How to taste

You are not sitting an exam. A tasting is a few quiet minutes with one glass, so the rest of the day can be a walk, a harbour, or the train back.

Hold the glass still and look. Colour is a hint, not a verdict. A pale gold and a deep amber can both be wonderful, and neither one tells you the age.

Then the nose, before you drink. Keep your mouth slightly open. If it smells like a cupboard of old fruit, or like the shore, or like a sweet shop, that is the note. You do not have to name it properly. “Reminds me of the pier” is a complete sentence.

Sip, and let it sit. A drop of water, if the venue offers it, opens some whiskies and flattens others. Try it. If you prefer it without, leave it without.

Then the day is yours. If you fancy another place in the same spirit, the palate finder will point you at one.