The taste

Young grappas and eau-de-vies must be crystalline.

Grappas which are not perfectly clear have some defects. The amber colour of aged distillates is desired and it comes from aging in wood barrels.

The olfactory analysis is mainly useful to discover the defects.
Odours that might remind you of lacquer, glue etc. are signs of the existence of head elements.
Tail elements are perceived with smells of sauerkraut and mould.

Tasting a Grappa we discover its true potential. .

A great distillate has a fine and full aroma.
Excellent distillates are full-bodied and smooth on the palate, they have a long aftertaste and leave the mouth clean.