The Worst Predinner Drinks That Will Affect Your Palate

The tradition of having a cocktail before dinner is going strong these days. It’s a chance to unwind, relax before eating and help everyone settle into an evening of good food and conversation. But if you really want to have the best possible experience, be intentional about the cocktails you choose.

Some types of liquor can have a negative effect on the sensitivity of your palate, to the point where a drink or two before dinner might impact the taste of your food or the type of wine that will go best with your meal.

We talked to experts to learn about cocktails’ effect on your taste buds, as well as to get their advice about smarter predinner sipping. And, if you have pregamed a bit, they told us which wines might be your best choices when it’s time to eat.

“Hard liquor” refers to alcoholic beverages that are distilled, like vodka, whiskey, rum, bourbon and scotch. They have a high alcohol content — often around 40% to 50% alcohol by volume. These contrast with fermented alcoholic drinks, like wine, beer, cider and sake, which often have a lower ABV of 15% or less.

That higher ABV in hard liquor can cause a loss of sensation in your palate — a term for the roof of your mouth specifically, but also for your sense of taste.

“Because it blocks the proteins needed to create saliva in your mouth, hard liquor can dehydrate the cell walls of your palate,” said Cody Bridges, a restaurant operations manager and resort sommelier at Massanutten Resort in Virginia. Saliva plays a role in taste sensitivity, so a dry mouth can negatively impact your taste buds.

In addition to that drying effect, hard liquor can also have a numbing one, according to Sam Favata, the beverage director for Olamaie in Austin, Texas.

“This temporary numbing effect can reduce your ability to discern the intricate flavors and aromas in the wine you have later at dinner,” Favata said. “Strong spirits can alter your perception of acidity and sweetness in wine, leading to a less balanced tasting experience.”

Ordering a predinner drink that’s low in alcohol is a tip we heard from many pros.

“Personally, I would avoid anything high-proof or any cocktail that is strictly liquor, such as a Manhattan, old-fashioned or martini,” said sommelier Billy Turner, who works at Kimpton Shane Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia.

You’ll also want to steer clear of sugary drinks,…