Why I am not a whiskey drinker

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Burning Petard
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Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:35 pm
Location: Near Bear, Delaware

Why I am not a whiskey drinker

Post by Burning Petard »

I cannot imagine why, after reading this description, anyone would want to put it into their mouth:

FROM THE BARREL



This year's Peated Single Malt whisky is a marriage of virgin and refill casks. Confident aromas of smoldering peat briquette, dried heather, and smoked watermelon lead off before transforming into warm honey-glazed red apple, furniture varnish, and oiled leather.

The palate entices with early notes of dried lemon peel and moss before opening up into over-baked peach cobbler with date syrup and grilled pineapple. The earthy flavors continue with grilled rosemary sprigs paired with burnt marshmallows,

Burned marshmallows, burned peach cobbler, furniture varnish? This all sounds worse to me than the descriptions of best selling gourmet pizza in Japan from a few years back. No accounting for taste.

snailgate.

ex-khobar Andy
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Location: Louisville KY as of July 2018

Re: Why I am not a whiskey drinker

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

Scotland is not known for growing watermelons, peaches, lemons, dates and pineapples.

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Why I am not a whiskey drinker

Post by BoSoxGal »

There is a range of olfactory experience in the human condition - some folks have a much richer experience of odor and flavor than others. For people who are nose blind or nose impaired, the subtleties of flavor in wine or spirits would not necessarily be appreciated or even noticeable.

I’m very glad that random chance gifted me a highly sensitive olfactory system, though I can’t say I always pick up on all the flavors described on the label of a good wine or whisky - whisky especially overruns me often, it’s just so strong.

That said, some of the descriptions are ridiculous. Who knows how varnish tastes? Only an idiot.

On second reading I see that’s an aroma description not a taste. So yeah, I can see where some alcohol could have a whiff of varnish but it’s not terribly appealing just the same.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

Burning Petard
Posts: 4050
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:35 pm
Location: Near Bear, Delaware

Re: Why I am not a whiskey drinker

Post by Burning Petard »

This description comes from a small distillery In Waco Texas. The first became known for whiskey based on blue corn. Then they began winning international blind tastings. And naturally, the founders of the artisan distillery took the money (and most of the art) and ran when a group offered to buy them out for a big sack of money.

Personally, it all goes along with much of what I know about the history of that area. I feel they if they spelled the name of the town correctly. It would be Wacko. But then again, I am an East-coast Libertard, what do I know.

snailgate.

Big RR
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Re: Why I am not a whiskey drinker

Post by Big RR »

Personally, I think you have to see how those flavors bend together to create a whiskey which you either like or not. there is always a tnedency to try and parse the combined flavor into the individual components (in wine and whiskey as BSG notes), and this can be helpful in predicting the flavor of something you have not yet tasted, but it is the combination of those substituents that creates the experience. no one (OK few people) love a varnish odor (or taste), and probably not the flavor of burnt marshmellow or cobbler,for that matter, but thsoe flavors may well combine to make a great whiskey.

FWIW, I have been a scotch drinker for years, and for many of them was always attracted to the smoky/peaty single malts, but as I have aged, I no longer find those as good a drink as the lighter scotches (even great blends); it's always the ultimate product that has to be experienced, and it is a rewarding experience to try and experience as many as possible rather than rely on decriptions.
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As for wine, I recall several years back there was a movement to use more common descriptors for aromas and tastes in reviews to make wine a little less "stuffy" (no pun intended). Descriptors like the aroma of sweaty gym socks or rotting cabbage were used, and in my experience, they often were accurate; we tend to try and compare something new with something we know, and the aroma of a combination of coffee and tobacco with leather might well be described as stinky socks or shoes, but we are looking for the overall perception. I also recall a friend who used to drink lapsong suchone tea every day (which tasted and smelled like creosote to me)--but it's the overall perception of the drinker.

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