Pick a Bottle or Two
Generally, whisky is distilled from grain, mainly malt but sometimes rye and wheat play a part, too. Despite commonly just being referred to as whisky, most of the bottles we drink in clubs are actually blended whisky; the result of mixing at least two types of distilled malt (or other grain) together. But whether single malt (whisky distilled from a single type of malt) or blend, fabulous flavors can arise from the simple production process of mixing malt with water. And that’s the fun part of whisky tasting. Now pick a bottle and be sure to pour it into a proper whisky tasting glass (see picture1 ). The narrow shape is designed to provide space for the aroma to reach your nose as strongly as possible.
 
Pick the Aroma
Swirl it a little to let the some oxygen bring out the aroma. Now forget everything you’ve been told about how the whisky was made
and just follow your senses. It’s true that no fruit or spices are used in the whisky production process, but you may well pick out pear, dried fruit or cinnamon—some of the most common whisky tasting notes. So where do all those aromas come from? That’s where barrel type and age come into play. Chivas Regal Extra, for example, has notes of vanilla, cinnamon and almond.
 
How To Taste It
Now you’ve picked up the aromas, mouthfeel will confirm if you got it right. The youngest age gives a fresher, fruity feel, while more maturing brings out tastes of dried fruit and woodiness. This is not a rule but more of a common guide. Try comparing two bottles of different ages from the same distillery to see how different they can taste. While Chivas 18 has a rich notes of dried fruit and dark chocolate, in the younger Chivas 12, you’re more likely to pick out the freshness from apple and sweetness from vanilla note. It’s also partly true that the older the bottle, the smoother the result, though blending spirits of different ages from the same distillery can also bring about wildly different flavors (and the result is still considered a single malt).
 
Your Drink of Choice
Once you know what whiskey you like, it’s time to find out how you like to drink it. Most whisky buffs advise to skip the ice and simply add a dash of water to “open it up”—a measure that can actually enhance the flavor rather than dilute it. That means that after adding water, you should repeat your whole tasting to see how the tastes and smells have opened up.
 

Bangkok’s Best Whisky Tasting Menus

This whisky-and-cigar institution is known for having one of the longest whisky menus, mostly single malts, in town. Available bottles come not just from all over Scotland but around the world, most notably Japan. The bar also offers nine whisky flights with four whiskies each before deciding on a bottle, representing great value of money (starting B950-5,350).
16 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 02-661-3220
 
 
Balcony Lounge & Humidor Cigar Bar
On the lobby floor of InterContinental Bangkok, Balcony Lounge & Humidor is a handsome, day-and-night hangout offering an extensive range of malt whisky as well as an impressive selection of cigars. Experience the art of tasting with their Whisky Journey tasting flight (B499++ per person), which includes Ballantine’s 17 Year Old, Chivas Regal 18 Year Old and Royal Salute 21 Years and Speyside Glenlivet water. You can also choose an additional Romeo y Julieta No.2 cigar with the flight at B1,499++ per person.
L/F, InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-656-0444 ext. 6477. Open daily 8-1am
 
 
This fourth creation of The Water Library group takes up a spot on the 5th floor of luxury mall Central Embassy, serving slightly Gallic cuisine in a gentlemanly industrial setting. The bar has a shorter list of signature cocktails but takes the classics very seriously. Another highlight is the broad selection of whisky to enjoy on the rocks or as part of the newly launched cocktail Extra Ruby that mixes Chivas Regal Extra with port wine, watermelon liquor, syrup, lemon juice and egg yolk (B380).
5/F, Central Embassy, 1031 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-160-5893. Open daily 10am-10pm. BTS Phloen Chit
 

 

Q&A

Whisky tasting with Harry Daffern, Brand Ambassador for Chivas Regal Thailand

What should a good whisky taste like?
The best kind of whisky is the whisky that you like. Take Chivas Regal, for example; from Speyside in Scotland, it has an elegant and floral taste which I personally like very much. It’s all about personal taste.
 
Where do flavors like fruits and spices come from?
These will come predominantly from the maturation process. That’s when you age the so-called ‘new spirit’—the freshly distilled product that later becomes whisky after it’s been put in a cask. The spiciness and the fruitiness will come from the oak cask, basically, but can also come from the spirit itself. Chivas Regal is a blend of malt and grain whisky, and from that you get two distinct tastes. For Chivas Regal Extra, the latest member in Chivas Regal family, a proportion of the blended Scotch whisky is matured in sherry casks, which plays a part in transferring more fruitiness.
 
Dash of water, crushed-ice or ice-ball, what’s better? And how does it affect your whisky?
It makes a big difference, but again, it’s down to personal preference. Adding water to whisky does two things: first, it reduces the alcohol content; second it opens up the whisky and allows you to get more tasting notes. For example, with Chivas, adding water gives it a creamy taste, but also brings out more subtle notes. Whether ice or ice ball depends how much water you want in your drink—an ice ball is going to melt more slowly while also keeping it chilled.