All Fingers on Deck: A Guide to Serving Whiskey for Beginners

After a long, hard day, there’s nothing more satisfying than kicking back with a nice glass of whiskey. As Mark Twain says, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough”.

Whether you’ve been a whiskey lover for a long time or you’re just starting to dabble in the spirit, there are some things you should know about serving whiskey that will help enhance your overall drinking experience.

What do you need to know?

Check out this whiskey for beginners guide to learn everything you need to know about serving whiskey.

What is Whiskey?

First things first, what exactly is whiskey?

Whiskey is the umbrella term that refers to distilled spirits that are made from grain mash. Rye, bourbon, and scotch, on the other hand, are all different types of whiskey.

The difference between these types of whiskey depends on the grain used, the location in which the whiskey is distilled, the types of caskets used, and the aging process.

For example, you can’t make scotch outside of Scotland, or Irish whiskey outside of Ireland.

Choose the Right Glass

Serving whiskey all starts with choosing the right glass. Unlike wine glasses or martini glasses, there are all different types of whiskey glasses to choose from.

These glasses include:

Tulip (Copita) Glass

The tulip glass is a Spanish glass that’s typically used to serve sherry. It’s a top choice for master distillers and whiskey connoisseurs around the world.

You can easily cradle the glass so you can warm the spirit if you desire. Typically, this glass is best served with a single malt whiskey.

Glencairn Whiskey Glass

The Glencairn whiskey glass is short with a solid base, and it’s more substantial than the tulip glass.

Due to its size, this is the perfect glass for learning how to swirl your whiskey.

Tumbler

The tumbler glass, also known as the old fashioned glass, the lowball, or the rocks glass, is the most common type of whiskey glasses.

This is the perfect glass for drinking your whiskey on the rocks or for sipping cocktails. Because of its robust base, it’s particularly great for muddling cocktail ingredients.

This is a timeless glass that’s great for any whiskey fan, and it should definitely be the first one you add to your collection.

The Snifter

This glass simply oozes class and timelessness- think cigars in the smoking room after you finish dinner. While this type of glass is commonly used for brandy, it’s also very popular amongst whiskey drinkers.

The Neat Whiskey Glass

Last but not least, we have the neat whiskey glass. This glass was actually made by mistake in a glass blowing factory. But, subsequent testing found that this mistake made the perfect vessel for sipping whiskey.

In fact, the neat glass actually stands for Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology. And, this isn’t just a fancy name. The shape of the glass actually helps squeeze out the lighter ethanol molecules while leaving behind the heavier, more appetizing whiskey molecules.

Serving a Single Malt Whiskey

Now that you know about the different types of glasses, let’s dive into the most basic whiskey serving: the single malt whiskey pour.

As you know, the first thing you need to do is choose the right glassware. For a single malt whiskey, we suggest using a tumbler glass. However, if you don’t have a tumbler glass on hand, any type will do.

Just make sure that the glass is thoroughly clean and that there are no traces of lint. Even the tiniest bit of fluff in the glass can affect the taste of the whiskey.

To avoid lint or pieces of fluff from entering the glass, we suggest air drying your glasses instead of hand drying them.

Once the glass is ready, you simply need to tip and pour it to your desired amount. Generally, two fingers is considered a full serving ( in other words, place two fingers against the glass and pour to the top).

Once you get comfortable with your measurements, you’ll be able to eyeball the pour. However, until you have the pouring down, you can use a bar jigger to help you measure out the perfect amount.

Using Water or Ice

Now, the question is- when should you add water or ice to your whiskey?

Serious whiskey connoisseurs will tell you that you should never add ice or water to your whiskey, as they believe that it muddles the taste.

However, you can’t help what you like, and if you wish to add some water or ice to your whiskey to warm yourself up to the full flavor, we say go for it.

Just make sure that if you’re using ice, you add in the cubes before you pour in the whiskey. And, we suggest using one large cube instead of a bunch of small crushed cubes. This is because one large cube will take a lot longer to melt, so the flavor of the whiskey won’t be too washed out.

Pairing Whiskey with Food

It’s no secret that whiskey (or any type of alcohol really) tastes best when served with food.

However, just like wine, there are certain types of foods that go better with whiskey.

The best foods to pair with whiskey include:

* Fruit: Particularly tarty ones, like apples or pears
* Cheese: Smoky and spicy cheeses go best with whiskey
* Dark chocolate
* Grilled steak
* Nuts
* Meatloaf: Meatloaf goes particularly well with strong, peaty whiskeys
* Smoked salmon: Smoked salmon goes well with whiskey with a high rye content

All of these foods can help you enhance your whiskey tasting experiencing. This guide can also help teach you how to taste whiskey like a pro.

Whiskey for Beginners: Wrap Up

Now that you’ve read this whiskey for beginners’ guide, it’s time to start serving up your whiskey. Before you know it, you’ll be a true whiskey expert.

And, if you liked this blog, be sure to check back in for more posts on cocktails and food.