Whisky · Explainer
What is blind tasting and why is it done?
Blind tasting means tasting without knowing which bottle is in the glass. Research in the trade journal Beverages from 2026 showed that tasters give higher quality scores as soon as the label is visible, while the relative order of the samples stays the same. The standard test in sensory science is the triangle test, laid down in ISO 4120.
In brief
The key figures
| Blind tasting | Tasting without seeing the bottle or label |
|---|---|
| Double blind | Even the person pouring does not know what is in the glass |
| Goal | Separating the verdict from brand, price and expectation |
| Standard proof | Triangle test according to ISO 4120:2021 |
| What that test measures | Whether there is a perceptible difference between two products |
| Tasting room | ISO 8589:2007 provides guidelines for the design of tasting rooms |
| Effect of the label | Visible labels raised the quality scores in research from 2026 |
| Age limit | NIX18: geen alcohol onder de 18 jaar, ook niet bij een proeverij |
What exactly does blind tasting involve?
In blind tasting, the taster receives a glass without knowing which bottle it comes from, so that brand, price and label do not steer the judgement.
In double-blind tasting, the person pouring also does not know which sample is in which glass. That way he cannot colour the judgement unnoticed.
The glasses get a number or a letter. Only afterwards is the list of bottles added, so that every participant can match their own notes to it.
Why does a label change the verdict?
A visible label raises expectations that find their way into the assessment.
In a study in the trade journal Beverages from 2026, tasters rated the same wines first blind and then with the label visible. With the label, the quality scores were consistently higher.
The researchers saw the difference mainly in aroma; the taste judgements turned out to be less sensitive to the extra information. The order of the samples relative to each other stayed the same.
How do you set up a blind tasting at home?
Pour four to six samples of equal size into identical glasses, cover the bottles and have someone else assign the numbers.
Use the same glass and the same amount for every sample. Have water ready, keep the order from light to heavy and keep the peated whisky for last, because a long finish overpowers the next samples.
Kleine flessen zijn hiervoor handig, want daarmee zet u een set naast elkaar zonder zes hele flessen te openen. Schenk niet aan gasten onder de 18 jaar; NIX18 geldt ook thuis.
Which test do researchers use?
The triangle test from ISO 4120:2021 determines whether there is a perceptible difference between two products.
The taster gets three samples, two of which are identical, and has to indicate which sample differs. Pure guessing yields a correct answer one time in three, so only with enough correct identifications within a group is a difference demonstrated.
The standard warns that the test is less suitable for products with a long lingering character. ISO 8589:2007 also gives guidelines for the layout of tasting rooms.
What can you deduce from a blind tasting?
A blind tasting shows which bottle you like best without the label, and the result does not stretch much further than that.
In the 2026 study, the ranking of the samples remained the same in blind tasting and with the label. The label reinforced the judgement but did not reverse it.
For the shop the outcome is mainly practical: you then know which style you are looking for. Bring the numbers of your favourites, and we will find similar bottles to go with them.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which small whisky bottles are available in Bathmen?
The shop in Bathmen stocks 73 small whisky bottles of 5 to 35 cl from 51 different brands from 9 countries. Prices range from € 5.99 to € 299.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 40% to 63.5%.
- Aberfeldy Whisky 12Y 40% · 20 cl · Scotland
- Akkeshi New Born Fondations 3 Mizunara Cask 20cl 55% · 20 cl · Japan
- Auchentoshan Collection 3×20 CL set 30 cl · Scotland
- Ballantine's Scotch Whisky 40% · 35 cl · Scotland
- Ballantine's Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old 40% · 20 cl · Scotland
- Boann 'New Born' New Make Spirit 63% · 20 cl · Ireland
- Bowmore 12 Years Old Single Malt 40% · 35 cl · Scotland
- BUS GVP 20 cl + glas 46% · 20 cl · Netherlands
- Bushmills Black Bush 40% · 35 cl · Ireland
- Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey 40% · 35 cl · Ireland
Related questions
What is the angel's share?What is the middle cut in distilling?What is a blended malt whisky?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- Why do juries taste blind?
- To separate the judgement from brand and price. Research from 2026 showed that a visible label pushes the scores up.
- How many samples can you taste in a row?
- Four to six is enough for most people. After that, samples in practice start to resemble each other.
- What is the difference between blind and double-blind?
- In a blind tasting the taster does not know the bottle. In a double-blind tasting the pourer does not know either which sample is in which glass.
- May you add water during a blind tasting?
- Yes, if you do it the same way with every sample. Otherwise you are not comparing equal conditions.
- From what age may someone join in tasting?
- Eighteen years. The Alcohol Act prohibits supplying alcohol to anyone younger.
The reasoning
Sources
- Beyond Blind Tasting: Label-Induced Shifts in Sensory Ratings of PDO Malaga Wines, Beverages (accessed 2026-09-07)
- ISO 4120:2021 Sensory analysis, Methodology, Triangle test, ISO (accessed 2026-09-07)
- ISO 8589:2007 Sensory analysis, General guidance for the design of test rooms, ISO (accessed 7 September 2026)
- Alcoholwet, artikel 20, wetten.overheid.nl (accessed 2026-09-07)
This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine & spirits shop at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 8 September 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.