Anytime you taste a spirit for the first time, pour yourself a neat pour. You can get the aroma first. Then take 2 sips. The first being to coach your palette, coach your tongue, and the second being to get your first impression on. Make sure it reaches your full tongue – different parts of your tongue process different flavors (sweet, bitter, salty, etc.)! If you need to add water or an ice cube because the proof is too high – no shame! This is not about diluting it or bringing down the proof, but rather to spread out the molecules and giving the spirit a bit of breathability, which brings clarity of flavor. Cheers!