Example Single Malt 12
Tastes of: honey, orchard fruit and a little spice
2cl€4.204cl€8.20
Whiskey School
How to taste, how to read our list, and the words
You do not need to be an expert to enjoy whiskey. This short guide shows how to taste, how to read our whiskey list, and what the words mean, so that the next time you stand at the bar you know what to ask for.
Taste in five steps
Look
Hold the glass to the light. The colour tells a story about the cask: pale straw is often an older, used cask, deep amber or copper often means sherry or new oak.
Swirl
A gentle swirl wakes up the aromas. There is no need for a big movement, a small circle is enough.
Smell
Bring the glass slowly closer and breathe in with your mouth slightly open. Fruit, vanilla, honey, smoke, sea air: say what you find, there are no wrong answers.
Sip
Take a small sip and let it coat your tongue. Is it sweet, spicy, dry, creamy or smoky? Notice where on the tongue you feel it.
Savour
After you swallow, notice how long the flavour stays. That is the finish. A few drops of water can open it up again.
Neat, with water or on ice?
There is no rule. Neat shows the whiskey as the maker made it. A few drops of water can make the aromas open up. Ice cools and calms the flavour, which many people like on a warm evening. Try each one and keep what you like.
How to read our whiskey list
- The coloured stripe shows the region: Speyside is copper, Islay smoky grey, Ireland green.
- The cream label gives the age in years and the strength. NAS means no age statement.
- 2cl / 4cl are the two sizes: a taster and a standard measure.
- Tastes of gives the flavours to look for.
- Tried it stamps your whiskey passport, which stays on your own phone.
Regions and what to expect
HighlandsVaried, from light and heathery to rich and spicy.14 whiskeysLowlandsLight, gentle and often floral.3 whiskeysSpeysideFruity and honeyed, often matured in sherry casks.15 whiskeysIslay and IslandsPeat smoke, sea salt and iodine, the smokiest of the Scottish styles.18 whiskeysBlended ScotchMalt and grain whisky blended for balance and easy drinking.4 whiskeysScotland, region unknownScotch where the bottle does not name a region.1 whiskeyIrelandSmooth and fruity, often triple distilled. Many are easy to start with.49 whiskeysUnited StatesBourbon is sweet with vanilla and caramel, rye is spicier and drier.13 whiskeysCanadaSmooth and light, often with a little rye spice.2 whiskeysJapanDelicate and precise, inspired by the Scottish tradition.1 whiskeyIndiaA warm climate ages whiskey quickly: rich, fruity and spicy.1 whiskeyFranceSmall distilleries, often with local casks.1 whiskeyGermanySmall craft distilleries, often fruity and creative.1 whiskeyWalesLight and fruity, often finished in wine casks.2 whiskeys
Whiskey words from A to Z
- ABV
- Alcohol by volume, the strength. Most whiskeys are bottled at 40 to 46 percent.
- Age statement
- The age on the label is the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.
- Angel's share
- The part that evaporates from the cask while the whiskey matures.
- Blended
- A mix of whiskeys, often malt and grain, from several distilleries.
- Bourbon
- American whiskey made from at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak.
- Cask finish
- The whiskey spends a last period in a second cask, for example sherry, port or wine, for extra flavour.
- Cask strength
- Bottled straight from the cask without adding water, usually 50 to 65 percent.
- Dram
- A small measure of whiskey. Also a friendly word for "a glass".
- Finish
- The flavour that stays after you swallow.
- NAS (no age statement)
- No age on the label. This does not mean worse: the maker chose by flavour, not by years.
- Neat
- Served without water or ice.
- Nose
- To smell the whiskey, and also the smell itself.
- Peated
- The malt was dried over burning peat, which gives smoke, earth and sea notes.
- Pot still
- A traditional Irish style made from malted and unmalted barley, creamy and spicy.
- Rye
- Whiskey made mostly from rye grain: spicy and dry.
- Sherry cask
- A cask that held sherry. It tends to add dried fruit, nuts and spice.
- Single malt
- Made from malted barley at one single distillery.
- Triple distilled
- Distilled three times, typical of many Irish whiskeys, giving a lighter and smoother style.
- Uisce beatha
- Irish for "water of life", where the word whiskey comes from.
No word matches. Try another one, or ask the bar team.
Ready to try?
Our whiskey list Find your whiskey Tastings My whiskey passport
Questions and answers
Whiskey or whisky?
Both are right. Ireland and the United States write whiskey, Scotland, Canada and Japan write whisky. On our list we write whiskey, whatever the country.
Should I add water?
It is up to you. A few drops of water can open up the aromas, especially in a stronger whiskey. Ask the bar team for a small jug of water.
What does NAS mean?
NAS means no age statement. The maker chose the whiskey for its flavour, not for a number of years.
What are 2cl and 4cl?
Every whiskey on our list has two prices. 2cl is a small taster, so you can try more than one. 4cl is a standard measure. You can also share a 4cl glass.
Is older always better?
No. Older whiskey is often richer in oak, but many people prefer a younger, fresher whiskey. Taste decides, not the number.
Where should I start?
Try our whiskey matchmaker, ask the bar team, or take one of our tastings: five drams, one after another. Irish whiskeys are a gentle start.
Looking for a gift? Gift vouchers (Gutscheine) are available at the bar.