KEY POINTS:
The Whiskey Shop's Katey Rudlin and Bart Burgers offer a beginner's guide.
What's the best way to taste a whisky?
Drinking a whisky for the first time is like being introduced to someone. So you take a first smell to say, "Nice to meet you", then shift the glass to get some fresh air into your nose. Take a second smell to say "How do you do", then a third to say "Great you're here". By now the whisky will be aerated, your nasal cavity will have filled with all the aromas and it's time to take a taste. Hold that first sip in your mouth for 15 seconds ... keep it there ... keep it there ... until your whole mouth is coated with whisky. Then swallow and pop in an oyster or something.
Can you really match whisky with food?
Yes, and that's something we're passionate about. In The Whisky Shop we stock 400 different whiskies, so think of it as 400 flavours. A smooth, sweet whisky might drink well with a cracker topped with creamy blue cheese and a slice of strawberry. A peaty, cask-strength whisky we'd match with a rich chocolate mousse. We hold dinners where we match whiskies with all three courses. You can even match whisky with sushi - you'd go for a coastal Scottish single malt that has an iodine, seaweed flavour.
What sort of glass should you use?
Classic tumblers look beautiful but they're not the best thing for appreciating whisky. A tulip-shaped glass is better, because it funnels all the aromas up to your nose.
What's a good beginner's whisky?
Often people have had one sip of whisky years ago and think they don't like it. We'd start them off with something smooth and sweet that's not too high in alcohol. Perhaps a Sullivan's Cove from Tasmania or one of the Clyne whiskies from the Scottish Highlands. The smokier, peaty Islay whiskies are an acquired taste.
Why are all whiskies different?
They can be made from different things. In Scotland, of course, it's malted barley but in America they make whiskies from corn or wheat. Then you also have to take into account what was stored in the oak barrel before the whisky was put there. It may have been sherry, port, madeira ... and it will have soaked into the oak, which will then release some of its aroma and flavour into the whisky. Where the distillery is located makes a difference, but you can have two neighbouring distilleries producing very different whiskies. Then you have the independently bottled whiskies which vary again. There are thousands of different whiskies and no two are the same.
What is acceptable to add to a good whisky?
Cold kills the flavour, which is why you shouldn't add ice. If it's a cask-strength whisky then you can add one or two drops of water - but you'd always taste it first.
How should a bottle of whisky be stored?
You should keep it in a dark cupboard but it doesn't have to be laid on its side like wine. Whisky ages only in the barrel, not the bottle, so if you buy a bottle of 12-year-old whisky and store it for 20 years you've still just got a 12-year-old that's gathered dust.
How much does a decent bottle of whisky cost?
Here, we have bottles that range from $36 to $10,000, but in places like Britain, bottles have been sold at auction for in excess of 25,000 ($64,000).
Are there any New Zealand whiskies?
Yes, there are a couple of places in the South Island, and there is a guy in Levin called The Old Busman who makes bourbon. He'll be at Whisky Live at the Civic in Auckland next month.
How much whisky is too much?
That is a matter of personal opinion, but it is about experiencing the quality of different flavours of whisky, more than drinking a great quantity. If we're having a tasting, we might pour 10ml each of four or five different whiskies. Some nights we don't have any whisky at all.
The Whisky Shop has recently opened in Auckland's new food mecca, Elliot Stables, in Elliot Street.
Email: thewhiskyshop.co.nz
