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By @cricklewood @cricklewood on 22nd Jan 2019, show post

Replies: page 2/2

@RianC
RianC replied

@MadSingleMalt - Sure I saw a vlog where they say that they didn't think it through but then when they realised it was too late so they just went with it.

Kind of fits their quasi-goofball approach.

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

@MadSingleMalt - I had a look at his picture and immediately thought 'ex bartender who made cocktails and thought he was Tom Cruise+A*' . . . I'm sure we've all encountered them!?

That such a fella is a rep for Diageo speaks volumes. sighs

At the festival I was at while back the Diageo rep wouldn't simply let me taste samples. He had to pour us a huge shot of Laga 8 (OK so far) but had us down it in a oner then open our mouths wide and take a massive inhalation - I nearly coughed my throat out! I think the aim, as per the article, is to make their whiskys appeal to the hipster crowd. Hmmm.

That he may well have considered me a hipster was the most upsetting thing! worried

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@fiddich1980
fiddich1980 replied

The subject of whisky vlogs and whisky reviewers was discussed at @Nozinan Epic Tasting. @OdysseusUnbound your forgiven for not having attended. Life priorities DO take precedent over whisky. I'm sadden to hear about your frustration with the LCBO.

www.youtube.com/watch

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

I listened to the first half of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast, episode 189, with Eddie Russell and I have to say I'm impressed. Maybe it's "star power", or the fact that I'm a fan of Wild Turkey, but Eddie comes across really well. Genuine and authentic are words that come to mind. He speaks (so far) with candor about what works for them, what doesn't etc. He even mentions other brands (Maker's, Four Roses, Beam) without being derogatory or turning the conversation into a pissing contest. It's more of a "it makes sense for them to do X because of Y". His openness in discussing how his dad went about creating Rare Breed is fascinating, and he is quite open about the disagreements he's had with "the people on the business side of things at Campari". I can't wait for tonight's commute home to listen to the rest of it. I may have to pick up some Rare Breed too....although I am running out of space. Maybe I'll open my Stagg Jr. Batch 9.

bourbonpursuit.com/2019/02/…

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@cricklewood
cricklewood replied

@OdysseusUnbound I listened to that one on my commute to the epic tasting. A great interview, I don't think it's all star power, he doesn't seem to be posturing.

I think there's something special happening at Wild Turkey,I still think it's crazy that they are often present during barrel picks at the distillery, I don't think there's many large distilleries currently where the head distiller will take you on a warehouse tour and help you select you own barrel of their product as a de-facto way of doing business, that's normally something that would happen only for VIP's or whatever.

There's a really interesting blog called rarebird101 (the guy who runs it was on an episode of Bourbon Pursuit recently too) it's run by a wild turkey fanatic and he says the stuff that has been maturing in thew new warehouses at wild turkey is making it's way into the bottling of 101 and he things it's a shift in style that is of high quality. Says to be on the lookout for 101 bottled in mid 2018 and onward.

5 years ago 1Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

I recently listened to this episode of “One Nation Under Whisky” with Antony Wills of Kilchoman. And hallelujah! Finally! Someone in the whisky industry publicly admits that there is still a huge problem with sulphured sherry casks. Wills states that he’d avoid using sherry casks altogether if it were up to him since it’s so difficult and expensive to source “clean” casks. Thank you for your candour, Mr. Wills.

onenationunderwhisky.podbean.com

4 years ago 3Who liked this?

@cricklewood
cricklewood replied

@OdysseusUnbound that's a good interview, I got to meet him briefly at the SAQ during a tasting. He's pretty candid about a lot of their process.

I have often have trouble with the "one nation under whisky" podcast. Those guys can ramble on and it seems like they never prepare for their interviews.

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@ajjarrett
ajjarrett replied

@RianC I just saw this post, and have to say that the STDs are definitely my favorite youtuber reviewers. They don't come across as pretentious know-it-alls, and don't really have a continuous rant of the industry stated in every video, while keeping a strong sense of humor and inviting personalities. Okay, there was a time that @scotchtestdummi did have a series of videos where they spent a bit too much time pushing their merchandise, but hey, they are trying to make this youtube gig a real go at it. And yes, I did buy a sweatshirt (Scotch it! You Scotch Gods) and a few coins, so I am a bit biased. Nevertheless, I would say they are fun to watch, and they do explore a wide-range of stuff for a lot of people to enjoy. Oh yeah, can't go wrong (at least in my opinion) with insane hats and manga shirts.

Okay, yes you can.

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

@cricklewood Yup. I skip through lots of their...improvised stuff. But I gained a whole new appreciation for Antony Wills. That kind of honesty is uncommon in the whiskyverse.

4 years ago 0

Jonathan replied

@ajjarrett When I take the time for vlogs, I like Horst Lüning. He has a dry sense of humor that reminds me of my step-dad, and also my older family members in Germany. His dry readings of the company tasting notes crack me up. Some of his humor is lost in English. His son Ben is a typical next gen German, much less uptight, open to travel (to India, too). Aside from the charm, I occasionally learn something from them.

STD have their moments, though I wish they would take their role as whisky educators more seriously. Sometimes I think they dumb things down for an American audience---but that they know more about the process of making whisky than they let on. The yells of "test it" and "peat" can be a bit hokey, but they need to see their swag too.

4 years ago 3Who liked this?

Jonathan replied

I found this line of thought somewhat objectionable. It deals with the automation of whisky cask management vs. the human component.Horst seems to come down on the side of of automation. I'm not so sure about this, no disrespect to Horst intended :) p.s. If you are even a semi-audiophile, take out your DAC and headphone amp when he swishes.... www.youtube.com/watch

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

@Jonathan I love Horst’s swishing ! laughing It should come as no surprise to anyone that a German is favourable to automation and efficiency, right?

4 years ago 3Who liked this?

@cricklewood
cricklewood replied

@Jonathan Horst is/was an engineer so no surprise that he thinks automation is best.

The swishing is funny if a bit much. Especially the exclamations he makes afterwards.

My kid used to do a great imitation of him that never failed to crack me up

4 years ago 4Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

@cricklewood @Jonathan @OdysseusUnbound - Horst's swishing cracks me up too! Personally, I find if I slosh whisky around in my mouth like that a sharp numbness seems to override all flavour. I prefer to kind of 'chew' on the whisky and let my saliva work it's way slowly round (maybe too much info!?) - I get lots more flavour that way and much less 'burn'.

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@ajjarrett
ajjarrett replied

@Jonathan Yes, I enjoy Horst and Ben reviews. I can even enjoy it Horst reads the sides of the box, or the labels on the bottles. Why? Because I do read the labels on the bottles and the sides of the boxes. The first time I watched Horst I thought I could hear the person in the apartment next to mine using mouth-wash. Yes, I did have my speakers on quite loud at the time. I do fall under the category of people who can be turned off by specific sounds, so I had to start turning the volume down when he put some whisk(e)y in his mouth. I am not sure when, but some time ago they changed the microphones so the swooshing sound isn't so obvious. Setting that aside. The one thing I do like about the Whisky.com reviewers is that Horst and Ben do not give scores. They just drink (albiet little amounts for the review) and give nosing and tasting notes, along with their feelings toward it. Scores are silly, since we (the viewers) might not get the same experience as the reviewers, nor do they clearly define their criteria for scoring.

What do you get, why do you like it or dislike it. Bam! You're done.

As for the STDs, yes, we can all find some gimmicky things reviewers do a bit annoying, or at least find as a distraction. I agree with you that they do know more than they let on, which is to keep the idea of "dummy" going. I am not sure if people who watch them watch them to be 'educated,' or to simply have a fun time with two people who want to have fun with their whisky enthusiasm. I certainly wouldn't say they are the Ralfy type who just wants to share, "just an opinion malt mate," but I wish they would move on with the dummy bit and not play down what they 'do' know.

Now the content I do avoid, all the time, are articles and youtube videos that are "how to drink like a gentleman" or "how to drink xyz." I mean come on, do people really need to be told how to drink something? Get the liquid of choice and get a glass of some sort. You put the liquid in the glass. Lift the glass, or put a straw in it, then....drink. After you drink, swallow. I don't need to know how to drink like a gentleman, especially when that man suggest putting some whisk(e)y in the glass and then tossing it on the floor. I think you all know who I am referring to. HA!

Quality content, for content produces, get over the gimmicks and nonsense, and get to juice and the experiences. Just my Ralfy-like rant.

4 years ago 5Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

This One Nation Under Whisky podcast with Jane Bowie from Maker’s Mark is really fascinating. Something I appreciate about this interviewer is that he’s able to get the hell “out of the way“. I don’t want to name names, but there’s another podcaster (who I generally enjoy) that sometimes rambles on and talks more than his guests, but that’s another Whisky Topic altogether...The interview with Mrs. Bowie starts at about the 24 minute mark, if you want to skip the preamble.

podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/…

4 years ago 0

@MadSingleMalt

I don't do podcasts, but @OdysseusUnbound's mention of that one reminds me that the WhiskyCask guy recently named our club in Madison, Wisconsin as his whisky club of the month after one of our more enthusiastic members nominated us. Pretty fun.

I believe this is the link: pca.st/ab9kxpxx

4 years ago 2Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound

@MadSingleMalt Mark Gillespie is by far my favourite podcaster/interviewer. He is the most prepared and the least rambling/interrupting interviewer.

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@MadSingleMalt

@OdysseusUnbound, good to know! Maybe I'll check him out sometime, if I ever figure out how podcasts work.

Clicking that link from my club buddy to hear the announcement was the first time I ever listened to his show, but I have a strong suspicion that he's the guy I shared a car with on Islay when I was there for the Feis in 2010.

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

As always, the Sponge is able to sum up what we all think in his irresistibly entertaining way.

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC replied

@OdysseusUnbound - Thanks for the link.

The bit about Amazon undercutting everyone is a concern I share but in the short term ... It's great! grinning

4 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote replied

@RianC Nobody is immune from the Amazon beast. Just be thankful you are not a small, specialty retailer. I agree, though, their prices and return policies are sometimes just too good to pass up.

4 years ago 0

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@ajjarrett

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