As with many forms of tasting it is important to include as many of the five senses as possible to get a multi-faceted experience of the brandy. The tasting of brandy includes four of these five senses, namely; sight, touch, smell and, of course, taste.

As with any tasting experience, brandy tasting is subject to an individual's personal preference. One can only give guidelines as to what aromas and flavours can be associated with the different brandies to enable the individual to take as much from the experience as one can.

STEP 1: COLOUR

Tilt the glass at 45° angle away from you and observe the colour of the brandy preferably against a white background. A simple piece of white A4 paper is sufficient.

What does the colour tell one?

The colour of the brandy can be indicative of the age and blend of the brandy. The darker the brandy, the longer it has been matured in the oak casks, hence the stronger the wood aroma. It is also good to note that the colour can also indicate the style of the brandy. Darker coloured brandies are usually fuller and richer in taste.

STEP 2: DO NOT SWIRL

When tasting a brandy, unlike when tasting wine, one should not swirl the brandy contents.

Why?

The best way to serve brandy is in a brandy snifter or brandy balloon, rather than a highball or tumbler. This is because the wide base of the glass narrows towards the top, allowing the aromas to concentrate. Unlike wine, which you are meant to swirl in the glass to release its aromas, brandy should be kept stable in the glass as the liquid is very volatile and precious volatile flavours can be lost. In addition the alcohol strength of brandy, neat, is approximately three times that typically found in wine. Keeping the glass still allows your nose time to gradually get used to the alcohol content.

STEP 3: NOSE

Ideally, to appreciate the brandy aromas, you should first inhale at the top of the glass so as to allow your nose to acclimatize to the alcohol. One should not immediately place the nose at the rim of the glass and inhale deeply but rather hover the nose above the glass opening and gently take in the subtle, top notes of the brandy. As you smell deeper into the glass, you will experience the richer more complex flavours.

Some aromas associated with brandy can range from herbaceous at one end of the spectrum, to spices at the other. At the greener end of the spectrum you could encounter aromas that range from grass to mint or eucalyptus. Moving along the spectrum you should pick up fresh or dried stone fruits, gooseberry, apple, citrus and even flower, like apple blossom, rose, potpourri or violets. Then comes the impact of wood, which can show up as vanilla, cedar wood, nuttiness, toast, cloves or cigar box aromas, for example. You might even pick up notes of chocolate and mocha.

VIEW IMAGE OF BRANDY AROMA WHEEL

STEP 4: TASTE

Does the aroma on the nose promise on the palate?

Begin by holding the bulb of the glass in the palm of the hand to slightly warm the brandy contents. This helps to bring out the full flavour of the brandy. Slowly draw a small amount into the mouth, ease the brandy over the palate and swallow.

The focus is to initially evaluate the degree of smoothness or harshness on the palate. The more elegant the style of brandy, the smoother the texture. Those with more of a mouth-feel can give a fuller, weightier texture. The most important characteristic is a harmonious, well-balanced integration of flavours. Generally the younger the components, the grassier the flavour of the brandy, while older brandies tend to exhibit sweeter aromas and flavours.

STEP 5: OVERALL IMPRESSION

The discoveries in the colour, nose and taste of the brandy will now allow you to gain an overall impression of the product in front of you, much like you would get an overall impression of someone you have spent time talking to.

Every brandy has its own subtle nuances, almost like a personality, and should be appreciated for these characteristics accordingly. The lighter flavoured, less full-bodied brandies are generally great for mixing. Whereas the fuller bodied, aged potstill or vintage brandies are best savoured neat, over ice or with a dash of water.