A sample of gin, vodka, Scotch whiskeys, Irish whiskey and cognac that we had to identify, using our noses and palates alone. (Photo: Michael Anstendig)

Blind tastings are commonplace in the wine world, but in the spirits world, too? That was news to us, but spirits sage Paul Pacult opened our eyes to this technique that he’s used to rate thousands of varieties of booze. At his seminar, “How Good is Your Palate,” we faced six high-octane samples ranging from the clear to the maple-hued. 

Pacault advised us to give each spirit a careful visual inspection before nosing the aromas. When smelling the product, a short sniff with parted lips is the best strategy. Then, taste once to clean the palate, and spit it out. Taste a second time to really appreciate the spirit. Spit it out, too. (Spitting prevents palate fatigue and unseemly drunkenness.) Then, go ahead and play Sherlock Holmes.

Paul Pacult, the final word in spirits connoiseurship. (Photo: Michael Anstendig)

In our case, the first sample was totally transparent and redolent of juniper berries, citrus and cardamom. The presence of those berries was a giveaway: It was gin; Plymouth, in fact. The second sample was colorless as well, but lacked the juniper berries. Since it had an aroma of breakfast cereal (think Cheerios, not Cap’n Crunch!), we guessed a grain spirit like vodka. It was Absolut, distilled from wheat.

The next three samples were amber-colored, with hints of butterscotch and caramel sweetness. Given that there were no fruit aromas, brandy (distilled from grapes) was ruled out, and the focus became Scotland and Ireland, with subtle differences separating what turned out to be Chivas 18, Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt and Redbreast Irish Whiskey. Finally, the darkest elixir oozed with a veritable fruit basket of raisins, prunes, baked apples and sherry. These notes indicated brandy and, sure enough, it was Martel Cordon Bleu. It was a pity we were spitting!–Michael Anstendig