"Think about a whiskey tasting event as performance art where storytelling plays as important a role as the booze itself, and you'll start to understand why there are so many rules around it. These are highly curated experiences. Good hosts make sure the session is both engaging and educational, with conversation flowing smoothly, and everyone at the table feeling included."
"While it goes without saying that one should not be criticizing the whiskeys that are part of the tasting itself, what's less obvious is that being too critical of the competition isn't appreciated either. As whiskey expert James Hastings told us, "You might think that disparaging a competitor's brand will get you on the host's good side, but that's rarely the case. In reality, you're more likely to be insulting their friends, or people they consider colleagues and contemporaries in the whiskey business.""
Whiskey tastings combine storytelling with sensory evaluation, creating highly curated, performance-like events. Hosts design sessions to be both engaging and educational while keeping conversation balanced and inclusive. Common etiquette includes arriving on time, not monopolizing discussion, and avoiding excessive drinking. Criticizing whiskeys served is inappropriate, and disparaging competing brands can offend hosts and their industry contacts because the alcohol business is close-knit. Mentioning competitors is acceptable when done objectively, such as comparing tasting notes or distillation methods. Participants should avoid know-it-all behavior and approach tastings as learning-focused, classroom-like experiences.
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