It’s All About Palate

Let’s use our taste-buds

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, listeners. I cannot thank you enough for stopping by.
Its time for another episode of everybody's favorite podcast, the
Cocktails and Mixology Podcasts. It's five o'clock somewhere, folks, and
I'm already thinking about a happy hour. Today's episode is
going to be a fun one. We're going to educate
ourselves on our taste buds. That's right. Tasting notes and

(00:21):
flavor pairings is what today's episode is about, So shrap
right in. Let's jump right into it. Tasting notes refer
to these specific flavors and aromas that can be perceived
when drinking a cocktail. These can include primary tastes like sweet, sour, bitter, salty,

(00:45):
or oomummy, and secondary aromas such as fruity, floral, herbal, woody,
and spicy. Understanding these elements is key two crafting well
balanced cocktails. For instance, a negroni is both bitter from

(01:06):
comparian herbal from gin, while a marguite is sour from
lime and sweet from agave. The nuances of each spirit
an ingredient play a significant role in how the final
drink tastes. Properly identifying tasting notes in cocktails requires a
refined palate in practice in recognizing subtle flavors like minerality

(01:32):
in oakiness or smoke. Achieving the right balance between sweetness
and acidity is a crucial aspect of cocktail creation. A
cocktail that's too sweet can feel cloying, while too much
acidity can make it harsh or unpleasant. Cocktails like the

(01:55):
dakerie or whiskey sour use the balance to create a
harmonious drink. A key aspect of balancing sweetness and acidity
is adjusting the syrup to citrus ratio, such as using
fresh lime or lemon juice alongside simple syrup or a
gave nectar. Sour ingredients help cut through the sweetness of

(02:19):
syrups and liqueurs, while sweetness can counteract the sharpness of citrus.
Bartenders can also use alternative sweeteners like honey or maple
syrup for different flavor profiles. Bitterness adds complexity and depth
to cocktails, helping to balance out sweetness. Bitters and bitter

(02:44):
spirits are often used in cocktails to provide a counterpoint
to sweeter flavors. For example, the negrony combines the bitterness
of compare with the sweetness of remouth, and the herbal
notes of gen creating a complex drink. The amount and
type of bitters used can significantly change the flavor profile.

(03:08):
Bitterness can also act as an aroma enhancer, elevating other
flavors in a cocktail by creating contrast, which makes the
drink more interesting. Cocktail and food pairings are an art
that requires understanding how different flavors interact. Just as wine
can be paired with food, cocktails can be matched to

(03:31):
complement or contrast dishes. A citrus based cocktail pairs well
with light seafood. Rich cocktails like Old Fashioned or Negronies
match beautifully with heavy meats or cheese platters, where the
bitterness and complexity complement the fat in the food. Spicy

(03:53):
cocktails such as a mes cow martarita or a bloody
marry pair excellently with spicy foods like top foccos, barbecue,
or Indian curries, where the heat in the drink enhances
the spiciness of the food. Dessert pairings with cocktails like
chocolate martinis or espresso based drinks like an espresso martini

(04:15):
work well with sweet desserts such as chocolate cake, termasoux
or cram breulet, understanding the flavors in various spirits is
crucial for creating cocktails. Whisky has a wide range of
flavor profiles, from smooth and sweet bourbon to smoky pete scotch.

(04:35):
The wood in which whiskey is aged in parts of vanilla, caramel,
and oak notes. Gin, on the other hand, is often
botanically flavored with juniper, citrus, and herbs, which lends itself
to fresh, herbaceous cocktails like the gin fizz. Vodka is
neutral but can carry subtle flavors depending on its distillation

(04:58):
process and base ingredients. Rum comes in a variety of flavors,
from light, sweet white rum to dark molasses forward spice rum.
Each spirit brings unique characteristics that can guide the flavor
profile of the cocktail. Pairing these spirits with complimentary mixers
and flavor profiles can elevate the drink. Fresh herbs, spices,

(05:23):
and botanicals add layers of flavor to cocktails, from the
floral notes of lavender to the bright herbal character of
mint or basil. The use of botanicals like elderflower or
chemomial can provide complexity to gin based cocktails or enhance
floral drinks like a French seventy five. Fresh herbs are

(05:46):
often muddled or used as a garnish to release their
essential oils, while dried spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg
are added for depth. Many modern cocktails incorporate spice drim
ingredients like ginger, chili, or black pepper to add heat
and warmth. A rosemary or thyme sprig and a gin

(06:08):
cocktail can provide a fragrant note, while they dash of
cayenne can balance sweetness in tropical drinks. The right fruit
can make or break a cocktail. Citrus fruits like lemons, limes,
and oranges are the building blocks of many cocktails due

(06:28):
to their acidity, which brightens and balances the sweetness of
spirits like rum or vodka. Exotic fruits like pineapple, passion fruit,
and mango work especially well with tropical cocktails, pairing beautifully
with rum, gin and tequila. Berries often add color and

(06:50):
sweetness to drinks and pare nicely with gin or vodka.
Fruit juices, especially when freshly squeezed, can be used as
a base or accent to cocktails, such as orange juice
in a mimosa or cranberry juice and a cosmopolitan. Pairing
fruit juices with complementary spirits allows the natural sweetness or

(07:13):
acidity of the fruit to enhance the cocktail's profile. Molecular
mixing utilizes science to manipulate the textures, flavors, and experiences
of cocktails. Techniques like infusing liquids with nitrogen or creating
foams can introduce unique elements to cocktails. For instance, creating

(07:37):
a foam with egg whites adds a creamy texture and
light mouthfeel to a drink, while infusing cocktails with liquid
nitrogen can give them a smoky visual appeal and cold
refreshing sensation. Molecular techniques can also create flavors in unexpected ways,
such as combining savory elements into drinks a e using

(08:00):
bacon infused bourbon or tomato water, or creating flavored spheres
similar to cavia that burst in the mouth, adding a
new dimension to the flavor experience. Flavor pairing is often
categorized by cocktail type, which determines how flavors work together.

(08:21):
For example, sours cocktails like the Whisky Sour or Dackerie
emphasize a balance of sweet and sour sour ingredients lime, lemon,
or grapefruit, contrast with sweetness from syrups or liqueurs. High
Balls are simple mixed drinks like the Genatonic or whiskey ginger,

(08:41):
usually use a strong spirit and are paired with a
refreshing mixer with flavors that highlight the purity of the
base spirit while adding a bit of effervescence. Tiki drinks.
These tropical cocktails often feature rum and a mix of fruit,
syrups and spices, creating bold and sweet profiles. They balance

(09:05):
tangy citrus and sweet syrups like grinandine. Classic cocktails like Martini's,
Old Fashions and Gronies are built around a key spirit,
either gin, whiskey, or ormooth and paired with complimentary flavor
profiles like herbal, smoky, or citrusy notes. Umami flavors, often
described a savory or brothy, can be introduced into cocktails

(09:29):
through ingredients like soy sauce, tomatoes, or mushrooms. Cocktails like
the Bloody Mary and the savory Margarita are perfect examples
using salt, pepper, or other savory elements to create a
drink with a rich umami profile. This pairing can work
well with rich dishes like charcoutery, grilled meats or seafood.

(09:52):
The challenge in savory cocktails is balancing the umami flavors
without overwhelming the drink's coarse spirit. A well balanced savory
cocktail should have a complexity that goes beyond the typical
sweet and sour or bitter sweet combinations. Smoky and peaty
flavors are often introduced into cocktails using ingredients like smoked whiskey.

(10:16):
The smoky aroma is a defining characteristic of drinks like
the Penicillin, which blends honey, lemon and smoky scotch, or
the smoky Mararita, which uses mescal instead of tequila. These
flavors pair well with hearty, earthy ingredients such as roasted meats,
charred vegetables, or aged cheeses. Pete, which is used to

(10:39):
dry the barley in some whiskies, imparts a distinct flavor
that can add an earthy, medicinal quality to cocktails. Unfortunately,
there's no more time for today's episode of the Cocktail
and Mixology podcast. I hope you've enjoyed this episode. What
was your favorite part and what is in your cup?
Thanks so much for joining us in Until next time,