour. For some of us a dram is 15 cc, and for others 60 cc, but I would suspect most pours are 30-45cc around here.

  4. Particularly in cask strength whisky, adding water can cause a chemical reaction that aids in the release of volatile chemicals that help to open up the whisky. I like most of my whiskies at CS with a few drops, some with more than a few drops, and some (particularly some bourbons) with no water. What I like about doing reviews with and without is that I then have a reference point and somewhere to remind myself how i liked one of the 70 bottles I have open. Some people will enjoy their whisky with a significant amount of water. You have to experiment. I tend to be very hesitant to add water to most spirits that are pre-diluted to under 46%.

  5. The only time i add ice to a whisky is when I serve it to my uncle, or if I pour a commemorative glass of Canadian Club in my father’s memory.

  6. a) Generally, because I have many bottles open, and I may not get to any one bottle for several months, I gas them unless I think they need oxygen to open. One particular example was my Bladnoch 12 YO which must have been left ungassed for up to 2 years before I could actually call it moderately good.

  7. b) If properly stored, most whisky will last a long time. I find those with high ABV and peat levels are the sturdiest. Interestingly, I prefer my Amruts (even the peated and CS ones) in their first year, even with gas.

  8. Store whisky in a moderately cool, dark location. Light and heat are the enemies of preserving whisky.

  9. CS is indeed Cask Strength. NAS is “no age statement”. PX is Pedro Ximenez, a type of sherry which lends its casks to maturing some whiskies.

  10. Age is not a predictor of quality per se. Some styles, like heavily peated whiskies, do well at a young age. Some young whiskies are rough and unidimentional. Older whiskies can take on unbelievable complexity. But the type of wood that is used is important, how many times the cask has been used prior is important, how the spirit was distilled, the maturation environment, and many other factors have a bearing on the final product.

I hope this is a good beginning for you. I’m sure others will chime in with differing opinions and I too look forward to reading them and learning.

5 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

Lots of good questions. You'll probably find a lot of the answers by following along with popular threads or reading back, though I admit with so many posts over so many years it seems like an impossible task.

To address some of your questions:

  1. Use the glass you like the best. Many of us routinely use Glencairns but there are many other options and there is no right answer. Try the following relatively short thread:

connosr.com/glassware-whisky-discussion-20…#

Personally, I find different glasses enhance the qualities of different spirits.

  1. Some bottles are great from the get-go, and some take upwards of a year to display the best quality of the spirit. Whether you use oxygen-free gas between pours will also affect how quickly things change.

  2. Some commentators say “a minute in the glass for every year in the cask”. I’m not sure there is a set amount of time but oxygen will open up your pour, as may a few drops of water. I find gassed bottles take a little longer for the nose especially. Some bourbons, like Stagg Jr and OGD 114 can peak as late as a half hour after pouring (which is definitely more than a minute per year). If you can pour and walk away, as Alton Brown says: “your patience will be rewarded”.

  3. Technically a dram is about 3.7 cc (or mL), but here we tend to use the word as a noun to mean a pour. For some of us a dram is 15 cc, and for others 60 cc, but I would suspect most pours are 30-45cc around here.

  4. Particularly in cask strength whisky, adding water can cause a chemical reaction that aids in the release of volatile chemicals that help to open up the whisky. I like most of my whiskies at CS with a few drops, some with more than a few drops, and some (particularly some bourbons) with no water. What I like about doing reviews with and without is that I then have a reference point and somewhere to remind myself how i liked one of the 70 bottles I have open. Some people will enjoy their whisky with a significant amount of water. You have to experiment. I tend to be very hesitant to add water to most spirits that are pre-diluted to under 46%.

  5. The only time i add ice to a whisky is when I serve it to my uncle, or if I pour a commemorative glass of Canadian Club in my father’s memory.

  6. a) Generally, because I have many bottles open, and I may not get to any one bottle for several months, I gas them unless I think they need oxygen to open. One particular example was my Bladnoch 12 YO which must have been left ungassed for up to 2 years before I could actually call it moderately good.

  7. b) If properly stored, most whisky will last a long time. I find those with high ABV and peat levels are the sturdiest. Interestingly, I prefer my Amruts (even the peated and CS ones) in their first year, even with gas.

  8. Store whisky in a moderately cool, dark location. Light and heat are the enemies of preserving whisky.

  9. CS is indeed Cask Strength. NAS is “no age statement”. PX is Pedro Ximenez, a type of sherry which lends its casks to maturing some whiskies.

  10. Age is not a predictor of quality per se. Some styles, like heavily peated whiskies, do well at a young age. Some young whiskies are rough and unidimentional. Older whiskies can take on unbelievable complexity. But the type of wood that is used is important, how many times the cask has been used prior is important, how the spirit was distilled, the maturation environment, and many other factors have a bearing on the final product.

I hope this is a good beginning for you. I’m sure others will chime in with differing opinions and I too look forward to reading them and learning.

5 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

Lots of good questions. You'll probably find a lot of the answers by following along with popular threads or reading back, though I admit with so many posts over so many years it seems like an impossible task.

To address some of your questions:

  1. Use the glass you like the best. Many of us routinely use Glencairns but there are many other options and there is no right answer. Try the following relatively short thread:

connosr.com/glassware-whisky-discussion-20…#

Personally, I find different glasses enhance the qualities of different spirits.

  1. Some bottles are great from the get-go, and some take upwards of a year to display the best quality of the spirit. Whether you use oxygen-free gas between pours will also affect how quickly things change.

  2. Some commentators say “a minute in the glass for every year in the cask”. I’m not sure there is a set amount of time but oxygen will open up your pour, as may a few drops of water. I find gassed bottles take a little longer for the nose especially. Some bourbons, like Stagg Jr and OGD 114 can peak as late as a half hour after pouring (which is definitely more than a minute per year). If you can pour and walk away, as Alton Brown says: “your patience will be rewarded”.

  3. Technically a dram is about 3.7 cc (or mL), but here we tend to use the word as a noun to mean a pour. For some of us a dram is 15 cc, and for others 60 cc, but I would suspect most pours are 30-45cc around here.

  4. Particularly in cask strength whisky, adding water can cause a chemical reaction that aids in the release of volatile chemicals that help to open up the whisky. I like most of my whiskies at CS with a few drops, some with more than a few drops, and some (particularly some bourbons) with no water. What I like about doing reviews with and without is that I then have a reference point and somewhere to remind myself how i liked one of the 70 bottles I have open. Some people will enjoy their whisky with a significant amount of water. You have to experiment. I tend to be very hesitant to add water to most spirits that are pre-diluted to under 46%.

  5. The only time i add ice to a whisky is when I serve it to my uncle, or if I pour a commemorative glass of Canadian Club in my father’s memory.

  6. a) Generally, because I have many bottles open, and I may not get to any one bottle for several months, I gas them unless I think they need oxygen to open. One particular example was my Bladnoch 12 YO which must have been left ungassed for up to 2 years before I could actually call it moderately good.

  7. b) If properly stored, most whisky will last a long time. I find those with high ABV and peat levels are the sturdiest. Interestingly, I prefer my Amruts (even the peated and CS ones) in their first year, even with gas.

  8. Store whisky in a moderately cool, dark location. Light and heat are the enemies of preserving whisky.

  9. CS is indeed Cask Strength. NAS is “no age statement”. PX is Pedro Ximenez, a type of sherry which lends its casks to maturing some whiskies.

  10. Age is not a predictor of quality per se. Some styles, like heavily peated whiskies, do well at a young age. Some young whiskies are rough and unidimentional. Older whiskies can take on unbelievable complexity. But the type of wood that is used is important, how many times the cask has been used prior is important, how the spirit was distilled, the maturation environment, and many other factors have a bearing on the final product.

I hope this is a good beginning for you. I’m sure others will chime in with differing opinions and I too look forward to reading them and learning.

5 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

oops. Now I think I know why I see multiple copies of posts sometime.

Anyway, it bears repeating... grinning

5 years ago 0

RikS replied

@Nozinan I have to hand it to you - your advice are very consistent! :)

5 years ago 8Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

9 IB = independent bottler or independent bottling; OB = official bottling from the distillery whose name is on it; SB = Single Barrel (a whisk(e)y dumped from one and only one barrel); SC = Single Cask, maltspeak or UK/Euro version for single barrel; BP = barrel proof (US nomenclature = cask strength = undiluted = uncut); NCF = non-chill filtered; BIB = Bottled in Bond (US standard featuring whiskey from only one distillery, bottling at 50% ABV, 4 years minimum age, and whisky from a single distilling season); ABV = alcohol by volume, expressed as a percentage; SMSW = single malt Scotch whisky; SMWS = Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a private whisky buying, whisky bottling, and whisky selling/sharing club; SWA = Scotch Whisky Association, the keepers of the industry standards for Scottish whisky production and sale; LCBO = the Liquor Control Board of Ontario = the Ontario Provincial liquor monopoly; SAQ = Societe des alcools du Quebec = the Quebec Provincial liquor monopoly, etc.

Is older whisky necessarily better? NO! Last July at Tales of the Cocktail they poured a bunch of really shitty 50 yo whisky just to make this point. You would want a second taste only to confirm how bad it was.

5 years ago 4Who liked this?

@Robert99
Robert99 replied
  • The glass will affect your perception of the whisky. For me, it affects the balance between high and low notes. Glencairn is great but I find the INAO wine glass to work very well. I don't like the Tumbler because it doesn't concentrate the more volatile spirits and I loose the floral side of the whisky.

-I usually don't add water. When I do, it is with CS whisky. I use a good water which means not a mineral water and without chlorine. You could go over the top ( or above the tap) and buy water from the source of a distillery, at least that is what a Canadian website offers, but you will have to pay the price of cheap whisky for water... This is not for me.

  • I like the action of air on whisky and find that Bourbon (and virgin oak single malt) is usually flying better than Scotch. I find that air enhance the floral side of Bourbon in general. Air and time seems to tame a big peat. For me, the vegetal notes are affected by air and not for the better, most of the time. So with experience, I come to guess when to gas my whisky.

  • I tasted a few old Canadian whiskies but I still have to taste a very old Scotch (over 25 years). I agree with @Nozinan about the young peated ones and I would add that 100% Rye could be very good at a young age (Willett, Old Potrero). You also have to remember that all years are not equals (getting older, I realize that every morning), a year in India and a year in Scotland does not affect the whisky in the same way.

5 years ago 2Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

@cwspangler - Excellent idea for a thread; and as someone who works in education I stand by the assertion that there are no 'dumb' questions. If you don't know you don't know, right?

I think @Nozinan & @Victor sum things up nicely (@Nozinan's responses really hammer the point home) but I'll add my two-penneth.

I use a Glencairn usually but like to vary things occasionally. My advice would be try a few different ones and see what works best. You may find certain whiskys/spirits suit certain glasses better than others. I wouldn't drink drink Scotch in a tumbler (at home) but find some bourbons are better that way for e.g.

Each bottle is different and that's part of the fun for me. Keep an open and inquiring mind and be mindful when enjoying. I've found I've got more of a 'feel' for how long a whisky should sit for as time has gone on but the minute in glass to age is a decent rule of thumb. I'd say I'm quite a slow drinker anyway; certainly with older/higher abv bottles.

Some bottles are better drank quickly (usually the lower abv, chill-filtered and coloured ones in my experience, but not always). End of the day, if you're enjoying it as soon as you pop the cork why wait? I tend to only give whiskys 'extra time' if I feel they need it i.e. they're a bit closed up or one dimensional, or if they are a bit 'nippy' (raw alcohol notes). I don't gas and so try to finish bottles in under six months, a year max; and when I get down to the last few drams polish it off quickly. My 'drams' (I prefer the term 'wee nip' - psychological, you see? stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye ) are around 30 ml. In the week a bit less, it depends.

I keep my opened bottles in the box and out of direct sunlight. Unopened in a dark cool place. Every once in a while I'll upend older bottles to wet the cork.

Like everything adding water is a personal thing. Ralfy, for e.g., adds way more than I normally would but I do think it's worth experimenting. I start with literally a drop or two and work from there. Once I've got to know a whisky I will just add what I know works for me. In short, I could add two teaspoons or none at all. 40 - 43% usually none.

I would only add ice to a rough blend or occasionally to experiment (never with malts . . . yet!) Each to their own though. I found, very late in the day, that Mellow Corn was a completely different beast with a couple of cubes. For me it's a hunch thing. I can see why folk would do it but malts tend to need to warmth rather than cool to get the best out of them.

To sum up - go with your gut, listen to good advice, keep an open mind and enjoy smiley

Hope that helps!

5 years ago 6Who liked this?

@cwspangler
cwspangler replied

I have to say THANK YOU to @Nozinan, @RianC , @Robert99 , and @Victor ! You guys rule!!! I knew I would get a good blend of quality answers that would serve my purpose and other newbies as well. Can we get this thread pinned as a place for ALL noobs to go and read through. That was my overall intent by the way. I understand that I could have searched out each question and got a good answer. But some people don't have that time or tolerance. Not with all the posts on here!

Thanks again everyone for the time you spent with this post. You benefited many people including me.

~Charles

5 years ago 0

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@RianC Yeah, Ralfy loses me right there with the heavy handed water. Sometimes he's adding 2 teaspoons to a 46 percenter. My experience is, that even with cask strength, a few drops will knock the alcohol down enough to be drinkable, and some cask strengths need nothing. I don't think I've ever added water to a 43 or 46% whisky...at least not since the long forgotten days when I drank J&B or Bell's on the rocks.

5 years ago 2Who liked this?

@cwspangler
cwspangler replied

Wow I really enjoyed using the Glencairns tonight! It gave me such a powerful nose it was almost overwhelming at first. Once my whisk(e)y opened though, it was a different story. Lots of aroma and I spent more time nosing my drink than sipping it. I will try a few other glasses as recommended above. Thanks guys!

5 years ago 0

@cwspangler
cwspangler replied

How do you wash your glass wear? I have read that people only use hot water and a towel. Other people use soap and water? I have other methods as well. Does the soap leave a residue in the glass overtime?

5 years ago 0

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

I rinse under running water between most drams. Usually there is only 1 dram. After Im done I wash with soap and rinse really well. then I air dry.

5 years ago 0

@paddockjudge
paddockjudge replied

@cwspangler - _ glass washing_ - for me, the rinsing and drying is important regardless of the method chosen for washing. Get the soap out of the glass with a thorough rinse and dry the glass to remove spots before storage or to remove water before immediate use...the residue of water after a rinse can change the whisky in your glass. Every time I dry a glass with a CLEAN tea towel I have visions of the ever present moustachiod bartender in an old western flick, white shirt, vest, towel in hand...sometimes staring down the barrel of a loaded gun.

When attending an event where the same glass(es) will be used repeatedly, I often rinse the glass with bottled water (and drink the water) and dry it with a handkerchief, no, not the same one used for wiping or blowing my nose. thinking

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

@cwspangler - I never use soap but rinse thoroughly with warm water and dry with a clean towel. My partner did wash it with soap once, much to my astonishment, but after a good rinse I din't notice any soapy tastes to be fair.

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

tfahey1298 replied

@cwspangler

Not much to add to the detailed replies posted previously, just a couple of points:

A dram is a small measure of whisky. Typically, a single pour, the amount is determined only by the generosity of the pourer. This assumes that the “pourer” is offering the dram to a “pouree”, hence, for me this indicates a dram is to be shared. When alone, I pour a measure of whisky to make tasting notes. However, a dram is always shared with friends! Whisky always tastes better with friends.

Notes on storage - I believe it is best to keep stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, at or slightly below room temperature. I came across this recent article on scothwhisky.com that I found interesting:

scotchwhisky.com/magazine/features/…

5 years ago 0

@cwspangler
cwspangler replied

@tfahey1298 thanks for the great article. What a good read! As of now I keep my whisk(e)y in a fort knox gun safe, away from all light, in low humidity, and a constant temp of 68 F. Yes I regulate the temp and humidity in my gun safe. Guns and Whisk(e)y are my favs!

5 years ago 0

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@MadSingleMalt@paddockjudge

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