2022 has been a bit of a momentus year for world events.
At Whiskey Nut blogging it’s been business as usual.
7 of the Top Ten Blogs have featured before – 3 make their third appearance – with 3 newcomers to the list. I draw conclusions from that & see patterns emerging.
These are my Top 10 Read Blogs for 2022 based on WordPress stats – Dec 30th 2022.
Feel free to press on the highlighted words to access the original posts.
I’ve encountered folks refusing to drink a whiskey for not divulging where it was distilled.
Are folks really that petty?
Let’s dial back a bit however & answer a few basic questions.
What got you into whiskey?
For me it was primarily taste & flavour.
The joy of exploring different whiskey using a variety of grains, distilling techniques, maturation & blending practices to produce a never ending cornucopia of brands for my palate to enjoy.
Is where the whiskey distilled important?
Starting out on my journey it wasn’t.
Initially I’d be unaware of the myriad of distilleries around the world – even if they were printed on the label – but as time progressed I’d begin to favour certain flavours & styles over others & take notice of where it came from.
Does knowing where the whiskey is distilled make a difference?
Yes.
My buying & drinking experiences began to be predicated on my previous encounters. A bias or prejudice towards certain styles or distilleries formed which I’ve subsequently worked to overcome. Blind tasting & doing an WSET course worked wonders in this regard & challenged any bias – conscious or not – & helped develop an open mind about the whiskey in my glass.
Do you need to know where the whiskey is distilled?
No.
Legally there is no jurisdiction that stipulates distillery of origin must be named. Usually they are – as it enhances brand recognition – but it’s not necessary. Knowing can automatically engender bias – so I often immerse myself in the taste & flavours of the whiskey in front of me before finding out the details.
What if there’s no information as to distillery of origin?
Enjoy the whiskey.
Blended whiskey by default do not name the distilleries the individual components came from as they are often made up of numerous malts, grains & single pot stills from a variety of changing sources to bring about a uniform flavour in the one brand.
Single Malt & Single Pot Still releases from blenders & bottlers may also be subject to legally binding ‘non disclosure agreements’ from the distilleries involved & whilst they come from a single source – this does not preclude that source changing. Distilleries are capable of replicating the style of another’s to provide consistency of flavour.
What do you want in a whiskey?
An enjoyable drinking experience that excites my palate.
While learning about where it was distilled, who made it & all the other information may enhance that experience – it’s not a prerequisite. If on the other hand knowing those details is more important to you – we’re not on the same page. Giving up the taste & flavour experience to a prescribed set of data that must be met before drinking is rather sad.
The frisson of excitement & growing sense of exploration & adventure in anticipation of tasting a new & unknown whiskey is a joy.
Proper 12 must be the most divisive Irish Whiskey ever – yet it’s already outselling Bushmills 400 years of heritage in the American market after only 4 years. Go figure!
There appears to be a palpable fear within the spirits drinking community.
Fear of being ‘gouged’ or ‘ripped off’ by rogue producers.
Paranoia that brands aren’t being ‘honest and transparent’ in refusing to disclose every conceivable nugget of information.
Refusing to taste a spirit until the correct check list;
Trusted distillery – check.
Non chill filtered – check.
Single Malt – check.
Cask Strength – check.
Distillery release – check.
Or whatever criteria you choose has been adhered to.
It’s all so reductionist.
Taste is not defined by what is – or isn’t – written on the side of a bottle.
Taste isn’t made by engaging tweets or larger than life characters.
Taste is the complex interplay of the individual drinkers palate with the fruits of the raw ingredients, distilling process, blending & maturation regimes of the liquid before them.
Someone’s ‘amber nectar’ is another’s ‘gnat’s piss’.
What if all that extraneous information was removed?
What if all bottles of spirits simply stated the legal minimum?
No branding, no advertising, no stories?
Would the spirit taste the same?
Well – yes and no.
Yes in that the liquid – and your palate – remains the same.
Having blind tasted whiskey for the Irish Whiskey Awards over a number of years a familiar pattern of brands & styles consistently rise to the top.
On the other hand slick advertising, where & whom with you taste the liquid as well as your mood on the day can all sway the results.
But is there another fear at play?
Fear of enjoying a drink that is deemed unpopular?
Fear of enjoying a spirit that hasn’t matched your check list?
Or simply a fear of not conforming?
You don’t have to like the popular brands or top sellers.
Just enjoy what works for your individual palate.
Above all – enjoy the journey.
Sample & taste as far and wide as possible – you’ll quickly find your own sweet spot.
Hot on the heels of their Whisky Exchange purchase a stake in Mexican Whisky Abasolo is also gracing the enlarged portfolio.
Whether this will increase the diversity of drinks into the Irish market is yet to play out. Abasolo is not currently available in Ireland – so I picked this one up on a UK visit.
Made with 100% Mexican ancestral corn using historical techniques to boost the flavour – Abasolo piqued my interest from the very start.
The nose exudes a rich, sweet & enticing aroma of toasted corn.
An earthy wholesomeness with added savoury notes peeking through on the palate.
All wrapped up by a pleasing spiciness giving a warm feeling of cosy roastiness slowly fading away.
A whiskey bought in the local Spar in Lagos – which I can afford – excites me as much as one accompanied with a Fabergé egg in Ireland – which I cannot.
Happily receiving amazon.co.uk vouchers over the festive season I rushed to place some orders in the hopes they’d get through before Brexit kicked in.
Many Irish based whiskey fans use UK online sites to source product not normally available in Ireland & there had been warnings this could be in jeopardy after Britain left the EU.
My orders would test this new reality.
A few choices were simply rejected.
The computer says no! c/oamazon
So my search narrowed from the start.
A mixed bag of affordable spirits eventually made my basket.
It centred on Rum – but applies to all categories.
White Rum c/othewhiskeynut
Labelling.
One train of thought is the more information the better.
Sounds reasonable.
But every time the issue arises a chorus of similar phrases crop up.
‘Lying’, ‘cheating’ & ‘out to gouge us’.
Paints a rather paranoid & fearful picture of those big bad spirit manufactures & regulatory regimes that conspire to outwit us – into buying a liquid we enjoy drinking??
151 Proof Rum c/othewhiskeynut
Just don’t buy the stuff if you’re that worried.
Spirit manufacturing is a highly regulated, highly legislated industry – regardless of country of origin.
A whole raft of rules & standards have to be adhered to before any product reaches market – one of the most important being that it’s fit for human consumption – and anyone who doubts that clearly has no faith in those measures – nor the manufacturers.
Aged Rum c/othewhiskeynut
So why would additional labelling provided by those very same bodies make any difference if you don’t trust them anyway?
The other train of thought is simply the taste test.
It’s called blind tasting – & I’m a fierce big proponent of it.
Many spirit competitions are conducted using this method and it’s the most honest & transparent system there is.
Blind tasting c/othewhiskeynut
You are presented with a line of identical bottles stripped of branding, fancy presentation & flowery prose extolling the virtues of the liquid within.
I trust my palate to decide in such situations whether I enjoy the spirit or not.
And I also trust the regulatory systems in place that the spirit before me is safe to consume & is what it says it is.
If you want more information then buy from manufacturers that provide it – but don’t make out those that show the minimum legal requirements are somehow ‘cheating’ you. They will taste just as good – or bad – as those with with the complete works of Shakespeare attached.
WestmeathWhiskeyWorld 