Ian Wisniewski (food, drink and travel writer, broadcaster and all-round whisky expert) poses the question for industry expert, Michael Henry (Loch Lomond Master Blender):

Comparing first sip to second, third and subsequent sips, at what point do you assess a malt? Is your tasting note based on one sip or is it based on a composite of a few sips, as each sip can be subtle or significantly different is this the right thing to do? Should tasting notes stipulate which sip they are based on as conditions on the palate are different for each sip (not just acclimatising to alcohol, but also build of residual sweetness for example), plus the brain can process the information of subsequent sips more readily as there is already a memory bank from the first sip.

“I always base tasting notes on a composite- usually 3 sips but never just one. I would sometimes repeat the tasting the next day to confirm the notes I picked up and to see if I missed any.

I don’t think tasting notes should stipulate what sip of what conditions as they should be kept as simple and accurate as possible. If a blender is writing tasting notes for a product they should be credible and objective so that people buying that whisky can be confident in what they are buying.

Personal tasting notes are different. I would still say it should be a composite to give an accurate reflection but the conditions you taste under should be recorded so that you have to for reference.