Practical cooking tips Whisky tasting for complete beginners

3. A little snifter

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3. A little snifter (Image 3 of 7)

Now it's time to get your nose in. Do not be tempted to stick in your snout and take a big breath, as if you were wine tasting. You'll fall off your chair.

Take short sniffs, moving your nose forwards and backwards. This will help you pick up the whisky's aroma not a sharp nose prickle of alcohol burn.

When your nose is awake and perkier than a puppy, you're ready for a second glass –still no tasting yet. Hold your horses. Repeat the 'nosing' process and try to pick out familiar aromas.

Then go back to the first glass and take a sniff. You should begin to notice differences between the two. Some whiskys are lighter and citrus flavoured, while others have a deeper, smoky flavour. Somewhere in between the two are whiskys with chocolate or coffee aromas.

Repeat the process for the other whiskys. The more you nose, the more you'll be able to distinguish between flavours.