Complete source processing. The accessible web page was read in full, metadata-checked, critically assessed, and converted into verified locator-level evidence on 2026-08-29.
Source
No access
Core summary
The review explains how pairwise tests can address intensity or preference, why question direction matters, and why forced-choice outcomes do not establish magnitude.
Author argument
Pairwise sensory methods are simple and useful, but their design, assessor selection, and statistical interpretation must match the research objective.
Evidence map
Strong, open-access, peer-reviewed synthesis with direct methodological discussion and stable page locators.
Critical assessment
A broad review rather than a whiskey-specific experiment; method principles are general to homogeneous food and beverage products.
Retrieval and synthesis
Use paired preference for consumer choice, separately test detectability or a named attribute when needed, randomize coded presentation, and avoid claiming that a winning sample is better by a measurable amount.
Publication-stage controls
Open questions
A future pilot protocol should predefine panel type, sample size, repetition, significance threshold, and the treatment of forced guesses.