Okay, let me hear from you. I’d like your feedback. (Not that we aren’t having fun already.) Tell us about a topic you would like to discuss.
Please remember that I will only be able to address a handful of the topics, so don’t be disappointed if I don’t get to yours. But, if there’s a consensus on a specific topic, I’ll start a thread.
Thanks again for participating and offering your thoughts.
John,
Always curious who’s importing which whiskies to the U.S. For example, Paps of Jura limited releases. Sazerac says they aren’t the Jura importer any longer. Who took their place, and are the Paps coming to us?
Duty free/Travel Retail bottlings. Which ones worth bringing back, and which one to pass on.
Reviews, formal or informal, of whiskies that aren’t available here in the US. For example, some time ago you tasted some of the Glenfarclas Family Casks, and, having bought one myself, I would be curious to know what your thoughts were of the specific ones that you tasted.
I think that the topics you suggest yourself, John, are the best. As an insider and person of considerable knowledge I am genuinely happy to simply see what questions you yourself pose.
butephoto, that’s one thing you can count on.
The comments that usually generate the best discussions are those like “Who will be Michael Jackson’s succesor?”, which are accessible and compelling, but also pretty open ended. When other blogs and forums throw questions like that up they often don’t get tackled effectively. Here just soliciting folks’ opinions about something thought-provoking is enough.
That’s true Red. We have a great audience here. And I have one foot inside the industry and the other foot outside with fellow whisky enthusiasts, so my sometimes hyperactive mind never seems to run out of good questions to bring up here.
As the old saying goes: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
I’ve always wanted to see a “bang-for-your-buck” matrix – a chart with ratings along one axis, and pricing along the other axis. It would communicate at a glance what may and may not be worth my money when I want to try something new.
I’ve also been pretty curious about restaurants that carry whiskey. I know some of the places I frequent typically carry Macallan and Glenlivet, as well as Maker’s and Knob Creek. These are popular whiskeys for sure, and I know that’s why they stock them. Sometimes I’ll go to a new place to eat and be pleasantly surprised by what they carry – sometimes older scotches (over 18 years), sometimes independant bottlings, and sometimes a much wider selection. I’m curious as to others’ experiences, whether or not they drink when they dine out, whether they try new whiskeys when dining out, and whether the whiskey selection influences their choices of where to eat.
Blind taste tests! Would love to hear if fellow enthusiasts have tried this at home. I’ve found it a very humbling experience. My ability to identify favorite bottles in my cabinet, blind, is much more difficult than I thought. It’s led me to believe that much of the whiskey experience happens before we even smell and taste. Anyone else try this?
I usually have someone pour two whisk(e)ys side by side and I compare, trying to identify basic type (Boubon, Scotch, Irish, Rye, etc) and then brand/bottle. I’m pretty good at identifying basic type but after that it’s much more difficult. I’ve mistaken Rittenhouse for Thomas Handy and so on. Give it a try.
Hi Joe M,
There is a blind test running just now. On another forum someone organized a test between 14 people. He bought the whisky. 6 bottles in 6 different price ranges, say 20-40 40-60 and so on.
He mailed the whiskies in 5 cl bottles and we have a website to put our notes in and guess which ones we tasted.
No prizes, but the fun is priceless.
The organizer was a Luxemburger, and the participants ranged from countries like France, The Netherland, Scotland, so Pan-European.
What fun you can have with that!
On the topics question:
Maybe something like, the eternal question of coloring, why distilleries (and usually the distilleries owned by the big boys, like Diageo and Pernod). Is American whiskey, like Bourbon or Rye colored?
Independent bottlers. What do you think of them. Is it worth it? Is the whisky better?
Lately I have noticed the increase of distilleries selling their New Spirit. And not only the startups!
Some are very drinkable, but othersnot. Is there a market for this.
In the 17th and 18th century, everybody drank their whisky fresh from the still.
And in the US you had your fresh moonshine right from the still. Will it catch on?
why distilleries (and usually the distilleries owned by the big boys, like Diageo and Pernod). Is American whiskey, like Bourbon or Rye colored?
this must read: why distilleries still do it
bgulien:
I find your takes very interesting, and love the idea of the internet forum blind tasting!
FYI, one of the reasons I’m proud of American straight whiskeys is that, by law, they may contain no colorings or additives. I don’t believe non-straight American whiskeys have to be held to that standard. I’ve always been surprised that the Scotch whisky industry doesn’t have the same kind of restriction, considering their dedication to quality and tradition.
The Canadians, on the other hand, with their 9.09% rule, where anything under that percentage added to the whisky is permissible (flavoring, coloring, brandy, wine, ????) creeps me out. At least I think that’s the number.
And John, speaking of Canadians, what the heck is with their total aversion to anything over 80 proof?
Sorry to go off-topic here.
This might be out of the purview of the blog, but I’m a novice who wouldn’t mind some Whiskey 101 every once in a while. I don’t even know what I don’t know. I really appreciated the thread about rocks or neat a while back.
David G, it’s certainly not “out of the purview of this blog.” However, it is the case that some of the bloggers here look to this blog as an escape from the whisky forums where “Whiskey 101″ topics and novices are both very common:
a) “… major potential problems . First, lot’s of newbie inquiries, such as ‘I just had my first fill-in-distillery-name, how do I learn more about scotch/bourbon/whatever.”
b) “… I would still prefer to have the top ten whisky collectors (not the tiny yet voracious speculators), the best industry people and the most dedicated whisky lovers read my unlikely website from time to time rather than 1,000,000 newbies…”
I like to think that this blog brings together both experienced and inexperienced Whisk(e)y lovers in a way that solves the problems mentioned in both a) and b).
With respect to a), it seems to me that the reason that newbie inqueries get so tiresome is because they’re usually answered by newbies. The experienced whisky Student feels like a philosophy professor listening to third graders discussing the meaning of life. Here that’s not so much the case. That thread about rocks or neat is point in case. On an ordniary forum thread on the same subject, one would expect to see a lot of dogma from the mouths of various whisky celebrities being regurgitated from the mid-level novices to the low-level novices. Here, there was some of that, but there were also a lot really experienced whisky drinkers who were trying to shield the novices from being caught up in the dogma. That was interesting and what was even more interesting was that the comments of these benevolent, experienced whisky lovers generated another situation. Namely, a debate was subtley carried on as to whether or not folks should attempt to share their opinions on the rocks/neat thing in a persuasive or authoratative manner at all. All very worthwhile and all stuff that would only work so nicely on this blog where experienced whisky drinkers frequently bump up against novices and everyone is taking things a little more seriously.
As for b), this is a sight that is followed by substantial figures in the whisky world. Folks who feel that they have attained a godlike status with respect to whisky and don’t want to have anything to do with whisky mortals can comment here (even on whisky 101 topics, occassionally) and feel that they’re not wasting their time. Furthermore, the fact that their bloggings are aimed primarily at “the top ten whisky collectors” makes them all the more exotic and fascinating to those of who aren’t part of that set.
Not to sound like a kiss-up, but this idea really comes from you, John. I finally got around to watching the Modern Marvels: Whiskey episode that was on my DVR for the past 3 months. Was really intrigued by your comments late in the episode about there being a whiskey for every time of day. I kind of get the after-dinner whiskey and the apertif whiskey, but how about some discussion around what makes (and examples of) a good afternoon whiskey or a morning whiskey?
Jpact,
I got something for your morning whisk[e]y:
http://blog.thewhiskyexchange.com/2009/06/your-worst-nightmare-alcohol-free-whisky/
Bless you, Red! I agree wholeheartedly that this blog offers a place for everyone, and that anyone, at any level of experience can learn a lot. All are welcome and all can absorb. Always glad to be here.
Thanks, John.
Guys, I have made a note of your comments so far and will consider them for future postings.
I would like to reiterate Red and Sam K’s comments: while we do have some seasoned whisky discussions, I still do my best to engage every whisky enthusiast, from novice to expert. This is a blog for all whisky enthusiasts.
As I wrote already under previous subject, I would like to see more informational posts. What is happening there in the industry. New releases. Cask policy and other information about any new or old release, I mean something that is not stated in bottle label or distillery web page, that is “inside information”. I understand that this kind of info is not necessarily available. Or in case it is, it is not possible to share the info with us blog readers. Nevertheless, facts about bottlings are the most welcome piece of info to me.