Why Not Swirling Your Whiskey Before Tasting Is A Big Mistake

Swirling a glass of whiskey is not just for show — it turns out it actually serves a real purpose. You can tell a lot about what is going on in that glass before you even take a sip, according to experts Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder, co-founders of Lodestar Whiskey.

"People swirl whiskey to look at its 'legs,'" they explained. When you swirl whiskey (or Scotch and bourbon), it sends the spirit up the sides of the glass. The trails created as those droplets fall back down are known as the legs. "Higher ABV means less water and therefore more viscosity, making the whiskey drip down the glass slower after a swirl," the experts added. On the other hand, a young, lower alcohol whiskey would have lots of legs that flow down very quickly. This is important because, similarly to wine, the ABV hints at the taste.

If you want to sip whiskey like a seasoned professional, look at more than just the legs, but at the color and texture too, so you are engaging more of your senses. As well, swirling also helps release aromatic compounds in the air, making it easier to get a full sense of what that whiskey smells like. Smell accounts for a huge part of how humans perceive a given taste, so this is another important step to help you appreciate all the facets of this spirit. 

While it is true that you will likely notice a stronger scent after swirling, there is no reason to overthink things. You don't need to alter the direction of the swirl based on what hemisphere you are in, seek out expensive glassware, or swirl obsessively before each sip. "Some folks suggest swirling before each sip to boost evaporation and aroma," but that can be excessive because "evaporation happens anyway," experts Anna Axster and Wendelin Von Schroder explained to Food Republic.

Rather, they say there is a simpler way to get the most out of your nose when it comes to tasting whiskey: "When you go in for a sniff, just keep your nose about an inch from the glass and your mouth slightly open." Pushing your nose too far into the glass can overwhelm your senses — kind of like when you accidentally bite into a hot chili pepper and then find you can't taste anything else properly for a little while after. Keeping your mouth slightly open has to do with that interaction between taste and smell. "Your taste buds catch some of the vapors, making the aromas even richer," they add.

At the end of the day, though, Axster and von Schroder advise to just play around and see what suits you. As they said, "Enjoying whiskey should be uncomplicated and fun."