Why you should avoid coffee, orange juice, and spicy foods before a bourbon tasting. If you really want to enjoy the full flavor, a little prep goes a long way.
If you really want to enjoy the full flavor of your bourbon, skip the coffee, juice, and spicy foods that morning. Your palate will be much more open to all the good stuff.
Coffee The bitter oils and roasted flavor can coat your tongue. It changes how you taste sweetness, smoke, and spice, and the smell alone can overpower more delicate bourbon notes.
Orange Juice It’s super acidic and sweet, which messes with how you taste vanilla, caramel, and oak. It can make strong bourbons taste even harsher, and that citrusy aroma lingers and dulls the experience.
Spicy Foods Spicy ingredients can overwhelm your taste buds and make it harder to notice the layers in a bourbon. The heat and oils tend to stick around, even if you try to cleanse your palate.
If You Must Stick with still water at room temperature. Lightly salted crackers or plain nuts work well between pours. Cheers to a beautiful bourbon day.
