A century ago, it was thought that sensitivity was related to intelligence. Scientists of the day would use calipers to see how closely they could poke two needles into the skin before they were felt as one. The closer the needles, the more sensitive the subject and the brighter he must be.
A century ago, it was thought that sensitivity was related to intelligence. Scientists of the day would use calipers to see how closely they could poke two needles into the skin before they were felt as one. The closer the needles, the more sensitive the subject and the brighter he must be. The point at which the subject went from feeling two to feeling one was called the Just Noticeable Difference or JND. This test came in many forms and being able to taste any subtle difference in something like wine would be another example of this phenomenon. Today, although a link between JND and IQ has been discounted, people still admire the professed wine expert...though mostly without good reason.
Surprisingly, the human tongue has receptors for only four distinct taste sensations -sweet, bitter, salt and sour. Most of what you taste is actually the result of what you smell. That's why your sense of taste is diminished when you have a cold and your nose is stuffed. In such a sorry state, it's hard to tell the difference between a slice of onion and a slice of apple. This makes it hard to believe all those people who say they can pick their favorite brand of Scotch even after a couple of drinks and even after being mixed with soda? Those who contend their favorite tipple is worth several times the price of Brand X ought to take a quick test. In this period of economic uncertainly, it might be well worth the effort. Put out three different brands in half a dozen glasses. Have a friend mix them up and then try to find your favorite after sampling a small sip of all six. I'd be willing to bet you can't. And if you're talking about vodka, I'd even be willing to lay odds in your favor that you can't.
In one test, researchers at Caltech poured half a bottle from a clearly marked $90 Cabernet Sauvignon into a marked but empty $10 Cabernet Sauvignon bottle. When asked to rate the two, subjects said they liked the wine in the higher priced bottle better even though both contained exactly the same product. Since price appears to dictate pleasure, as a host, you'd probably do best to serve your guests cheap stuff in an expensive bottle.
And don't feel guilty. In a blind taste test, Charles Shaw (aka Two-Buck-Chuck) bested the $55 runner-up while a $10 Domaine Ste. Michelle out did a $150 Dom Perignon. I once tried my own version of this test. I took two identical bottles of wine and replaced one of the corks with a plastic stopper. I then covered the labels and asked my guests to compare. Not surprisingly, they preferred the bottle with the cork every time.
But perhaps a simple experiment is all that's needed to make my point. Put out six identical glasses and pour some Ginger Ale into two, Coca Cola into two and Seven Up into two. Then blindfold a friend and let him take a sip from each of the glasses that you hand him in random order. He may correctly identify the first and even the second but after that his success rate is sure to decline. In fact, if he gets all six right, check his blindfold. The fact is, without seeing the colors, even three such truly diverse flavors are almost impossible to identify.
Look At It This Way
I once asked a fellow who owned a brewery if there was much variation between two of the better known lagers. He thought about it for a moment and then said: Not that anyone would ever notice. And yet, despite all the evidence to the contrary, people persist in believing that:
1) they can tell the difference and
2) that the price determines that difference.
Even after failing the soft drink test, people will still find all sorts of rationalizations for why a premium spirit such as Belvedere vodka, that has been filtered to remove any apparent flavor or fragrance and costs three to four times the price, is superior to a standard brand after being mixed with three to four parts orange juice. Such is the power of belief.
