The Senses Abstract Words The Language of Tasting

The Tasting Wheel
The inner core of the Tasting Wheel uses language deriving from analytical chemistry.

The outer tier describes the principal aromas associated with each segment.

For a more comrehensive guide to the language used in tasting, click through the Tasting Wheel.

Esters (fruity, fragrant, pear-drops)
Phenols (from wood-smoke to tar, iodine to sea-weed)
Aldehydes (leafy, grassy scents, sometimes like Parma violets)
Feints (leathery, tobacco, beeswax)

The last is the most difficult to describe. They are generally unpleasant, but they are essential to the character of Scotch whisky and are present to a greater or lesser extent in all malts.

Aromas from Maturation
Feints are mellowed and transformed by maturation, and the wood itself layers another range of aromas over those occurring during production. The most obvious scent is sherry. New wood (not commonly used) lends resinous, pine-like aromatics. Bourbon wood (i.e. casks which were previously used for maturing bourbon) is the most common and a good, first-fill Bourbon hogshead bestows all the lovely rounded, vanilla-like, nutty, cigar-box aromas which make well matured malt whisky such a fine thing. Very old whisky may become 'woody' or musty - not generally desirable characteristics.