An Irish Whiskey Beginners Guide to Taste
If you’ve ever wondered what does Irish whiskey taste like and how to get into whiskey, our beginners guide is the place to start. Flying Tumbler is one of Ireland’s newest whiskey brands made by some of Ireland’s most experienced distillers. In our short guide to Irish Whiskey and its taste, we answer some of the burning questions you might have about Irish whiskey. We’ll also show you why our own special blend the Bird is a most unique and sophisticated bottling. Perfect for connoisseurs, gifts for friends and loved ones at home or returning home.
When you’ve decided that the uniqueness of Irish whiskey is for you, it’s important to understand how to develop a palate for whiskey. The first step is to ensure you have a clean palate so a good rinse with water is our first tip. Then get a good whiskey dram. One that narrows towards the top and is small enough to contain all aromas. What you're after is a glass that focuses the aromas towards your nose.
In terms of process then, pour yourself a measure of your preferred tipple, preferably a dram of the Bird. Have a look at the colour of the liquid. Generally the longer the liquid spends in the cask the darker colour it takes. Be careful though as some whiskeys have caramel colouring added for effect. We don't add anything like this to our whiskey. Liquid matured in sherry cask is likely to take on a slightly different colour than one aged in a bourbon cask.
Now the fun bit. Swirl, sniff and sample. Depending on what you're drinking the nose is likely to be very different. So if you've grabbed a glass of the Bird you'll encounter notes of vanilla immediately. This is due to the fact the liquid has spent the majority of its life in 1st fill ex bourbon barrels. Sometimes you can get a toffee note or perhaps banana. These notes are mainly due to the vanilla in american oak. Our casks we're previously used to hold bourbon and they have been recharred for fresh use in Irish whiskey.
If its a whiskey that's been aged in sherry casks then you can expect notes of dates, figs and raisins. These have been described as the Christmas pudding notes.
In many ways, the best starter whiskey is something like our own special blend the Bird Irish whiskey as it is a distinct blend of single grain and single malt whiskey, lovingly matured in ex-bourbon barrels and ex oloroso sherry butts.
