A whisky tasting in Germany is a fun, social event. Sláinte! (Kat Nickola)
I went to university in Scotland; in Orkney, one of the far northern isles. So, I’ve had good Scottish whisky in my life. But I’ve never actually been to a whisky tasting. It was never on my list of things to do when in the country, and I was content with the occasional wee dram in the evening down at the pub, or out with friends insisting that I taste something from their local distillery. Incidentally, Lagavulin was my favorite, which, apparently means I love the taste of peat smoke.
I’m not a whisky connoisseur, but I do enjoy a nip sometimes. My German neighbor here in Kaiserslautern, however, is passionate about whisky, heading to Scotland for whisky-themed trips and participating in the local whisky club. It was he who invited me to a special whisky tasting event in downtown Kaiserslautern.
Each whisky at the event was procured by the host, Mr. Michel Krebs. (Kat Nickola)
The tasting was held in the upstairs bar of Zwick’s lounge on Steinstrasse where much of the city’s nightlife is centered. It was obviously where the club meets, with signs and whisky paraphernalia on the walls. I followed suit as my small group of friends grabbed a table and ordered some drinks. Knowing whisky was on the docket, I started with a large bottle of water. But Guinness seemed the popular choice as I looked around the room at the variety of ages and people, many of whom wore their whisky club hoodies.
The evening was presented by Mr. Michel Krebs, one of the forces behind Lautrer Whisky Days, an upcoming Kaiserslautern whisky event weekend. Kreb’s passion for whisky was palpable. Once the tables were full and chatter had reached a peak, he gathered the crowd’s attention to begin the presentation.
Six Scottish whiskies were opened one at a time for our tasting pleasure (a bonus seventh came out as well). Kreb’s team first presented us each with a cool little puck, which I learned was part of this whisky tasting experience. Each bottle was opened, samples poured into small tasting glasses by the wait staff and then served around the room. Krebs showed us how to hold the puck over our freshly poured sample allowing it to trap in the aroma while he spoke about the whisky we were holding.
My new whisky glass puck help to hold in the aroma until it was time to sample the whisky. (Kat Nickola)
His presentation was in German, but “Ich verstehen bisschen.” Really, though, I did understand more than just a bit. Krebs included a slideshow of facts, which was quite helpful. As each whisky was served, he displayed a map of its location and facts about the distillery.
There were photos of the families who craft the drink, and funny images of his personal trips up to Scotland to get the bottles. I also appreciated that he included a graphic with facts about the particular sample we were tasting: barrels, flavors, aging and other keys to the taste. My friends helped with anything I didn’t quite grasp.
The presentations included distillery information and details about the whisky we would be sampling. (Kat Nickola)
Once we knew about a sample, it was time to take a sniff inside the glass, and then – “Sláinte” – take a sip. Having Kreb’s presentation gave me a mindfulness for the flavors rolling in my mouth and warming my chest. I felt a deeper appreciation for the time, thoughtfulness and process of creating each kind of whisky.
It was a far cry from my pub experiences of “well, dja leek it?” The entire event was both sophisticated and friendly, just rowdy enough to laugh and joke, but quiet and thoughtful as each new sample was presented.
“Sláinte”, time to take off the puck, savor the aroma and take a sip of whisky. (Kat Nickola)
Roughly halfway through the samples, a plate of small bites was sat on our table. There were little canapes of meats and cheeses, cucumber and an enigmatic brown spread. I grabbed the mystery item. It was tasty. Salty. But I couldn’t quite place it. One of my friends tried it as well and we guessed at its flavor until he finally blurted out “haggis!” And of course it was.
The whiskies were presented individually with plenty of time for tasting, evaluating and chatting in between. Conversation went from whisky to whining kids to world travel until we were drawn back in to learn about another distillery and taste another sample. It was a fantastic night that continued even until after the final pour.
Yes. I tried the haggis without recognizing what it was. (Kat Nickola)
We walked home, warm and content, and feeling a little giddy as we crossed the empty street (before the green man flashed ... don’t tell anyone).
If you are also interested in whisky tasting, the Lauterer Whisky Days will take place on May 29 and 30, 2026 in Kaiserslautern and featuring exhibitors with whisky products from around the world and additional tasting events.
Whisky is Scotland’s national drink and it’s biggest export. (Kat Nickola)
