How to Whisky: Tasting Whisky Versus Drinking Whisky

Sunday, 31 August 2025 at 15:01

Drinking whisky and tasting whisky may appear similar, yet they are distinctly different. So when do you taste whisky and when do you just sip it? Let's dive into the difference between the two.

FAQ

What's the difference between drinking whisky and tasting whisky?
Drinking whisky means relaxing with a glass of whisky. Tasting whisky means paying attention to every aspect of your dram and the craft behind it.

Why is whisky tasting important?
When you taste whisky, you are consciously engaging with the beverage. Not only can you make your drink last longer, but you often also discover many more flavors that only emerge later on.

Should I always choose between tasting and drinking?
Of course not. There's no right or wrong with whisky, but the drink is so extraordinary that you should at least have ‘tasted’ it before you sip it.

The difference between tasting and drinking whisky

As you may already know, whisky can be enjoyed in many different ways and there is no right or wrong when it comes to taste. But there is indeed a difference between tasting and drinking.

The distinction can be likened to the difference between hearing and listening. You do one subconsciously and the other consciously to fully experience things.

To better explain the difference between tasting and drinking whisky, let's examine each way of enjoying your dram separately.

Drinking whisky is about enjoyment and relaxation

Drinking whisky is about rapid enjoyment and relaxation

Drinking whisky is the simplest way to consume whisky. In the comparison between hearing and listening, this would be hearing.

Drinking whisky focuses on the whisky itself, relaxation, and camaraderie. You do it without thinking too much and do it your way. Do you enjoy your whisky with a cube of ice? Or in a refreshing cocktail? These are all forms of drinking whisky.

The pace is usually faster with drinking whisky than with tasting whisky, but connoisseurs do not enjoy the drink any less.

Tasting whisky is about experiencing the flavour, the story, and the history

Tasting whisky equates to listening in the comparison of hearing and listening. You consciously engage with it and use all your senses. Questions you might ask yourself while tasting:

What does my whisky look like? How thick are the legs of the whisky? How does my dram smell? How does it taste? What's the story behind it?

Every stage of tasting is as important as any other. The experience of tasting whisky is extensive and takes time. You analyze your whisky sip by sip, thus uncovering every layer the distillery has hidden in the dram, like a treasure chest full of flavors.

Why tasting whisky is important

Tasting whisky is not mandatory, but it is important. It's the only way to fully experience the whisky in all its glory.

After all, this is a drink that has taken multiple years to ultimately end up in your glass. You ought to take a moment to appreciate and indulge in it.

Distilleries like Jameson often offer comprehensive tours wherein the taste of their whisky forms a major part of the story.

You don't have to choose between tasting and drinking

Should you always choose between tasting and drinking? The short answer is: no. You can pour a dram and initially taste what's hidden in your glass.

You can then switch to drinking, letting your thoughts drift away. There is no right or wrong with whisky. Whisky is for everyone, as long as you are 18 years of age or older.