TASTINGS with RUMBRO
Updated 23 March 2017
Tasting of any drinks or food is a personal thing. What appeals to you may not necessarily appeal to me. I always like to do my tastings with at least one other person, but usually another three or four as I believe that we will then get the real taste and feel for the spirit/wine/beer or pops that we are tasting and not miss out on something that I may not like or that doesn’t appeal to me.
My tasting, as with most South African men started with beer and finding one suitable to my palate. As I grew up it developed into wine and yes I did follow the usual pathway that many if not most of us have done, namely sweetish white wines gradually moving into drier white wines before being able to really enjoy a good red wine.
Gout moved me out of the wine environment and into the whisky one which became a passion for many years culminating in spending time at Bruichladdich Distillery on the island of Islay and learning to make whisky – very particularly Single Malt whiskies. It was a revelation being able to spend quality and very particularly face to face time with an icon of the whisky industry, Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich. His incredible knowledge, enthusiasm and love of whisky is inspiring and I must thank him for teaching us how to properly TASTE whisky as opposed to DRINKING whisky.
I have developed the following “ritual” and scoring system based on many other and far more experienced tasters throughout the world and would like to thank them all for the influence.
I try to be as fair as possible to the manufacturer or distributor but with the only proviso that I will always be honest! I am not there to influence the customers or bolster a marketing campaign.
I only hope that when you read my review and do your own tasting that we will have enjoyed a “drink” together.
I have now changed to using the NEAT Glass from Arsilica as my standard. (see www.neatglass.co.za . I do find that the aromas and separation of aromas and alcohol really helps me in discerning the real taste and smell of the product. This has led to me pouring a little more than the “half tot” that I previously used.
I always split my tastings into the following categories as this has worked for me and hope it works for you
PRESENTATION (5 PTS)
I think we all enjoy opening something new and this forms part of the ritual as it is the first impression that we get of the product. I like, where possible, to open the product with the tasters that I am with as they too need to get the first impression. This can also lead to some creative feedback to the marketers of the product. I do not normally keep tabs on what is said of the packaging experience but will always be fair in returning compliments where due but also any negative feedback if necessary. Very often the story on the box, or on the hanging booklet or even the label can guide you into the taste sensation that you are about to experience.
I will also admit here that the price of the particular spirit, if known or if indicated on the packaging, does influence most of us and the more expensive the product, the harder it has to work to achieve the good scores that it is looking for !!!!
LOOK AND FEEL OF THE SPIRIT (5 pts)
It all begins when we open the bottle and pour the drink into the glass. What is the colour like, does it look good to you, how does it feel on the fingertips, when you run it around the glass does it have any legs running down the side, are they thin or quite viscous, is there any sediment in the glass – etc etc
I now use approximately a tot per tasting in a NEAT Glass. This is after all a tasting not a drunken brawl that we are attending !
NOSE (15pts)
Next up is the nosing. When tasting spirits we need to always remember that it usually upwards of 40% abv.
We need to remember that about 90% of what we taste is influenced by the nose. We taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter or “umami” on our tongue. We do not taste strawberries – we smell strawberries but taste sweetness.
If you are using any of the “traditional” tasting glasses then do not shove your nose into the top of the glass on your first smell as you will get some “alcohol burn” on the sensitive parts of the nose and this could influence your ability to get the full value of the nose. Pass it slowly under the nose a few times gradually bringing the glass closer to your nose.
If however you are using the Neat Glass then swirl the spirit around – this helps to evaporate some of the alcohol which bubbles over the rim of the glass and by placing your nose in the centre of the Neat Glass – or the sweet spot – you get all the aromas without the burn.
Make notes of what you smell, discuss this with your fellow tasters as they may have smelt something completely different and by you mentioning “spiciness” or “cloves” etc you may well assist in them recognising other smells.
Remember to keep your mouth open a little to allow the aroma to permeate through to the palate. This assists in getting a more “in depth” nosing experience.
This is a very important part of the taste experience as we do, believe it or not, taste with our noses more than our mouths ! If necessary go back to the nosing after you have tasted as many times as you like, you may be very surprised at what you smell and taste a second or even third time around. (More on this later)
IN THE MOUTH (50 pts)
This is obviously the biggest category and also therefore the most important. “If you don’t like the taste – you ain’t gonna buy it !!!!”
Therefore this should take up the most of your effort and time. I usually like to nose it again and then pour a little onto the tongue formed into a “spoon”. Breathe in, swill it around your mouth so that it spreads over the front, sides and back of the tongue to ensure that we get all the taste senses involved. Swallow and breathe out. Did you get confirmation of some or all of the smells that you nosed earlier? Did you find any more tastes/smells coming through – discuss with your fellow tasters to see if you missed anything and repeat the process if necessary.
Please don’t finish the whole tasting just yet !
Do all the flavours and the smells complement each other ?
AFTERTASTE OR SWALLOW (15 pts)
This is the warm feeling you get as the spirit flows down your throat. How does it feel as the spirit flows down your throat ? Aftertaste is really important – did you get that little spirit burn as it went down ? If there is any bitterness in the aftertaste, it would always lose a few points from me. A lovely smooth finish with a little alcohol burn is preferable to a harsh biting finish.
FINISH (10 pts)
This is a where it all ends ! Sometimes a spirit is more than the sum of its parts. This is the area where the remembrance of the taste and smell or more rounded – the flavour – is important. This is where the discussion between the tasters all comes together. Do I want another glass? Would I buy this Rum ? Would I be happy to pay the price that they are asking for ? Would I recommend this to a friend ?
The Final Score shall be out of 100 (with my interpretation- not necessarily yours)
0-49 A diabolical spirit ! I don’t know anyone who should be drinking this stuff – use it for tractor fuel !
50 -59 You may drink this stuff but I will not.
60-69 I probably still wouldn’t drink it but if you have to then mix it with your favourite fizzy soft drink
70-79 This is a fair mixing rum. If you serve this to your friends they will probably come back. Good stuff to use in cocktails BRONZE AWARD if we have to !
80-84 You begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. Good stuff to use in cocktails SILVER AWARD
85-89 Excellent for sipping and possibly for mixing! GOLD AWARD
90-94 An excellent sipping spirit, share with likeminded friends. DOUBLE GOLD AWARD
95-98 The best you are going to find PLATINUM AWARD
98.5+ Really hope to find this one day in Rum and or Whisky !
We have done 4 of the 5 senses, we have looked at the Rum, we have felt the Rum, we have smelt the Rum and we have tasted the Rum now we only have to hear the Rum
CHEERS RUMBRO
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