Can You Really Taste Bourbon After One Drink?

[Gillman]

I am starting to think that you really only taste bourbon, or any whiskey, i.e., taste it properly in its full plenitude, with the first drink. After that, the palate is always affected, I find I can barely taste anything coming after. If you have a decent interval, and eat something, then the palate goes back, but not otherwise.

Comments?

Gary

[SWC]

Other than time, water seems to do the trick for me. Also, a slow pace is always good with that palate fatigue.

[squire]

Then drink the good stuff first.

[TunnelTiger]

Never noticed or considered a difference. If it's good it's good to the last drop.

[tanstaafl2]

I am starting to think that you really only taste bourbon, or any whiskey, i.e., taste it properly in its full plenitude, with the first drink. After that, the palate is always affected, I find I can barely taste anything coming after. If you have a decent interval, and eat something, then the palate goes back, but not otherwise.

Comments?

Gary

I do tend to find that particularly with overproof whiskey my palate changes quickly with subsequent tastes. Drinking water in between does help. Lower proof, especially around 90 or so and below it is less of an issue unless the whiskey is pretty raw and fiery or has a significant spice component.

Whiskey high in congeners or what ever it is that can make cheaper or less "refined" whiskey taste hot, even at lower proofs, can be a lot worse than a good quality overproof whiskey is on the palate. And water seems less able to neutralize the effect.

[BigRich]

It can but not always. Sometimes I'm picking up crazy levels of nuance three drinks in. Other times I'm a one and done guy. I haven't spent enough time contemplating the matter to hypothesize on cause and effect.

[BootsOnTheGround]

I all tastes the same if you hold your breath.

I generally find my first impression is pretty accurate. In other words if it try something (especially blind) and form an opinion of it, that usually doesn't change. Has nothing to do with "palate fatigue." Has more to do with the pleasure of the taste itself.

Which is why it's very valuable to know and learn your pleasure and use it as a selective guide over anecdote. For ex, there's a ton of anecdotal feedback on Four Roses and it's a crowd fav to many. I've had enough myself to know that I don't prefer it's taste. I can pick FR out of a lineup fairly well because of previous experience, but I always am eager to be fooled (which I have been). Others are the same way with Beam or Turkey, etc.

Edited July 15, 2014 by BootsOnTheGround

[squire]

This is something that intrigues me. Take two Bourbons, one youngish (36-48 months) firery and hot, and another from the same distillery that is smooth and refined at 6-8 years. Both started the same (mashbill, proof off the still and into the barrel) so what explains the difference except the barrel aging.

The barrel's the thing wherein we'll catch the spirit of the thing.

[393foureyedfox]

I can pick FR out of a lineup fairly well because of previous experience

[GaryT]

When I'm doing a SBS, I do try to taste them in reverse order - as I noticed that my second taste was virtually always my preferred (despite them being blind/random). You may be right about not tasting them as completely - but for me it feels like I'm still tasting 80% of what I would have tasted. I have tried different things with mix results (like a small piece of dark chocolate, allowing that to melt on the tongue between, followed by water), and I think those help. Or at least are an excellent excuse to consume dark chocolate

[kcgumbohead]

Had a 3 way SBS last week all 100p or below and there was a stark difference between them throughout. I have also been in a similar situation well above 100p and the first sip of #1 roasted my palate and masked everything after. I now try to stay sub 110p and prefer 100-90 for this very reason.

[OutlawSW]

Isn't this the reason why some distillers/tasters proof down the whiskey to 40 to select barrels?

[scubadoo97]

Isn't this the reason why some distillers/tasters proof down the whiskey to 40 to select barrels?

Yes but at 40 proof I lose all the wonderful complex flavors. But I'm not sampling whiskey all day

[Dannabis]

Over what sort of time period of sipping do you suppose?

I personally enjoy a very slow contemplative sipping session.

My palate does also seem to numb up in relation to the amount of alcohol consumed.

although I feel like I can discern some flavor notes through even a dense drink glow.

I like squire's epithet: "drink the good stuff first."

[Scotch Neat]

I cant see sipping whiskey at 110, 120 or 130 proof and it not numbing or desensitizing your taste buds.

Personally I drop the proof down to 80 or less, that is where my comfort zone is and where my taste buds like it.

[mbroo5880i]

If I am going to drink different pours in the same sitting, I always start with lower proofs first. I believe that the number of drinks and strength does affect taste. Drinking higher proof pours first often makes lower proof pours taste watered down.

[jmj_203]

I cant see sipping whiskey at 110, 120 or 130 proof and it not numbing or desensitizing your taste buds.

Personally I drop the proof down to 80 or less, that is where my comfort zone is and where my taste buds like it.

Makes me feel not so lame and maybe I'm learning my tastes. only 6 months in I still add a few milliliters of water to my 2 nightly pours. I find it lets me taste better and honestly even higher proofs get better aromatics and tastes with just 1 ml of water. And my first scotch was an eye opener tonight...a peated Islay whew. Different but I can see im thinking of tasting more.

[Gillman]

Good point about the proof reduction in the tasting panels at distilleries.

On the time factor, I'd say anything within a half hour. Longer than that, the natural taste sensitivity comes back. But it may also depend on the proofs tasted as mentioned and the "order" chosen.

Gary

Edited July 16, 2014 by Gillman