whiskey class

[leebo]

I've been asked to help lead a discussion/tasting for my mountain biking group. Looking for some advice. I thiking to touch on some history, process and types of american whiskey. A rye , wheat and rye bourbons and maybe some G.dickel for some pours. I'm guessing that my some of my class will be new to whiskey. Thoughts please.

[jeff]

Here's some advice: Only drink bourbon while biking through the valleys, not while on the ridge tops!

Seriously, we lose a couple of teenagers a year in the Red River Gorge Geological Area because of drinking while on a cliff.

[NickAtMartinis]

I've been asked to help lead a discussion/tasting for my mountain biking group. Looking for some advice. I thiking to touch on some history, process and types of american whiskey. A rye , wheat and rye bourbons and maybe some G.dickel for some pours. I'm guessing that my some of my class will be new to whiskey. Thoughts please.

I've never done this sort of thing before so I'm probably not the one to ask. Though, I'd say purchase a bottle of Saz Jr. to represent Rye, a bottle f oORVW 10/90 to represent wheated bourbon and a bottle of ERSB to represent rye'd bourbon.

Giving a brief overview of bourbon and its roots would certainly be a great precursor to the tasting. It will allow the class to have an appreciation for the product prior to tasting.

I'm sure this is very unhelpful but figured I'd drop my two cents into the pot.

Good luck,

Mark

[leebo]

I thought someone out there might give me some help with some tasting ideas and discussion areas.

[sku]

I've been asked to help lead a discussion/tasting for my mountain biking group. Looking for some advice. I thiking to touch on some history, process and types of american whiskey. A rye , wheat and rye bourbons and maybe some G.dickel for some pours. I'm guessing that my some of my class will be new to whiskey. Thoughts please.

I've done this type of thing for a number of small groups. Here is the formula I usually follow for an American whiskey intro:

1. What is whiskey? (What it is, how it's made, aging, mash bills, distillation etc. Brief comparison with Scotch, Irish, Canadian.)
2. Types of American Whiskey (Explanation and comparison of Bourbon vs. Rye vs. TN vs. malt)
3. How to drink and taste whiskey: flavor profiles, what to look for, etc.

For beginners, I usually try to pick a tasting selection that is affordable and available, so it depends on what's around your area, but here's what I might use.

Bourbon: BT, Woodford, Makers
Rye: BabySaz or Rittenhouse 100
TN: Dickel
Single Malt (optional, but I like to throw it in for variety sake): Stranahan's or St. George

[barturtle]

You'll probably want to start with the basics
-legal definition
-production
-myth dispelling

Move into discussing types
-Bourbon (rye and wheated)
-Rye
-Corn
-Tn

Maybe best to use brands with some historical significance, just to have something to add some color to the discussion.