So you want to start a whisky appreciation club? Good for you, it can be very rewarding and you’ll meet a lot of very interesting people along the way. Here are some suggestions.

Recruiting Fellow Members & Where to Meet 

Sometimes it may seem that you’re the only person in your area that has a passion for whisky, this is unlikely. Most liquor store that sell premium whiskies will know their customer base and will put you in touch with like minded people. They’re out there and they can be found, use your local knowledge and imagination. Hold the first meeting in members’ home, the cost is very reasonable! 

The Number of Whiskies to Taste per Session 

Depending on the group and the length of the meeting you might want to start with two to three whiskies per meeting. Its general practice to start nosing & tasting the lighter whiskies at the beginning of the session and to finish with the heavier whiskies at the end of the evening.

For a great description of how to nose and taste whisky please visit http://www.whiskymag.com/nosing_course/  

Glassware

There is a myriad of glass ware on the market but I suggest that in the beginning you look for a simple & inexpensive but functional glass and the best for small groups is a small brandy snifter, about 10 cm or 4 inches tall. They are quite suitable for nosing and tasting whisky and you can easily cup the glass for hand warming and the curved sides help concentrate aromas. On this side of theAtlanticthis style of glass can be found in many second hand & charity stores which have any kitchen related inventory. I presume there are such stores in most urban centers. These little brandy snifters usually sell for about .25 cents, saving valuable funds for whisky purchases. As your experience with whisky grows you can look towards purchasing blenders nosing & tasting glasses or Glencairn glasses.

When cleaning whatever glassware you choose remember to hand wash them with a gentle dish soap rinsing very well to eliminate any residual soap. Avoid cleaning your glassware in a dishwasher as dishwashers tend to leave a soap reside which will negatively impact the next whisky. 

Tasting Sheets 

If you want to use tasting sheets to write down your impressions and to score your whiskies you can make them up making note of nose, palate and finish with some space for comments. Some people add in legs and color and over all balance, it’s up to you. If you would like some sample score sheets please email me and I’ll be happy to send them to you in Word format, you can adjust them as you see fit.

Water 

To add water or to not add water? This can be quite contentious issue for some odd reason. However you might want to take a clue from distillers, they add water when assessing a whisky. With experience you will be able to determine which whiskies are suitable for the addition of water. As a general rule and in particular in the case of scotch whiskies, those whiskies that are matured in new oak or ex-bourbon casks  tend to be able to accept more water than those matured or ‘finished’ in ex wine casks such as sherry, port or table wines. It is also advisable to have a glass of still water per person to clean the palate in between drams. Still water is generally the best, avoid sparkling water, it just doesn’t work when making an assessment of a whisky. Ice? Don’t. It’s a disaster. 

Banking & Dues 

Don’t go over board, in the beginning a simple system is the best and you may find you don’t actually need a bank account, one trusted person can keep a small cash on hand fund with a simple list of dues paid and expenditures. In my Club we have a general prohibition on discussing Club finances at our meetings; we are focused on the whiskies being presented. Our finances are not secret however they are certainly boring and thus open to all; they can be discussed via email if required. We collect dues once a year but since you are just starting out you may opt for a shorter period, perhaps once every three months. As an aside, I had a friend who was very much consumed by bourbon and tried to start a club based on his passion, however he just couldn’t get past the feeling that he absolutely needed a bank account and was very much stuck on that point. I suggested an envelope to keep the money in, a suggestion that he rejected out of hand. He never did open that bank account or start a club. Kind of missed the point, didn’t he? Pity.

Newsletters & Communication of Meeting Dates 

Once again the key to success is to keep it simple and if possible communicate by email; this reduces the cost of communication as compared to letters and stamps and is very speedy. Again email communication is economical and leaves more money for whisky purchases. This is important.

Left over whisky 

Whatever you do with the remainders or ‘heels’ of the bottles be fair, either distribute them amongst the members or auction them off to the highest bidders, the resulting funds can be used for buying……you guessed it, more and better whisky. Another options is to save them and have a nosing party at the end of each year, we pair this event with a meal, and it works out very well.

Perfume, Hand Creams & Aftershave 

These and other such products should be eradicated at all costs, the attendees need to be educated about the negative effect these products have on the sense of smell. Whisky is generally a product that is quite delicate and since most people tend to marinate themselves with copious amounts of pollutants they will spoil the event for all. Hand creams are particularly odious and they can cling to the glass, there’s no proper nosing happening with such a polluted glass. Ugh! 

Food 

It is not a good idea to serve food when making an initial assessment of a whisky, if you feel it will add some benefit to the evening then wait until the nosing & tasting is complete. Pairing whisky and food in a social setting is another aspect altogether and can be quite enjoyable. I frequently enjoy whisky with my meals. 

Sharing the Work Load 

Don’t try and do everything yourself, try and share the work load among your fellow members, if you don’t you’ll burn out and leave. This would be a shame, no?

Women

Yes, they live on this planet also and they really like whisky, so why not include them too? A roomful of grunting silent males is simply not that amusing and quite frankly the female of our species has a much better sense of smell and is much more adept at turning what she smells into words. Since most whisky appreciation groups are more than mere ‘drinking’ clubs the ability to turn what you smell and taste into words is of high value.

Friends & Family who Travel 

If you are having a difficult time sourcing whiskies locally then you can always turn to friends and family who travel, you’d be surprised how often they can help you acquire a hard to find bottle. Ideally these people should not have a taste for whisky otherwise they’ll be shopping for themselves, the selfish bas……. 

Drinking & Driving 

Don’t do it. Show some leadership and ensure that all participants have a safe way home, set a proper example. The down side of such irresponsible behavior is generally irreversible and ruins lives.

If there is a single theme that I’ve tried to communicate is to keep it simple in the beginning and stay focused on the whisky and the people, the rest will fall into place as your group gains experience. Have fun and…….Slainte!

This article was originally published on Whisky Fun and is written by Lawrence Graham