CSP Tasting & Sensory Evaluation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When nosing a Scotch whisky, why is it recommended to keep your mouth slightly open?
- To increase oxygen flow to the glass
- To prevent olfactory fatigue by allowing volatile compounds to dissipate evenly
- To activate both olfactory and gustatory receptors simultaneously (Correct answer)
- To reduce the burn of ethanol on the nasal passages
Correct answer: To activate both olfactory and gustatory receptors simultaneously
Keeping the mouth slightly open engages both the nose and throat simultaneously, activating orthonasal and retronasal olfaction together for a fuller aroma picture.
Question 2: Which primary aroma family is most commonly associated with peated Islay Scotch whiskies?
- Fruity/Estery
- Phenolic/Medicinal (Correct answer)
- Floral/Herbal
- Sulfury/Meaty
Correct answer: Phenolic/Medicinal
Peated malts produce phenolic compounds—particularly guaiacol and cresols—that manifest as smoky, medicinal, or iodine-like aromas characteristic of Islay whiskies.
Question 3: On the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) flavor wheel, which descriptor sits in the 'Cereal' segment?
- Vanilla
- Cooked vegetables
- Malty/Biscuity (Correct answer)
- Toasted oak
Correct answer: Malty/Biscuity
The Cereal segment of the SWRI flavor wheel contains descriptors such as malty, biscuity, and porridge-like notes that derive from the grain itself.
Question 4: What is retronasal olfaction, and why is it important in Scotch evaluation?
- Smelling the whisky before it is poured
- Perceiving aromas via the nasal passage from inside the mouth during and after swallowing (Correct answer)
- Using a second nosing after adding water
- Detecting off-notes by cooling the sample to room temperature
Correct answer: Perceiving aromas via the nasal passage from inside the mouth during and after swallowing
Retronasal olfaction occurs when volatile compounds travel from the mouth up to the olfactory epithelium after swallowing, revealing finish aromas not detected ortho-nasally.
Question 5: A taster notes a 'green apple' aroma in a young new-make Scotch spirit. Which compound is primarily responsible?
- Ethyl acetate
- Acetaldehyde
- Ethyl hexanoate
- Isoamyl acetate (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Isoamyl acetate
Isoamyl acetate is the primary ester responsible for green apple or banana-like aromas in new-make spirit, produced during yeast fermentation.
Question 6: When evaluating Scotch whisky color using the Lovibond scale or SRM, what does a higher numerical value indicate?
- Greater peat content
- Lighter, more golden hue
- Deeper, darker color (Correct answer)
- Higher alcohol by volume
Correct answer: Deeper, darker color
Higher values on color scales like Lovibond or SRM indicate progressively darker colors, moving from pale straw through amber to deep mahogany.
Question 7: Which sensory phenomenon explains why a taster may stop detecting a persistent aroma after prolonged nosing?
- Sensory threshold shift
- Olfactory adaptation (fatigue) (Correct answer)
- Cross-modal interference
- Retronasal suppression
Correct answer: Olfactory adaptation (fatigue)
Olfactory adaptation occurs when continuous exposure to a stimulus causes the olfactory receptors to reduce their response, temporarily masking that specific aroma.
CSP Tasting & Sensory Evaluation 2
When nosing a Scotch whisky, why is it recommended to keep your mouth slightly open?