The most direct way to taste whisky. Observe the colour, smell the aroma then take a sip. Don’t swallow but savour. Heat it up in your mouth and dilute it with saliva. Taste carefully the flavours spreading on your taste buds.

The most special and interesting character of whisky is that it gives you different tasting experiences with different ABV. As a standard of Scotch Whisky industry, the 40% legal minimum is also the easiest alcoholic strength for most people. Still, people have their own preference and taste. The best part of drinking whisky is that you can explore your favourite strength. With lower ABV, a whisky will have a richer nose and softer texture. Without the stimulation by high ABV, you will also have sharper taste buds. If you have bought a cask strength whisky with high ABV, drink it neat to taste its rawest flavour. After that, add water by phases and experience the changes with different amounts of alcohol content. In this way, you can taste it thoroughly.

By adding soda water to whisky, you will get a glass of Highball, the most classic whisky cocktail. The original proportion is one part whisky with three parts soda water, can be adjusted to your own preference. Highball can let you clearly feel the hidden floral and fruity notes and malty sweetness in whisky. Please note that you have to put ice in the glass first (avoid crushed ice for adding too much water when it melts), then pour whisky before soda water. Don’t stir to keep the gas in soda water. Use a long spoon to pull for 2 to 3 times.

Put an ice ball inside the glass, pour whisky and stir. Drink when it cools down. This is all about feeling the texture of whisky in different temperatures. Also when the ice ball melts, water will keep changing the aromas and flavours of whisky. Compared with Highball, the former is to drink it all before the gas disappears and enjoy the freshness of whisky; while the latter is to drink slowly and feel the depth of whisky.