What to Buy for a Whisky Tasting
A whisky tasting needs more than a few bottles and glasses. Plan the whisky by tasting round, then add water, palate-cleansing snacks, tasting cards and enough glassware for guests to compare pours. This checklist also covers practical items people often forget, such as spit buckets, measuring equipment, serving trays and pens. Buy or borrow the furniture and tableware early, especially if you are hosting more guests than your own kitchen can serve.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Tablesqty 6
- Chairsqty 32
- Buffet table
- Coat rack
Tableware
- Whiskey glassesqty 36
- Water glassesqty 36
- Platesqty 36
- Forksqty 36
- Knivesqty 36
- Spoonsqty 36
- Pouring glassesqty 6
- Water carafesqty 4
- Serving traysqty 4
- Spit bucketsqty 6
- Ice coolersqty 2
Equipment
- Kettlesqty 2
- Coolersqty 2
- Measuring cupsqty 6
- Bottle openersqty 4
- Thermos flasksqty 2
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 3
- Cheese knivesqty 3
- Serving tongsqty 4
- Measuring spoonsqty 2
Decorations
- Table runnersqty 6
- Name badge holdersqty 36
- Welcome sign
- Round signsqty 6
Materials
- Tasting cardsqty 36
- Ballpoint pensqty 36
- Name badgesqty 36
Cleaning
- Waste binsqty 4
- Microfiber clothsqty 6
- Washing-up basinsqty 2
Catering
- Groceries
- Bourbon - 1 Bottle
- Irish whiskey - 1 bottle
- Speyside single malt - 1 bottle
- Islay single malt - 1 bottle
- Highland single malt - 1 bottle
- Rye whiskey - 1 bottle
- Spa Blue - 12 liters
- Spa Rood - 6 liter
- Cola - 4 liters
- Cola Zero - 4 liters
- Ginger beer - 3 liters
- Coffee - 2 packs
- Black tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Semi-skimmed milk - 3 liters
- Oat milk - 2 liter
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Ice cubes - 10 kilograms
- Aged cheese - 1 kilogram
- Blue cheese - 500 grams
- Goat cheese - 500 grams
- Brie - 500 grams
- Smoked cheese - 500 grams
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Dry sausage - 750 gram
- Raw ham - 500 grams
- Olives - 1 kilogram
- Water crackers - 6 packs
- Wholegrain crackers - 4 packs
- Baguettes - 6 pieces
- Unsalted nuts - 750 grams
- Grapes - 2 kilogram
- Apples - 2 kilograms
- Pears - 2 kilograms
- Dark chocolate - 1 kilogram
- Ginger cookies - 6 packs
- Napkins - 200 pieces
- Paper towels - 4 rolls
- Trash bags - 2 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 pack
- Hand soap - 2 dispensers
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 1 roll
- Cling film - 1 roll
- Food storage containers - 12 pieces
Tips
- Allow one whisky glass per guest for each tasting pour, or provide at least two glasses per person so guests can compare whiskies without mixing flavours. Add a few spare glasses for breakages.
- Measure pours instead of filling glasses by eye. A 15–20 ml pour per whisky gives guests enough to taste while keeping the total amount manageable across several rounds.
- Set out one water glass and a shared water carafe for every two guests. Keep additional chilled drinks in ice coolers, but do not chill the whisky itself unless the tasting plan specifically requires it.
- Provide at least one spit bucket for every 6–8 guests, plus serving trays for carrying glasses and bottles safely. These are easy to overlook and awkward to arrange once tasting has started.
- Prepare one tasting card and one ballpoint pen per guest, with 10–15% extra. Buy snacks that can be portioned on plates using serving tongs, cutting boards and cheese knives rather than relying on guests to share from one board.
Frequently asked questions
- How many whisky bottles do I need for a tasting?
- For 6–8 guests, four to six bottles usually provide a practical tasting flight. With 15–20 ml poured per person per round, a 700 ml bottle gives roughly 35–46 tasting pours, so one bottle can cover several rounds.
- How many whisky glasses do I need per person?
- Buy or borrow one glass per tasting round for each guest, plus 10–15% spare glasses. For six guests tasting five whiskies, that means 30 glasses, or at least 34–35 if you want replacements and comparison pours.
- How much water should I provide for a whisky tasting?
- Plan at least 500 ml of still water per guest for the evening, including drinking water and a small amount for adding to whisky. Provide one water glass per person and a carafe for every two guests.
- What snacks should I buy for a whisky tasting?
- Allow 100–150 g of savoury snacks per guest for a tasting lasting two to three hours. Choose mild foods such as bread, crackers and cheese, and prepare them at least 30–60 minutes before guests arrive so the tasting table is ready on time.
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