Spirits, the strongest of all alcoholic drinks, are found the world over in incredibly diverse types and styles, making them an incredibly fascinating liquor category to explore.
Considering the extraordinary amount of unique bottles and brands that exist, it is vital that you develop a basic understanding of how spirits are made, what the different types are, and what the correct process of tasting them involves, so as to properly appreciate whichever one that you’re trying.
In this guide to spirits, we equip you with all of the important pieces of information necessary to begin exploring this category of alcohol, allowing you to have a far simpler and more enjoyable drinking experience.
Spirits begin life in much the same way as other categories of alcohol, such as beer or wine, in that they can be made from a variety of fruits, grains, or other materials that contain some amount of fermentable sugar.
What makes spirits unique, however, is that they go through an extra step called distillation, which is where the distiller separates water from alcohol inside of a large device called a still.
Depending upon the type of spirit they are looking to make, a producer can use a number of different types of still, with the most common being a copper pot still, as is used to make Scotch whisky, or a column still, which is often used to produce vodka or gin.
Countries all over the world have different local laws around what classifies as a “spirit”, with different styles also being given special protections depending upon where and how they’re made and whether or not a certain organic base was used.
For a proper legal definition of what a spirit is in Australia, be sure to consider the legislation put out by the Government here.
Putting the legal definition aside for a moment, there are generally considered to be seven main types of spirits, being:
Whilst these are easily the most common types of spirits found in bottle shops, bars, and restaurants all over the world, it is possible to find very unique and special types, such as moonshine, made in select parts of the world.
For this reason, the world of spirits offers up a heady variety of new and exotic tasting experiences.
Considering the often high levels of alcohol found in bottles of spirits, it can be a very difficult process to properly taste and assess a particular bottle, especially once you start climbing above 40% ABV.
With this in mind, the ideal steps to take in consuming spirits are to:
On top of these steps, placing each bottle of spirit that you taste on a set of scales that makes it easy to compare differences can be done in a variety of ways and is the easiest way of classifying a particular bottle.
The best scales on which to define a particular spirit are on its smoothness, its level and type of smoke, and its levels of sweetness.
In addition to these scales, it’s also best to define each bottle on its body, its finish, and two or three of the prominent flavour types in the spirit.
For a more detailed explanation of how to analyse based on the scales mentioned previously, see below or check out this booklet.
| Smoothness | Smoothness refers to how the drink feels as you swallow it. If the spirit has a high degree of alcoholic burn, heat, or bitterness then it is considered not smooth, whilst those that go down easily are considered smooth |
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| Sweetness | Sweetness simply refers to how sweet the drink tastes as it enters your mouth and is consumed. Often, the sweetness felt can be described as a syrupy-like texture and with flavours often reminiscent of vanilla, caramel, honey, butterscotch, sugar, or sweet spices |
| Smokiness | Smokiness can refer to either wood or peat smoke. These two different types have unique differences in taste, meaning it’s important when tasting to distinguish between whether you’re noticing peat or wood smoke |
| Body | The body of a spirit simply refers to how heavy or thick it feels as it sits in your mouth. Those that are heavily textured or viscous are considered full-bodied whilst those that are lightly textured and watery are considered light-bodied |
| Finish | Finish in spirits refers to how long the taste of the drink lingers in your mouth once it has been swallowed. Finish can be best described as being either short and sharp, medium length, or long and lingering |
| Prominent Flavours | Identifying the prominent flavours in a spirit is vital as it separates the particular tastes of the bottle when consumed. Whilst experts might be able to pick up dozens of different flavours, it is often best to stick to the top two or three flavours found as these will be obvious to anyone who samples it |
Brandy is one of the oldest and revered categories of spirit. To fully appreciate it and better direct your drinking experience consider our useful and in-depth guides into the category.
Conjuring up images of summer relaxation and refreshment, gin can sometimes appear confusing. Learn to better appreciate this enduringly popular category of spirit by reviewing our comprehensive guides.
Vodka, though not usually considered a connoisseurs drink, deserves careful appreciation. Find out why through considering our in-depth guides into the category.
Whisky & whiskey, easily one of the most popular and persistently respectable categories of spirit, is explored in our thorough guides, where you can learn how to better appreciate them.
Rum, a very un-regulated category of spirit, has a rich history and taste shrouded in mystery. Discover why rum remains so popular by reading through our detailed guides into the category.
Liqueurs are perhaps the most difficult category of alcoholic drink to define, with there being so many different styles and types. Find out more about them in our thorough guides.
Tequila, which is often served at various celebrations and parties, is not to be reserved for consumption solely in this fashion. Ignite your interest in this category of spirit by reading our guides.
