Expert Tips You Need For Creating Your Own Whiskey Flight

Trendy YouTube and TikTok videos showing impressive flights of whiskey being taste-tested by expert aficionados might inspire you to get in on the fun. Lining up several different brands of brown liquor is easy enough, but the goal is to appreciate the subtle characteristics they all offer. With that in mind, there is some nuance behind creating a whiskey flight at home.

To find out the perfect way to build a flight of whiskey, Foodie reached out to Chris Blatner, Executive Bourbon Steward and creator of @‌urbanbourbonist on Instagram. One piece of advice he offers for your tasting adventure is to group together whiskeys with overlapping features. "When building a tasting I typically prefer to group whiskeys that are similar in age and style and then taste them from lowest proof to highest proof," he specifies.

Determining the difference between a Scotch and a bourbon is relatively simple, but discovering the refinement amidst several kinds of comparable liquor makes a whiskey flight more educational. When you are forced to focus on the minute distinctions between flavors that are alike, you come away with a better understanding of the drink. A more robust range of alcohol content could also overwhelm your taste buds, which is why it's best to start with the lower horsepower mixtures and work your way up. However, palate fatigue can happen quickly, which is why it is important to pace yourself.

If you are new to making a whiskey flight at home, you don't want to charge out of the gate and create an immaculate flight with a dozen brands. While it may look nice, you probably won't be able to tell the qualities distinguishing them after tasting a few. Chris Blatner says, "When starting out I think a flight of 3 to 4 whiskeys is plenty. As you gain experience you can add more to your tasting."

There is no set number to include in a flight, but you will do yourself a service by keeping it modest if you are a beginner. This will allow you to get the complete experience of detecting the subtle variations between whiskies without becoming inundated by the intense flavors they typically bring to the palate. It also gives you a chance to pace yourself so the alcohol you're consuming doesn't ruin your ability to identify the complex divergences between brands.

With the goal being to identify the intricate flavors in each whiskey (which is not the same as whisky), you don't want to overwhelm your palate. Chris Blatner says, "Once you start to feel like everything is tasting pretty similar, your palate is probably tired and needs a break." This is another reason why creating smaller flights of three or four glasses is the best method to start with. If your palate can't tell the difference between one brand and another, you are just drinking it rather than tasting it.

While there is nothing wrong with drinking liquor responsibly purely for the buzz, it defeats the purpose of going out of your way to construct a flight. Becoming a seasoned connoisseur takes time, and identifying the smoky, woody, and sometimes fruity notes from various whiskies is a marathon, not a sprint. Creating flights of whiskey at home using Blatner's advice is the best way to begin your journey of tasting whiskey like a pro.