I usually fill to the widest part of the rounded bottom, about 1.5 oz. More if the kids are screaming. With its rounded bottom, the Glencairn glass allows you to swirl the scotch around easily and admire its color and viscosity. After a good swirl, you may notice the trails of droplets making their way back down the sides of the glass. This is people are referring to when you hear that a whisky 'has legs'. The slower the drops slide back down, the thicker the viscosity, the 'longer' the legs.
One would think actually drinking scotch would be pretty self-explanatory: pour, gulp, swallow, repeat. Sure, if you're doing shots at a bachelor party or just have no interest in actually tasting what is sliding down your gullet, go ahead and knock one back, frat boy. What the hell, I'll join in too. Yukon Jack, anyone?
Not tonight though, we're "keeping it classy, San Diego" (all hail Ron Burgundy). The fact that you're still reading means you have some smidgen of interest in trying to appreciate that two-finger splash of Scotland's finest in front of you. Let's walk you through this in four (three really, #3 is arguably optional) easy steps:
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| Glencairn Glass |
If you spend enough time at Mekong or Capital Ale House, you will notice nearly every beer style has its own specially shaped glass. Scotch has its own as well - The Glencairn glass is designed to be that ideal vessel from which to savor a single malt. The classic tumbler will work in a pinch, but you're missing out on half the experience, capturing the aromas of your whisky. Few restaurants and bars offer these, I got mine from a vendor at the Central VA Highland Festival. but you can order one (less than $10) from Amazon, Crate & Barrel, etc. This is my go-to when tasting at home.
The key feature however is the tapered neck for concentrating the scotch's aromas. As you tip the glass up to drink, your nostrils fit just inside the rim. This creates more of a vacuum than a wider rim tumbler, and allows you to breathe in all those complex aromas.
I have a coworker with no sense of smell. She can 'taste' sweet, sour, etc.; but can't tell the difference between grape juice and wine. There are 5 primary tastes, but supposedly 32 primary aromas (although no one seems to know where that number came from). Anyway, Taste + Smell = Flavor. Smell is that important.
STEP 2 - NEAT, ROCKS, SODA, OR WATER?
For years I naively and indiscriminately ordered simply, "Scotch, rocks.", and was no doubt given whatever bottom-shelf blended brand was hidden under the counter next to the industrial size jar of impossibly red maraschino cherries and Pine Sol. Perhaps a bigger mistake on my part than neglecting to specify a reputable brand, was the inclusion of ice.
Now a 43% ABV (86 proof) whisky can be a bit much at first without something to tame the sting. I've never liked 'scotch and soda', nor any scotch-based cocktail (e.g. a Rob Roy) as much as drinking it straight up, although I have no such compunction mixing bourbon for some reason. Anyway, by imparting its own flavors, using a mixer is counterproductive for appreciating whisky. The only one that doesn't do that, and can actually magnify and enhance those flavors, is good old fashioned water.
I myself prefer scotch all by itself, 'neat' as they say. I want to savor what its maker wanted you to taste when it left the distillery. Just my personal preference. However, I have found when I come across a malt that's just too rough for my taste, or has too much 'sting', adding a small splash of water (just a few drops really) takes the edge off, as well as amping up the natural aromas of the whisky. For you science types, there's an exothermic reaction once the water molecules agitate and release the ethyl alcohol molecules from the whisky that both warms it up, as well as enhances its characteristics, especially in regard to its aromas. I'm sure there's a protocol about using or distilled or spring water, but I just use the filtered water that comes out of the fridge. Works for me.
STEP 3 - TOASTING
The toast I use most often was told to me by an actual Scotsman, so I assume it's legit, or at least plausible. After toasting with, "Slàinte!" (sounds like SLON-chuh, Scottish Gaelic for 'health'), wave your glass over some sort of water (a nearby glass, a swimming pool, the side of a boat, etc.) as a way to 'ward off the invaders from over the sea'. Presumably, it was basically a middle finger to the English navy back in the day, or at least a surreptitious way to 'stick it to the Man'.
Stick your nose way down in the glass and draw in a big whiff, then try to think about what those aromas remind you of. Take a small sip and keep it on your lips and tip of your tongue for a second or two, making mental notes about your first impressions. Take a bigger sip now and try moving it all around your mouth, firing off those taste bud receptors and coating your cheeks, palate, and throat as you swallow. You might find new flavors that are drawn out at different times. Take note of how long the flavors linger after swallowing before they start to wane. Once you've had three or four sips and tried to dissect and analyze the aromas and flavors, jot down a couple notes if you must, but at this point it's okay to just relax and enjoy it. Add water if you want and see how that changes the experience. Mmm... Let's do it all again!
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