Question about going on tastings

[Backdoctor]

I have a lot of experience doing winery visits and tastings. I know when doing many tastings in a day people often spit out the wine after tasting it.

 

Does anyone do that in tasting bourbons? My concern is doing multiple tastings and getting popped from it. My buddy and I are doing 3 - 4 a day, with lunch mid way. Just wondering if people spit on tastings as they do at wineries when doing multiple tastings. 

[Richnimrod]

I suppose "people" may do any number of things, given the wide variety of people, and the vast number of variations that run the gamut of circumstances that are to be found. 

That said, I do NOT spit out good Bourbon... bad Bourbon (an extreme rarity) is another question.    I can't think of any of my friends or acquaintances that spit either. 

Now, I may choose not to imbibe the entire tasting, if I've tasted enough to understand the dram at hand.    that may be a strategy you could use to avoid getting a bit blotto before the day ends.

Also, given the time it often takes to travel among the locations of the tastings, and the relatively small quantities offered, you may be worried about nothing... or very little.

Be aware (and it sounds as if you are) of your limitations, and have food and water at hand, and you'll be well-prepared.

[JCwhammie]

I agree with Rich in that it shouldn't be an issue. Most of the tours I've done take 45 minutes to an hour. You're likely going to be drinking less than an ounce at each tasting. Wild Turkey has a bar where you buy drinks after your tasting. You may want to stay away from that unless it's the last place you go that day and you have a driver.

[smokinjoe]

If you tour any of those crafts, you may consider it....

 

[Vosgar]

^^^^^^^^ preferably in the direction of whoever poured it ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Kane]

At a more "technical" level, yes, spitting whiskey at tastings is acceptable, and common practice if say you are trying 200 whiskeys in a row at a festival. For distillery tours see above!

[Old Hippie]

As a guideline, the normal liver can process about 1 oz of 100 proof alcohol in an hour. Pace yourself reasonably and use this as a guide and you should have no problem. 

[graftonbc1]

My advice:

 

1. Bring ample water. Drink water between tastings.

2. Research the tasting. If it is a large number of things, identify what you want to taste and taste those first. If you are still in good shape, experiment, but pace yourself.

3. I don't spit, but I also do not drink all they give you. (I do if I like it, though.)

4. Don't Bogart the table. When you get your pour, step back and sip it. If you have questions, or you want to try something else, then work your way back up.

 

 

 

[smokinjoe]

Expanding on Grafton’s advice, it is generally considered poor form to watch the tastings of others to see if they do taste, or not, in order to hang back after the tasters have moved out of the room so you can whip out your water bottle or flask and pour their leftovers in...  

 

 

i have seen this done many times...

Edited September 4, 2018 by smokinjoe

[GaryT]

30 minutes ago, smokinjoe said:

Expanding on Grafton’s advice, it is generally considered poor form to watch the tastings of others to see if they do taste, or not, in order to hang back after the tasters have moved out of the room so you can whip out your water bottle or flask and pour their leftovers in...  

 

 

i have seen this done many times...

You mean Restaurant Man didn't make up that strategy after Beau left us alone in Warehouse H with them ETL barrels?  Also, it was an old juice bottle (we didn't wise up to bring proper empty flasks until Four Roses!)  

[BourbonGuy]

The only time I spit was at WhiskeyFest.  The number of bourbons there you would want to taste would cripple me if I swallowed every taste.