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For decades, many who nose, taste, and evaluate spirits have undervalued science. Spirits industry educators, brand ambassadors, authors, critics, and institutions which provide learning level certifications continually fail to embrace scientific explanations and use “this-is-how-it-probably-works” explanations which mislead and create the myths which have become the DNA of many spirits drinkers.
Myth 1: Ethanol alcohol is an integral part of the taste and aroma of spirits. The problem: Ethanol is an anesthetic which numbs olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) without warning, contributing to olfactory fatigue by dissolving the lipid membranes of the neurons, leading to a loss of odor detectability and identification. Ethanol binds to olfactory receptors, although the exact mechanism is not well understood. Drinking from tiny-rim glasses for decades has raised pungent olfactory ethanol to a level fully embraced, expected, even demanded by many straight-spirits drinkers. Most place primary importance on the initially detected smell of ethanol alcohol, and few look further to seek subtle aromas of well-crafted spirits. Ethanol may be a darling for most neat drinkers and label-buyers, but it is the curse of the spirits evaluator and requires forethought to avoid detrimental effects.
Tulip glass proponents call on two false assumptions to justify tulips; (1) tiny rims concentrate aromas, and (2) ethanol cannot be separated from character aromas. The facts are (1) the vast majority of headspace aroma molecules are pungent ethanol, not character related aromas, and (2) vessel design can separate ethanol from higher mass character aromas.
A typical glass (any glass) of 40%ABV whiskey at room temperature contains a much higher headspace concentration of ethanol molecules than character aroma molecules. Ethanol surface tension is 3.5 times lower than water; boiling point is 22oC lower than water, and vapor pressure is 2.5 times higher than water, defining ethanol’s high volatility. Tiny-rimmed tulip glasses concentrate ethanol, and taller glasses have even less character aromas available for detection at the rim, additionally raising ethanol concentration. Tumblers have a wider opening and much larger sidewall/surface area, permitting much of the excessive ethanol to escape and avoid olfactory detection. Short, fat glasses work better; maybe the old American whiskey distillers and Grandpa were onto something with their favorite tumblers in pre-ice days.
Myth 2: Legs or tears indicate body or quality. Originally discovered in 1855 by James Thomson, the effect was named for researcher Marangoni in 1865. Surface tension differences between ethanol and water cause fluid motion. Leg/tear formation is highly dependent on glass surface condition. Leg/tear formation in glasses treated with a commercial surfactant (water spot reducer) were compared to those washed in hot scalding water without detergent. Legs/tears in surfactant treated glasses were nearly non-existent, yet plentiful from untreated glasses washed in hot water only, and aromas were severely compromised. Higher viscosity of some spirits contribute to formation, but quality is not a factor and there is no useful significance to legs/tears in spirits or wine. At home, wash glasses in hot water only. When ordering premium spirits neat (no ice, water, mixers), you may pay dearly for a “dumb” Pappy because surfactants/detergents compromised aroma. When tasting premium whiskeys prior to purchase, bring your own glasses.
Myth 3: Swirling releases pungent ethanol. Don’t swirl. Swirling is the “engine” that powers evaporation by creating shear, breaking surface tension, and releasing aromas into the headspace. Swirling also releases heavier compounds which may sink to the bottom of a static glass (such as oak lactones).
Tulips have small bowl diameters and swirling will release more ethanol than character aromas. At the expense of detecting subtle aromas, don’t swirl tulips. The tulip style is a descendant of the sherry copita, originally designed for 18-22% ABV fortified wine. Tasting and evaluating 40%+ ABV spirits in tulips creates an ethanol nose-bomb. For evaluation change to a wider glass and swirl to detect subtle aromas. Wide rim glasses allow pungent, numbing ethanol molecules to escape the olfactory.
Myth 4: Breath through nose with mouth open to reduce ethanol pungency. Recommended when using tulips to reduce ethanol pungency, opening the mouth reduces airflow and decreases the quantity of molecules exposed to olfactory neuron sensors, but few subtle aromas may be present in sufficient concentrations for detection and identification due to much lower airflow. Opening the mouth decreases nasal airflow, so there are less character molecules to detect. For evaluating spirits, breathe through the nose only, but take it slow to regulate ethanol flow.
Myth 5: Wafting aromas toward your nose and approaching the sample in successive steps lessens ethanol on the nose. Many glasses concentrate ethanol at the rim and wafting or “shaking hands” by moving the sample successively closer to the nose several times may acclimate the olfactory to the initial pungency shock but will not reduce ethanol numbing.
Myth 6: Smelling coffee beans resets aroma detectability when olfactory fatigue occurs. Some use coffee beans, some say smell the inside crook at your elbow, some say give your armpit a good whiff. Fact: Smelling other aromas will not reset olfactory. The only proven scientific method to reset is a 3–4-minute wait while the epithelium mucous layer replaces itself, flushing away old aroma molecules prior to continuing evaluation. Get up, move around, and defocus for a few minutes.
Myth 7: The basic glass for tasting and nosing should be an ISO whiskey glass. Most certification courses define the proper tasting glass as the ISO whiskey glass. ISO (International Standards Organization) approved ISO 3591:1977 to provide a consistent and uniform glassware design that enhances the sensory evaluation of wine. Glassware manufacturers jumped on the opportunity to improve sales and began referring to the wine standard as an ISO spirits glass or ISO whiskey glass. No ISO spirits glass exists, and again, placing 40% ABV in a glass designed for 6-22% ABV wine creates an ethanol nose-bomb detrimental to aroma detection.
Myth 8: Add a little water to “open up” the whiskey. In short, adding water raises surface tension reducing evaporation of all aromas, the most noticeable being the significant reduction of pungent ethanol, which misleads the drinker to assume the spirit has “opened up,” when it has actually shut down aroma evaporation. Adding a few drops of water may seem like a great idea for tulip glasses, but it’s definitely a no-no for wide glasses as it kills subtle aromas. There are only two reasons to add water; (1) “I like it that way,” and (2) it alleviates palate burn (saliva in the oral cavity also alleviates). Water is a deeper subject for later discussion.
Regardless of which evaluation methodology or glassware you use, applied science defines advantages, drawbacks, and limitations. We have been conditioned over the decades to believe that ethanol is our friend – not true for diagnostic evaluation.
About the Author: In 2002, Arsilica, Inc. was formed, by George Manska, to research evaluation through application of basic physics, chemistry, and sensory science in order to discover better methodology.
To learn more you can find our published, peer-reviewed beverage journal paper further summarizes much of the research performed prior to 2018. Beverages | Free Full-Text | Technical Report—Applying Physics and Sensory Sciences to Spirits Nosing Vessel Design to Improve Evaluation Diagnostics and Drinking Enjoyment (mdpi.com)