Whiskey Tasting Party Ideas | 15 Flights

A tasting flight looks small, but five half-ounce pours of the bourbon proof ladder in this list add up to 2.2 standard drinks, and the four-pour cask-strength flight is 2.0. One 750 ml bottle gives 50 half-ounce pours, so you need one bottle of each whiskey, not more. Fifteen setups and flights below, built from bottles we've reviewed.

1. Bourbon Proof Ladder Flight

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: five bourbon tasting glasses in a row from pale to deep amber on a wooden flight board — Bourbon Proof Ladder Flight, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #1 of 15

Pour the same style from lowest to highest proof so the heat builds instead of ambushing anyone: Maker's Mark Bourbon (45%, Loretto, Kentucky), Elijah Craig Small Batch (47%, Bardstown, Kentucky), Knob Creek 9 Year Small Batch (50%, Clermont, Kentucky), Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon (58.4%, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky), Booker's Bourbon (62.9%, Clermont, Kentucky).

2. Blind Tasting with Numbered Bags

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: whiskey bottles hidden in numbered paper bags beside tasting glasses — Blind Tasting with Numbered Bags, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #2 of 15

Bag the bottles, number the bags, and have everyone score before the reveal. Taking the labels away keeps the talk on what's in the glass.

3. Scotland Map Flight

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: scotch tasting flight laid out on an old map of Scotland with glasses — Scotland Map Flight, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #3 of 15

One whisky per region, poured light to smoky so the peat comes last: Glenfiddich 12 Year Old (40%, Speyside), The GlenDronach 12 Year Old Original (43%, Highland), Highland Park 12 Year Old Viking Honour (43%, Orkney), Talisker 10 Year Old (45.8%, Isle of Skye), Lagavulin 16 Year Old (43%, Islay).

4. Bourbon vs. Rye Side-by-Side

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: bourbon and rye whiskey glasses side by side with corn and rye grain — Bourbon vs. Rye Side-by-Side, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #4 of 15

Two bourbons, two ryes, so guests can taste what the grain does: Wild Turkey 101 (50.5%, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky), Knob Creek 9 Year Small Batch (50%, Clermont, Kentucky), Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky BiB (50%, Bardstown, Kentucky), WhistlePig 10 Year Straight Rye Whiskey (50%, Shoreham, Vermont).

5. Glencairn Place Settings

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: place settings with tulip whiskey glasses, water glasses and tasting notes cards — Glencairn Place Settings, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #5 of 15

A set of Glencairn glasses at every seat makes it a tasting instead of a party. The narrow top holds the aroma in.

6. Aroma Wheel Tasting Mats

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: tasting mat with a colorful aroma wheel and numbered circles for glasses — Aroma Wheel Tasting Mats, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #6 of 15

Print a mat with numbered circles and an aroma wheel. It gives shy tasters words to use, and it keeps the glasses in order.

7. Water and Dropper Station

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: glass water pitcher, pipettes and small bowls beside whiskey glasses — Water and Dropper Station, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #7 of 15

A few drops of water open up a strong whiskey. Put out glass droppers and a carafe at every few seats.

8. Cheese and Chocolate Pairing Board

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: pairing board of aged cheeses, dark chocolate and dried fruit beside whiskey — Cheese and Chocolate Pairing Board, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #8 of 15

Aged cheddar, blue cheese, dark chocolate and dried fruit. Eat between pours, not before; food helps a long tasting go the distance.

9. Cigar Pairing Station

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: outdoor cigar pairing station with cigars, cutter and whiskey glasses on a patio table — Cigar Pairing Station, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #9 of 15

Set it up outside, away from the tasting table, so smoke doesn't swamp the glasses. Our cigar and bourbon pairings cover what to light.

10. Scorecards and Pencils

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: whiskey tasting scorecards with blank lines and pencils beside glasses — Scorecards and Pencils, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #10 of 15

Score each pour from 1 to 100 before anyone talks. Comparing scores after the reveal is the best part of the night.

11. Guess the Price Game

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: blind whiskey tasting with covered bottles and price tags turned face down — Guess the Price Game, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #11 of 15

Pour three bottles blind and have guests rank them by price. Pick bottles with very different price ranges, like Wild Turkey 101 ($22-30) against Lagavulin 16 Year Old ($85-110).

12. Irish and Japanese Flight

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: irish and Japanese whiskey tasting glasses on a slate board with green and red accents — Irish and Japanese Flight, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #12 of 15

Two Irish pot-still whiskeys against two Japanese blends: Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (40%, County Cork), Redbreast 12 Year Old (40%, County Cork), Suntory Whisky Toki (43%, Japan), Nikka Whisky From The Barrel (51.4%, Japan).

13. Cask-Strength Corner

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: small glasses of dark cask-strength bourbon with a water carafe on a separate side table — Cask-Strength Corner, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #13 of 15

Keep the barrel-proof bottles on their own table for later in the night: Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon (58.4%, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky), Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style (57.5%, Louisville, Kentucky), Booker's Bourbon (62.9%, Clermont, Kentucky), Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (65.7%, Kentucky, USA). The math in the flight table explains why.

14. Decanter Display Bar

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: crystal whiskey decanters of different shapes on a mirrored tray — Decanter Display Bar, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #14 of 15

Decant the flight into numbered decanters and it doubles as the blind tasting. Return any leftovers to their bottles afterward.

15. Palate Cleanser Station

Whiskey Tasting Party Idea: bowls of water crackers, bread and still water for cleansing the palate — Palate Cleanser Station, Whiskey Tasting Party Idea #15 of 15

Plain crackers, bread and still water between flights. Skip anything salty or spicy until the tasting is done.

How Strong Is a Whiskey Tasting Flight?

A US standard drink is 0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol (NIAAA). A ½ oz pour of a 45% bourbon is about 0.4 standard drinks, and a ½ oz pour at 60% or more is half a drink. Five of them is more than most people expect from "just tasting."

Flight	Pours	Standard drinks per guest	Bottle price range, whole flight
Bourbon proof ladder	5 × ½ oz	2.2	$207–$295
Scotland map flight	5 × ½ oz	1.8	$275–$360
Bourbon vs. rye	4 × ½ oz	1.7	$139–$190
Irish and Japanese flight	4 × ½ oz	1.5	$196–$265
Cask-strength corner	4 × ½ oz	2.0	$247–$330

Standard drinks use the ABV on our review of each bottle. Price ranges are the sum of the ranges on those reviews.

So pour the cask-strength flight last or on its own night, put water on the table, and feed people.

How Many Bottles Do You Need for a Whiskey Tasting?

One of each. A 750 ml bottle holds 25.4 fl oz, which is 50 half-ounce pours. 12 guests tasting each whiskey once use 6 oz, about a quarter of the bottle. The money is better spent on a fifth or sixth whiskey than on a second bottle of the first.

15 Whiskey Tasting Party Ideas (and How Much a Flight Really Pours)