5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Gin Tasting Experience

Tasting gin is an art that everyone can practice. However, very few can master it. You don’t need to show off or feel timid about the taste and smell of the gin. Tasting this beverage is all about your enjoyment and experience. This article shares a few tips to get the most out of your gin tasting experience.

1. Selecting Right Gins

Not all gins are made the same. Australia has a long list of famous gins like the Archie Rose Signature, Brookie’s, Noble Cuts, and many more. You need to select a variety that is made of organic and natural ingredients. A gin with a grape alcohol base tastes good, provided the wine manufacturer follows the right extraction recipe.

You can choose a few local brands and some popular ones to see what differences in taste and smell you can detect. Remember, gins are generally categorised into three categories – mediocre, good, and outstanding. You should be able to tell the difference between them.

Gin is rarely enjoyed neat. When you want to have the best gin tasting experience, leave out the garnish, ice, and tonic aside. Please make sure you taste the spirit on its own to develop a palate.

1. Tasting Glasses

You need to select the right shaped glasses for tasting different gins. If you plan to taste more than one gin, it is always good to use separate glasses. Gin is colourless, and it is common to get things mixed up. You can select a curved glass to taste the gin, allowing you to nose it before tasting it.

A glass with a curved side is excellent for catching the aromas of spirit. The small bowl shape of the glass allows you to swirl the gin and unlock more aromas.

1. Pour Adequate Quantity

To get an optimal feeling of taste and aroma, you need to pour at least 15 ml into each glass. First, taste it neat and add a small amount of tonic or water to enhance the aroma. Go for a light unflavoured tonic as it does not overpower the taste of the gin.

1. Use Your Nose, Swirl Less

To catch the right aromas, you need to nose the gin before taking a sip. Don’t swirl too much before nosing glass. Too much swirl will unleash intense aromas and overpower your nose. When you nose the glass, note down the intense and light fragrance. Do you smell flowers, fruits, citrus, or juniper? Make a mental note of it.

Try to achieve precision when nosing the glass to identify the aromas. Take a look at the ingredients of the bottle. Do the aromas have similarities with the elements on the list?

1. The Palate

Swirl the glass lightly before taking a sip neat. Does the gin taste like the aromas you smelled earlier? Allow the spirit to tingle your mouth and tongue thoroughly so that your taste buds come alive. Think about the taste after gulping down the spirit. If the lingering flavour is right, you can conclude it is a good gin.

To sum up, these are some of the tips that will help you get the most out of your gin tasting experience.