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Be an expert: The 7 secrets of bourbon tasting

Dispatches from the ‘Whiskey Trail’:

Dispatch 2: Maker's Mark: A tale of whiskey and wax

Dispatch 3: Whiskey vs. bourbon -- know the difference?

BARDSTOWN, Ky. — The key to proper enjoyment of quality bourbon is patience.

After all, legitimately calling the mix “bourbon” requires — among other things — pouring the distilled brew into charred oak barrels and leaving it alone. There’s no real requirement for how long, unless you want to classify it as “straight bourbon,” which means allowing the drink to rest for at least two years.

Most bourbons are aged at least four years, many for twice that long. So it seems only fitting that a would-be connoisseur should be forced to spend a little time with the drink, rather than just gulping it down in one swallow before ordering another round.

Ask any master distiller of bourbon about the appropriate way to enjoy the drink, and you’ll hear the same thing. Bourbon is for sipping.

And while most fans of the beverage will never sit down with a company’s top tester to give the once-over to nearly a half-dozen varieties of America’s official native spirit, we did. Here are some of the finer points of bourbon tasting, as explained by Jerry Dalton, a former Marine reservist and current master distiller for Jim Beam, the world’s best-selling bourbon.

1. LOOK IT OVER — Pour yourself a drink and take some time to study the color. A darker color tends to mean longer storage time, higher proof or some combination of the two, Dalton said.

2. GIVE IT A TWIRL — Get a firm grip on the glass and swish the bourbon around, a move called aerating. “Bourbon whiskey is robust stuff,” Dalton said. “You’re not going to hurt it.” What you will do is allow the drink to breathe a bit, which makes for a better tasting experience.

3. TAKE A DEEP BREATH — Part your lips, place your nose deep into the glass, and give the brew a sniff. By opening your mouth slightly while inhaling, you can avoid being overpowered by the alcohol, Dalton said. The smell gives a preview to the taste.

4. TAKE A DRINK — To get a complete flavor profile, take a large sip from the glass and work it around to coat the inside of your mouth, a “Kentucky chew,” Dalton said. This allows the mix to hit different parts of the tongue, from the sweet-sensing tip to the sour-sensing sides.

5. OK, NOW SWALLOW — Pay careful attention to the flavors as the brew slides down your throat. Be on the lookout for an exceptional “finish,” a test of how long those flavors linger. For quality bourbon, the taste should hang around for 15 or 20 seconds.

6. WATER IT DOWN — Imagine the flavor of undiluted bourbon as a closed fist. Adding in a dose of water to your mix will help you customize the flavor, Dalton said, like opening the fingers of the hand. That means more intense flavors than drinking the mix uncut.

7. ON THE ROCKS — Try pouring the bourbon over ice. “The first drink is almost neat,” or undiluted, Dalton said. As you slowly sip the beverage, the ice begins to melt, a move akin to slowly adding water. This gentle movement allows the drinker to slowly experience a full range of the bourbon’s flavor.

The folks at Jim Beam also recommend opening and serving bourbon at room temperature, unchilled, in tulip-shaped wine glasses or snifters, the traditional method for tasting bourbon.