One of the best ways to learn about spirits is to taste them. Spirit tastings allow consumers to discover a deeper understanding and admiration for liquor brands and products.
Whether you are a novice or a connoisseur, tasting events can be fun and educational for everyone. Being able to see, touch, taste, and smell a range of spirits during a block of time will enhance your brand knowledge and help distinguish your taste buds.
As you sip your way through different regions consuming samples, your senses will be enlightened. You will discover a deeper understanding of the history and mixology behind brands and cocktails with the ultimate goal of increasing your enjoyment of spirits and building your awareness of them. After attending a tasting event, you should become more perceptive and enthusiastic about alcohol beverages and hopefully develop a deeper appreciation.
Interested in whiskey? Join us at one of our great tastings this winter!
There are five main categories you should focus on during a tasting: Clarity, Color, Aroma, Flavor, and Finish. Don't rush through the event but rather savor each taste. Observe the five aspects of your drink for the full experience before indulging.
The first mark of a quality distilled spirit is its clarity. When you hold it up to the light you should be able to see through it, even with brown spirits. Next note the color. Take whiskey for example. While most whiskies are brown due to their contact with barrels, many are different shades of brown. The color does not denote the quality but it's a great factor in distinguishing one drink from the next.
Now that you've looked at the contents of your glass, swirl it and then take a nice sniff. As you inhale the aroma, try to detect what ingredients might be in your drink...cinnamon, nutmeg, apple, caramel, etc. Now, it's finally time to take a sip of the spirit but before you swallow, let the liquid rest in your mouth while you swirl it around so your tongue and taste buds can really enjoy it. Is what you taste, the same as what you sensed when sniffing the drink?
Interested in savings and additional perks to our tastings, select your city here!
Once you've checked the clarity, color, aroma, and taste of the spirit, wait a moment before reaching for any food, water, or another sample. The flavors of the beverage will linger in your mouth a few more moments. This is the finish.
Brand reps should encourage all tasters to pay attention to the five characteristics and share details about each with you. The vendor should also talk about the history of their distillery, winery, brewery, etc, explore tasting notes, and reveal where consumers can purchase the product.
Tastings are just as great for the brands as they are the customers. They help create a bigger presence for brands. Attendees are there because they love the spirit, want to be introduced to new brands, or have an interest in learning more about the beverages.
Interested in whiskey? Join us at one of our great tastings this winter!
Again, one of the best ways to learn about spirits is to taste them, which is why we created a variety of tasting events throughout the year. We host whiskey, wine, tequila, and beer tastings in our different markets. We are always open to suggestions for other tastings, too.
On January 28, Social Scene hosted a winter I Heart Whiskey event in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. The sold out event was a great success. Guests offered positive feedback expressing their satisfaction in having an intimate opportunity to learn more about whiskey and bourbon. Brands appreciated the chance to make more personal connections with their customers.
See what some of our vendors had to say:
Spirit Tastings just......... make SENSE!
Have ideas? Suggestions? Questions? Comment below or connect with me via phone or email: 312-978-4948 or katie@besocialscene.com.
Interested in whiskey? Join us at one of our great tastings this winter!
Katie Cahnmann
National Media & Sponsorship Manager
Social Scene
My Drink On (MyDrinkOn.com) - An online marketplace in 10 cities hosting over 200 concepts each year to connect party goers, venues, and brands!
Social Scene (BeSocialScene.com) - An online and on-site solution to corporate event planning and brand building! Build your brand with your team, current clients, future clients or the community around you! We work with you to produce custom online and offline experiential concepts to build your brand!