How to write whisky tasting notes

Short answer: write the name, a score, and two or three words each for nose, palate and finish. Add the context (price, place, water or not) so the note still makes sense a year later.

1. Nose

Smell before you sip, then again after a drop of water. Use plain words: vanilla, smoke, dried fruit, honey, citrus.

2. Palate

Note texture (thin, oily) and the main flavours. Is it sweet, spicy, peaty?

3. Finish

How long does it last and what stays? Short and clean, or long and smoky.

4. Score and context

• A star score you apply consistently.
• ABV, age or vintage, price, where you bought and drank it.
• Food pairing if any.

Keep notes you can find again

Reviewers complain that in some apps "it now takes 4 counterintuitive selections to search your own library". In Pourshelf a note takes three taps (name, type, stars), nose / palate / finish are optional tags, and every note is searchable by name, note or tag.

What should a whisky tasting note include?

At minimum the name, a score and a few words on nose, palate and finish. ABV, age, price and where you drank it help later.

How long should a tasting note be?

Short is fine. Three tags per stage and one sentence beat a paragraph you never finish.

Should I taste the same whisky more than once?

Yes. Add a second tasting to the same bottle; opinions change with mood, glass and water.