Tasting notes in whisky

1. Fruity notes

Common fruit notes: - Citrus: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit - Stone fruit: apple, pear, quince - Tropical fruit: pineapple, mango, banana, coconut - Stone fruit: peach, apricot, nectarine - Berries: strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, blueberry - Dried fruit: raisins, prunes, dates, figs

Fruit notes are especially common in many Scottish single malts and in cask types such as sherry and wine casks.

2. Sweet and dessert-like notes

Sweetness can come from both the malt and the cask: - Vanilla - Caramel and cream caramel - Honey - Syrup and molasses - Dark chocolate and cocoa - Milk chocolate and nougat - Cakes, cookies and marzipan

These notes are often associated with bourbon casks and heavily toasted oak casks.

3. Malt and grain

Whisky is a grain product, and it can be tasted: - Malted barley - Grains and porridge: oatmeal, barley porridge, muesli - Bread and dough: freshly baked bread, bread crust, toast - Biscuity notes

Malted and grain notes are typical in younger whiskies and in grain whiskies.

4. Spices

Spice notes come especially from the cask and the alcohol strength: - Sweet spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice - Pepper: black pepper, white pepper, chili heat - Ginger - Licorice, anise and fennel - Herbs and herbaceous notes: thyme, rosemary, mint

Spice notes come especially from the cask and the alcohol strength. These notes are often described as warming on the palate.

5. Wood and cask

Cask aging strongly influences the whisky: - Oak and general wood notes - Tannins and dryness, as in black tea or red wine - Toasted or charred wood from charred casks - Cedarwood and cigar box

Strong wood notes can be positive or dominant, depending on balance.

6. Nutty and oily notes

• Nuts: hazelnut, walnut, almond, pecan
• Marzipan
• Butter and buttery mouthfeel
• Oils and waxes: beeswax, stearin, oil

These notes often give a full-bodied, creamy mouthfeel.

7. Smoke and peat

Especially coastal and peated whiskies: - Smoke: campfire, bonfire, fireplace, grill - Peat and earthy smoke - Medicinal notes: iodine, plaster - Ash and soot - Bacon and smoked ham - Tar and tarry notes

Intensity can vary from light smoke to very strong smoke.

8. Maritime notes

Typical of coastal distilleries: - Salt and sea salt - Seaweed and seagrass - Sea air and coastal character - Shellfish and shells

These notes can give the whisky a clear maritime character.

9. Floral and light notes

• Flowers: heather, jasmine, lavender, roses
• Perfumed and soapy notes
• Grass and hay: freshly cut grass, hayloft

Floral and light notes are often seen in more elegant and lighter whiskies.

10. Wine and special casks

From sherry, port wine, rum and other wine casks: - Sherry: raisins, nuts, dark fruit, oxidized wine - Port wine: red berries, sweet wine, grapes - Rum: sugar cane, brown sugar, tropical sweetness - Wine in general: red wine, white wine, tannin, grape skins

These finishes often give extra layers of fruit and sweetness.

11. Dark and heavy notes

• Coffee and espresso
• Tobacco and cigars
• Leather
• Earth, soil and forest floor
• Umami and soy-like notes

These notes are often found in older and darker whiskies.

12. Off-notes

Less desirable notes (off-notes): - Sulfur: match, gas, cabbage - Solvent-like notes: nail polish remover, solvents - Metallic: coins, blood - Plastic and rubber

In small amounts some of these can be acceptable, but if they dominate, they typically lower the rating.

This overview can be used as a reference when describing nose, palate and finish in reviews and tasting notes. Not all whiskies have all categories, but most will touch on a few main tracks that can be recognized across many bottles.