Sounds like there are some drinkers in here! I feel like a weirdo because after four pages, no one has mentioned one of my favorites, Gentleman Jack. Granted it's more expensive than say JD or JB, but it's definitely a huge step up. The best part is most bars will have it as opposed to Van Winkels and the ilk. That's probably how I developed a taste for it.
At any rate, for beginners going through this thread looking to pick up a few pointers, I really want to stress that your tasting technique is arguably even more important than the booze you choose to drink. What good is a $100 bottle of whiskey going to do if you don't know how to taste it properly to appreciate why it's priced the way it is? This is the method I use:
1. Pour 1/2 an ounce of whatever you want to taste in a glass. Do not smell the spirit or the glass.
2. Take a very small sip (about 1/4 of what you poured or 1/8th of an ounce). Keep that sip in the front of your mouth with your mouth closed. Don’t trap the sip on your tongue, let it naturally run off your tongue to the front of your mouth, gums, under the tongue, etc. Do not swish or agitate the sip.
3. Do a slow twelve count while letting the spirit sit in your mouth. Only breath through your nose while you do this, and do not open your mouth.
4. After twelve seconds, your sip should now have combined with a fair amount of saliva and you should be able to draw it back in a series of 4-5 small swallows.
5. Once you’ve done your swallows, exhale and breathe normally.
Next comes the magic:
6. Pick up your glass and smell the spirit. There should be no alcohol burn and you should be able to clearly smell the aromas in the glass.
7. Take another sip of the spirit and swallow it naturally. You’ll notice a significant change in the taste of the spirit.
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