Don’t Fill Your Glass

Pros often “pour lightly.” This means that they aim to fill the bottom 20 to 30 percent of the tumbler, and no more.
When serving Canadian whiskey, aim for one to two ounces at a time. If you want more, pour a second round.

Add A Small Amount Of Water To The Glass

Whiskey is strong stuff. That’s why a lot of pros add a dash of distilled water to the glass before pouring.
A few extra drops help to reduce the burn of the alcohol while enhancing the flavor experience. You’ll notice that when you slightly dilute, you can pick up more caramels, woody notes, and smokiness in the drink.

Swirl It Around In The Glass A Little

Whiskey pros also take time to swirl their drinks in the tumbler first before sipping. Just like wine, swirling the liquor coats the sides of the glass, increasing the surface area for evaporation. Before taking a sip, swirl the whiskey for a couple of seconds, and then hold your nose about an inch away from the drink. Allow the fumes to travel into your noise as you take the liquor into your mouth. Over time, you’ll find that you can pick up more subtle notes in the drink.

Roll The Whiskey Around Your Mouth

You’ll also sometimes see whiskey pros rolling the drink around in their mouths. The reason for this is simple_ it allows the drink to cover a larger area on the palate during whiskey tasting.. Whiskey contains multiple bitter, sweet and sour notes. Allowing the drink to cover the entire tongue lets the drinker discover more of the flavor lurking within.

Breath Through Your Nose As You Drink

Lastly, you’ll notice that whiskey pros breathe through their noses as they drink. The goal here is to allow the fumes to travel up into the sinuses to produce a better flavor. Again, it is something you’ll notice the more you practice.

Know Your Drinks

Whiskey pros know their drink to the point where they understand whether they should pour it on the rocks, take it neat or include it in a cocktail. Most whiskey pros like their whiskey neat with a one or two large ice cubes in a rocks glass. The slight chill helps to bring out the aroma.

If they take their whiskey in a cocktail, they choose highball glasses. These provide room for the spirit, mixer, and ice. In summary, sometimes you find whiskey from Canada that’s great by itself, while others are better in combination. Generally speaking, pros drink the highest-quality whiskeys neat.