whisky advocate awards for 2011

[Frodo]

Magazines with a voice are far and between, and the WA is no exception. It is bland and avoids any potentially controversial subject.

I guess I have a different impression of WA. I remember it taking a few brand ambassadors to task for the rising prices of malt whisky a while back. And not so long ago it did an issue on micros where there was alot of doubt on the value of lots of these. My reaction to these articles is surprise that they tried "biting the hand that feeds them" - although they did it by asking hard questions respectfully.

I guess the standards of "bland" is subjective. WA seems more informed and able to offer opinions about the whisky world than anything else out there except perhaps trade publications...

[kallaskander]

Hi there,

Packaging seems to be a seriously 'on trend' discussion topic at the moment ... keeps popping up in various threads. Forum members are definitely packing in a lot of ideas about the subject and it certainly seems that many of you are going a bundle on this theme. Can't imagine that this debate will wrap up for a long time to come, not surprising as its difficult to box up such an extensive set of arguments and views. I can hardly contain my excitement as I follow these posts, and keep logging on 'just in case' there is more to be found on packaging.

this little piece in a way of comment is not for you then.

it is packaging free

http://www.recenteats.blogspot.com/2012 ... -year.html

Greetings
kallaskander

[Pudge72]

Packaging seems to be a seriously 'on trend' discussion topic at the moment ... keeps popping up in various threads. Forum members are definitely packing in a lot of ideas about the subject and it certainly seems that many of you are going a bundle on this theme. Can't imagine that this debate will wrap up for a long time to come, not surprising as its difficult to box up such an extensive set of arguments and views. I can hardly contain my excitement as I follow these posts, and keep logging on 'just in case' there is more to be found on packaging.

You bespoke well on the subject o_b!

[chrisg]

Didn't see it mentioned previously, but in the same issue, several bottles of Hakushu scored higher than the Chichibu.

[bpbleus]

In response to my WA bashing upthread, I must say that the new issue that arrived last week has more face and voice than the previous edition. I skipped the awards section, though...

The article on counterfeit whisky is weak, though. First, I thought the number of deaths caused by illicit alcohol laughable (1,300 if memeory serves me well), as it is negligible compared to the number of deaths due to the consumption of 'bona fide' alcohol and most likely negligible relative to the amount of illicit alcohol produced. More troubling, the number of money going around in the counterfeit trade is supposedly $100b, which sounds more like a drugs number and lacks proper checking or referencing. As a customer of legit stores in the US and EU, I feel uncomfortable. Am I in jeopardy? How much of that illegal stuff ends up regular retail in the US and Western Europe? I could imagine that some retailers and wholesalers are feeling short changed with this incomplete or tendentious story. Is this article just meant as a crying shoulder for Diageo, PR and the like?

[mongo]

my copy is not here yet. does it go out in a staggered manner?

[Mr Tattie Heid]

I don't know, but often enough it is read that way.

Mine arrived between Thursday and Saturday, while I was away. Haven't cracked it yet.

[mongo]

mongo, they're blog posts. Wait and see what they say in the magazine.

my issue arrived today, and they say the same thing. i guess they didn't stop the presses to correct the "two continents" error. i hope the mistake will be noted in the next issue.

and there's no greater detail in the magazine write-ups on any of the whiskies that received awards. as far as i can tell the magazine's award write-ups are identical to what was posted on the blog. the introduction to the awards in the magazine does clarify that the awarded whiskies are not necessarily the highest rated and may be receiving awards for significance, innovation etc..

[mongo]

a 14yo single cask aberfeldy is the highland malt of the year.

serge took a very different view of this one today:

Aberfeldy 14 yo 1997/2011 (58.1%, OB, Sherry Finish, cask #3618, 185 bottles) Three stars

Colour: gold. Nose: not too sure… the malt’s fruity lightness is sort of dominated by some rather rubbery sherry at first nosing, although all that improves over time, with some camphor coming through. Big whiffs of peach tree leaves and even blackcurrant buds, which might not be appropriate in this context in my opinion. Having said that, it keeps improving, with more marmalade and honey after all that. Becomes quite heady! With water: now we’re talking! No more rubber and more fresh spices and fruits. Mouth (neat): very rich and very creamy, with an unexpected salty tang and an unusual spiciness. A lot of ginger and cardamom, even turmeric powder, I’d be curious to know more about the oak that’s been used for making the sherry cask. In short, it does not taste like some classic sherry-matured or finished malt at all. Some kind of experiment? With water: remains oddly spicy. A lot of bitterish wood extracts. Finish: same, for a long time. Comments: I think there’s too much newish oak in this one, and it’s no creamy/sexy/easy bourbon wood. Too bad because some parts are brilliant. Yeah, of course, all a matter of taste anyway.

SGP:471 – 81 points.

[Lawrence]

Yes, and it's not surprising if you take into account what Gavin said "....but this award was also about recognising and encouraging the ongoing efforts of a company to develop one of its single malt brands that has been low-profile for too long."

He did say he really liked it however which is encouraging that he actually liked a whisky that received an award.

It's much like giving Obama the Nobel Peace Prize; to jolly him along in the "right" direction...

[mongo]

Yes, and it's not surprising if you take into account what Gavin said "....but this award was also about recognising and encouraging the ongoing efforts of a company to develop one of its single malt brands that has been low-profile for too long."

He did say he really liked it however which is encouraging that he actually liked a whisky that received an award.

It's much like giving Obama the Nobel Peace Prize; to jolly him along in the "right" direction...

he didn't just like it, he awarded it 94 points. not that he's stingy with the 90+ point ratings....