A Guide to Whiskey and Spirits

Whiskey is surrounded by more performance than almost any other drink, which is unfortunate, because the underlying subject is simple and genuinely interesting.

The categories, briefly

Bourbon. American, at least 51 percent corn, aged in new charred oak. The new oak is why bourbon leans sweet: vanilla, caramel, baking spice. Approachable and consistent.

Rye. At least 51 percent rye. Drier and sharper than bourbon, with a peppery character. Better in cocktails for exactly that reason.

Scotch. Scottish, usually malted barley, aged at least three years in used casks. Because the oak is used, the spirit and the region come through more clearly. Speyside tends toward orchard fruit, Islay toward smoke and salt.

Irish whiskey. Typically lighter and smoother, often triple distilled. An easy starting point.

Japanese whisky. Built on the Scotch model with an emphasis on precision and balance. Frequently excellent and frequently overpriced.

How to taste without the theater

Use a glass that narrows at the top. Pour a small measure. Let it sit for a minute.

Smell with your mouth slightly open and your nose above the glass rather than in it. Take a small sip and let it coat your mouth before swallowing. Notice what remains after thirty seconds, which is where the interesting part usually is.

A few drops of water genuinely help most cask strength spirits. This is chemistry rather than ritual: water lowers the alcohol enough to release aromatic compounds.

Ignore the vocabulary if it does not help

Tasting notes are one person's associations. If a spirit reminds you of something specific to your own life, that is a more useful note than anything printed on the box.

Age is not quality

Older spirit is not automatically better. Extended time in oak can improve a whisky and can also flatten it under tannin. Some of the best bottles available are relatively young, and much of the price of very old whisky is scarcity rather than flavour.

Building a shortlist

Start with three bottles from different categories rather than three variations within one. A bourbon, an unpeated Speyside, and a rye will teach you more about your own preference in a month than a shelf of similar bottles will in a year.

Then follow what you actually reach for, not what you think you should.

At the bar

The best thing you can do at a well-run bar is describe what you like in plain language and let the bartender suggest something. It is a far better system than ordering by reputation.

Coming to East Cobb

Enclave is a private indoor golf and social club being built in East Cobb, where the bar is treated as a discipline rather than an amenity. It is not yet open.