Your Nose Knows

Smell is our strongest and oldest sense. It's the only sense connected to déjà vu. Inside your nose, two tiny membranes do the work. They collect smells from the air when you breathe. These membranes have 350 sensors that talk to your brain.

Here’s a big secret about tasting things. It’s mostly about smelling! Over two-thirds of flavors come from your nose. With wine, it’s almost all from smell. But for spirits like rum or gin, tasting helps too. Why? Spirits have alcohol, and your mouth confirms balance and texture.

Yes, You Can Taste Things!

Think you don’t have a good taste sense? Not true! You know if a steak tastes good, right? You can tell a crisp apple from a mushy one. Everyone can taste—you just need practice. You also need the words to explain what you taste. Start small with a simple test.

Start Comparing Flavors

Take two spirits, like gin and rum. Smell each one and compare them. Use this list to guide you:

• Vanilla

• Citrus (lemon, lime, or orange?)

• Herbs

• Coconut

• Molasses

• Nuts

• Flowers

• Pepper

• Pine

Rum often smells like vanilla, coconut, or molasses. Gin smells more like pine, citrus, flowers, and herbs. But everyone smells things differently. Your experience is unique. That’s what makes tasting so fun!

Describe What You Smell and Taste

Once you notice smells and flavors, describe them. Use words others can understand. This helps you explain what a drink is like. That way, others will know if they want to try it.

Straight or Diluted?

To start, taste spirits as they are, straight from the bottle. Then you can add water to see how it changes. Professionals often begin at full strength—it saves time and shows everything the spirit offers.

Practice and Learn

Tasting takes practice, not magic. Compare, listen to others, and try new things. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at describing what you taste. Smelling and tasting aren’t just skills—they’re adventures!