An idiot’s guide to whisky tasting
I despise whisky. I had an ugly experience with it during my (very mature) college years.
But since I am an open-minded (very mature) adult, I accepted an invitation to a Crown Royal tasting event at Passion8 in Elizabeth. I was told “acclaimed Master of Whisky” Stephen Wilson would guide me through the sipping process.
I sat down with Wilson and told him I hate whisky.
Wilson, now the national brand ambassador for Crown Royal, said I was actually a fine test subject for the two new variants of Crown Royal Canadian Whisky: Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye and Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel.
He said he likes to introduce people to whisky.
“That’s my goal for you,” he said, “is to find a whisky, is to bring you back to the dark side.”
In that spirit, I dragged my carcass over to the dark side with a stingy sip of El Butchador, a cocktail created by Butch Friedman of Passion8. I sipped the mix of Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, ginger beer and chocolate bitters, and silently, ever so subtly, gagged. And ordered a plain ginger beer.
Then I sucked it up and joined a small group for a guided tasting with Wilson’s technique: retronasal olfaction.
How it works:
– Nose it a little bit. As in, stick your nose close to the glass without rubbing up on it.
– Take a little sip of the whisky.
– Hold it in the center of your tongue.
– Move the liquid side to side, cheek to cheek.
– Bring the liquid forward in your mouth.
– Push the liquid up to the roof of your mouth.
– Go ahead and swallow.
– Open your mouth slightly, breathe in across your tongue, then close your mouth and breathe out through your nose.
Now, on to the sipping.
(1) Crown Royal Deluxe (80 proof)
The legendary blend was created in 1939 for King George VI, Wilson said, and sets the standard for Crown Royal.
Wilson said to experience: “Some of those nice spicy notes, vanilla, a lot of what that Crown Royal personality is all about. … Creaminess, you get that long, very lingering finish.”
My experience: A spicy bite like a dangerous cinnamon overdose, a slip of vanilla, a mild dry heave.
(2) Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye (90 proof)
The rye grain is planted in Canada in the fall, Wilson said. It starts to sprout, gets covered by snow and continues to grow in the spring. Lovely.
Wilson said to experience: “A lot of cinnamon, nutmeg, these wonderful spicy flavors from this particular grain. … A lot of baked apple, light spices, that nice malty-ness coming through.”
My experience: Smoothness, creaminess. Near enjoyment. A hint of vanilla? The apple. Loss of sensation in the tongue tip.
(3) Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel (103 proof)
Made from Coffey Rye.
Wilson said to experience: “That little hint of banana.”
My experience: Stinging nostrils and major upchuck reflex. A faint hope for banana. Seared tongue and throat. Suddenly… banana! A puff of smoke as my tongue falls off in a heap of ash.
Bottom line: I almost liked the Harvest Rye. And I believe there is hope for the rest.
“It’s really about diving in there and exploring whiskies and the flavors and the aromas and the personalities,” Wilson said.
One day, I’ll dive over to the dark side again.
This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 12:30 AM with the headline "An idiot’s guide to whisky tasting."