Learn About Spirits
Learn how to best serve spirits and explore our library of cocktail recipes to find new ways to enjoy your old favorites.
Tasting Spirits
Tasting spirits is more than just using your tastebuds — it’s a sensory exploration. Learn to uncover the nuances that define each spirit. These tips will help you discover subtle notes, appreciate complex flavors and savor each sip. Host a spirits tasting using these tips along with our tasting mat and evaluation chart — it's sure to be a success!
Clarity
Evaluating a spirit’s clarity speaks to how it’s produced. Observe how light passes through the spirit; clarity can show purity and quality. While haziness or cloudiness in a clear spirit — known as “turbidity” — could indicate subpar distillation methods, it isn’t always a fault. Many barrel-aged brown spirits, intentionally unfiltered products, fruit or cream-based liqueurs won’t be 100% clear.
Color
Evaluating color, one can gauge a spirit’s age (if any), ingredients and depth. While spirits come in a variety of colors, they’re generally categorized as clear or brown. Clear spirits are generally unaged, but filtration can also be used to remove color. For high-quality brown spirits, color variations are generally factors of aging. In a few cases, caramel coloring creates consistency across a product’s line.
Aroma
Cover the tasting sample, swirl it, allowing the aromas to collect, then waft them towards your nose. Take several short, deep sniffs to detect the aromas.
Taste
Sip and hold the spirit in your mouth, then swish and let it coat the areas inside your mouth and tongue. Adding a droplet of water to your spirit can help expand its flavor profile.
Finish
After you’ve either spit or savored the taste of the spirit, don’t immediately reach for food or a sip of water. The taste will linger, with some finishes short and some longer than others. You’ll discover even more flavor notes the longer you savor a spirit as it interacts with your body temperature.
Mixology Vocabulary
Cocktails have been around since the 1800s, with the first known guide published in 1862 by New York City bartender Jerry Thomas. Over the years, mixology’s developed a vocabulary all its own. Learn what these commonly used terms mean and sound like a pro the next time you order a drink.
Neat
An unmixed spirit served at room temperature in a rocks glass or snifter.
Straight Up
An unmixed spirit shaken or stirred with ice and strained into a stemmed cocktail glass.
On the Rocks
An unmixed spirit served over ice.
Dry
Use less vermouth than what’s called for in the recipe.
Wet
Use more vermouth than what’s called for in the recipe.
Perfect
Use equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.
Dirty
A martini style mixed with a splash of olive juice.
Float
Pour liquid gently over the back of a bar spoon so it lays on the top of the drink.
Glass Guide
Many spirit glasses are named after the drink that made them famous. Learn why the shape of each glass is particularly suited to the beverage it holds.