1. Pick a theme
A theme turns the night into a comparison, not just a pour:
- One region — a tour of Speyside, or go all-in on Islay peat.
- One distillery, different ages or casks — see what time and wood do.
- Bourbon vs Scotch vs rye — a style showdown.
- Blind tasting — bag the bottles and guess. Humbling and fun.
2. How many drams
Four to six is the sweet spot for 4-8 people. Past six, palates fatigue and the peat takes over. Pour small measures (15-20 ml each) — this is tasting, not a session.
3. Pour in the right order
Go light to heavy: delicate, unpeated drams first, richest and most peated last. A big Islay smoke-bomb early will wipe out everything after it.
4. The kit
- Glencairn glasses if you have them — the tulip shape concentrates the nose. Small wine glasses work too.
- Still water — both to drink and to add a few drops to each dram.
- Plain crackers or bread to reset the palate.
- Snacks that pair: dark chocolate, aged cheese, nuts. Keep it simple — nothing too spicy.
- A jug to rinse glasses between drams.
5. Give everyone a scoresheet
This is what people remember. Everyone scores each whiskey — colour, nose, palate, finish, and a rating — then you compare at the end. The disagreements are half the fun, and everyone leaves knowing what they actually like.
Run the whole night from your phone
Create a club in The Whiskey Taster, share one invite code, and everyone logs their own scoresheet — then compare favourites at the end. Free to start.
Start a Club Free