Whisky Forum - Variability in palates and cleansing them

Quaich1

One's palate for nosing/tasting whisky can change daily IMO based on a number of parameters: what you ate the day before right up until you have a dram, whether and what spices of any kind you have had, the type of tooth paste you've used and when, medications, etc. Furthermore, cleansing the palate is no simple matter and what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. For example just having some water, baguette bread or cracker to cleanse the palate may or may not work for everyone. I think what one's consumed or used prior to having a dram can significantly affect the enjoyment of a dram, taste notes and whether you can actually be successful in palate cleansing.
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"Always carry a large flagon of whisky in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake."
W.C. Fields (1880-1946)

James T · Master Of Malts Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 2984

I find you can never completely cleanse the palate so i choose the order of my drams carefully.

sorren · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 9:59 am Post subject:

I use just water, a good rinse between drams but as you say your palate and nose can be already effected by what you have eaten and the surrounding scents, all this effects what you get from your whisky, I actually had a really smokey Auchentoshan the other day until I realised I had left my Dram near my log fire for a while Laughing

.. The look on my face would have been priceless...

opelfruit · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:33 pm Post subject:

opelfruit · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:37 pm Post subject:

I tend to stick to a large measure of the same whisky when I'm drinking and as I don't tend to switch between drams I don't have to worry about palate cleansing.

If I do mix I either order my drams with the most I intense last or if I'm drinking something I really like and something that I just a glass filler I usually have the glass filler 2nd as I'm not bothered if I can't taste it as much.
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"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough."

sorren · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 3:54 pm Post subject:

its ok I could still tell it was something good, and knew I couldn't have poured that dishwasher stuff you call " whisky " 😜... Besides I think I only have a few dozen peaty/ smokey whiskes and they are well tucked away for when I'm old n my taste buds have totally gone Rolling Eyes

GBrough · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 7:23 pm Post subject:

When I really want to taste a whisky I use a Netti Pot.
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The Laga 16.

It even tastes like an ashtray-WM

sorren · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 7:32 pm Post subject:

A what ?

Quaich1 · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 7:45 pm Post subject:

sorren · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 7:46 pm Post subject:

Ahh I see ... I just give my nose a good blow 😂

Quaich1 · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 7:47 pm Post subject:

TyWebb · Member Joined: 24 Jul 2014 Posts: 13 Location: Florida

sorren · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 6:11 pm Post subject:

Dont know if that's good or bad tyweb, Laughing

I would say the lag would clear your nose on its own 😂

GBrough · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:47 pm Post subject:

GBrough · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:49 pm Post subject: