A person with increasing knowledge and sensory education may derive infinite enjoyment from wine. – Ernest Hemingway

We are all tasters. Most of us can detect aromas and whether something is sweet, sour, salty, bitter and possibly umami (also know as the 5th taste or savoriness).

It is the attention to detail in our observations that moves us from taster to critical taster. To become a critical taster you become accustomed to paying close attention to what is stimulating your senses.

Recognizing that the majority of what we experience as taste cannot exist without smell, the first of our focus for critical tasting should be aromas. The aromas you smell.

Do this exercise: Write down 50 aromas that you are familiar with.

Did you find this exercise difficult or easy? With some thought, most of us can tick off 50 aromas with little difficulty. If you didn’t get to 50 stay tuned. Next post I will talk about how you can up your aroma IQ.

{ 0 comments }