How To Appreciate Fine Spirits (and overcoming the dreaded "burn")

[Black Plague]

In the last few months, I've really learned how to appreciate the fine flavors that liquors have to offer. I just wanted to share some tips that I wish someone had given me when I first started this journey.

In my opinion, The biggest obstacle to liquor enjoyment is the dreaded burn. I also believe my opinion to be well-established because this is THE most common complaint I hear from newbies who want enjoy liquor, particularly whisk(e)y.

To clarify, I define three types of the burn. The first is the cheap burn, and as the name implies, is the burn that the cheap stuff gives you. Though a liquor cheap in price might not give it, a liquor cheap in quality will always give it. It's the feeling you get from low-quality liquor that makes you feel like you're swallowing napalm. The surest remedy to this is to stay the hell away from low-grade alcohol. Period. Or if you must punish yourself, mix it with fruity crap or chase it with soda like you did back in college, you bunch of philistines. Though you don't want to begin your alcohol odyssey by buying some $100 bottle of cognac you don't yet have the palate to appreciate, you certainly don't want to start yourself on the bottom of the shelf drinking from a $5 bottle of Old Rot-Gut Kentucky Straight Gasoline.

The second type is the throat burn. Though similar to its cousin, the cheap burn, the throat burn is far less severe and a common occurence. A high-quality alcohol should have some of this burn, some of the best have almost none, and its usually found among higher-proof liquors. The cure for this I will cover later.

The third type is the gut burn. This is the burn that any alcohol can give you, regardless of quality. Good quality liquors will have this burn. What it is is almost like a little heartburn feeling you get after a few sips of liquor, which you feel in your stomach and maybe a little running up your esophagus, obviously caused by the reaction between the alcohol and your stomach acids. Depending on the person, it varies in severity, but as the rule usually runs, should be less severe in better quality liquors versus cheaper ones. But you will encounter this burn, regardless of what you choose.

And now...here's how I recommend you get past the burn and enjoy your alcohols.

Some will say you should dilute your liquors, use a lot of ice, or some such nonsense, but I disagree. Only do this if it suites your taste (some like a little water in their scotch or their bourbon on the rocks, for example), because adding water to a fine spirit that would be worth a crap in reducing burn will invariably destroy the flavor. I actually recommend you drink your stuff neat, no ice or water or anything added, at first before you decide on diluting it.

My solution is threefold. One is simply time and experience. It takes time to get used to it so it doesn't phase you anymore. Liquor is not for everyone, and is a bit of an acquired taste, and it tastes some time and tasting to simply get used to it.

Another key is to sip sloooooowly and sip smaaaaall-ly (is that a word?). Of course a big gulp of whiskey will make your stomach start a-churnin'. So take very small, controlled sips. Roll the fluid around your mouth, let it coat your tongue, enjoy those flavors, then swallow. That's a habit you will keep and the real key to enjoying the spirit you choose to drink. Just like with a fine cigar, you don't want to rush it. Take your time, enjoy the spirit, savor every little sip, and make it last.

But that doesn't help you much in coping with that burn, does it? And here's the secret...one so damn obvious that no one ever suggests it and you either think of it yourself, deal with the pain until your threshold builds, or just give up. Here it is....stare in awe at its wisdom...........chase it with water!

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...Ok, that should be enough time for your mind to get un-blown. Now I don't mean slam a shot of rum and then throw water down after it as fast as you can, like you're at your high school afterprom party all over again. I mean keep a tall, cold glass of good water next to your tumbler or snifter, and when you start feeling the burn and it makes you uncomfortable, sip some water to calm your throat and stomach down. Even now, I still often keep a glass of water on hand, because its also good for cleansing your palate for the next delicious sip.

For me, water was the key piece of knowledge in my quest to enjoy spirits. Use water to remedy the burn when you need it and it won't take you long before you've built up a tolerance for the burn and won't have to rely so much on water. I myself found that in just a few weeks I was able to comfortably sip 101-proof bourbon and appreciate all the flavor without a water chaser, though as noted, I do like to have a glass there to hydrate me and refresh the taste buds.

And there...hopefully with these tips, you'll never have to complain of the dreaded burn that keeps so many people from being able to enjoy the wonderful and complex flavors of a fine spirit.




If anyone would like to share their tips, please feel free to post below. Thanks for reading and good luck!