BourbonEnthusiast.com

Fellow Enthusiasts,

I am looking for a guide or instructions on how to host a tasting.

I tried searching for this but could not find anything.

What I am uncertain about are:

1. How to assemble the bourbons to be tasted. I need help selecting the ones to be tasted. If a burbon tasting is anything like a wine tasting, then I probably don't want to follow something extrememly bold with something very subtle. True?

2. I have read somewhere online that cutting them with water is good - I need more info on this.

3. How many bourbons can be sampled in one session?

4. Should I serve some type of food to keep from getting tanked? If so, suggestions on what works well would be appreciated.

I know this is basic stuff, but not the easiest to search for online.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Rob

Rob,
There are as many ways to hold a bourbon tasting as there are bourbons to taste. I recommend that you do what you feel most comfortable doing. With that said, I would recommend these following guidelines.

1)Don't try too many at once. Pick what you think you and the other people can handle in one night before their taste buds get zapped by alcohol - 3 to 6 bourbons are good amounts.

2) Pick a theme that you want to discuss - Traditional bourbons and wheaters: Rye compared to bourbon: All from one distiller: Bardstown Distillers compared to Kentucky River Valley (Frankfort/Lawrenceburg area) are just some possible themes.

3) Use the same style of glassware with each bourbon. Glassware does make a difference and you want to treat each bourbon/rye fairly, so don't use a lowball glass for one person, a wine glass for another and a tupperware bowl for another.

4) I suggest tasting them neat and then adding a little water and tasting again.

5) Provide pencil and paper to those who want to make notes and enjoy the experience.