Jim Murray Whisky Award Winners 2011

Got my bible today and will give it a look this weekend, but I must say, I disagree with Jim on a few (luckily tastes differ, otherwise we'd all be in love with my wife!). Haven't tried the B17 though, only the 12.

I don't struggle to disagree... Maybe it's because I've tasted the Karuizawa 1967, Brora 30yo, Ardbeg 197x, Glenfarclas 105 40yo, BenRiach 1976... all of which get lower scores. I can imagine Ballentine's 17yo is a very good whisky, but THE best whisky EVER?

Where did Ballentine's 17 year old come last year?

Ok, despite my love of blends, perhaps some objective balance is in order: @WhiskyNotes: I have not tried the whiskies that you have mentioned, however my own personal favourites in my time are the Rosebanks 25 yo, Ardbeg Uigeadail, and Stranahan's Colorado Whisky, all of which I would rate above the Ballantines 17 yo. So I would agree that despite the Ballantine's 17 yo being exceptional whisky, I wouldn't rate it as the best that even I have tried (let alone even more experienced palates such as yourself or Jim Murray). @LeFrog: Last year it was still the Blended Scotch of The Year, but one point lower down as an overall rating. @markjedi!: Indeed, Murray's scores are often questionable, I do admire however how he's not scared of controversy, as last year's Amrut Fusion rating and this year's Ballantine's rating testify. My problem isn't so much how high he rates what would be seen as traditionally "lower" drams, it's more how low he then rates many of the traditional greats. I do though think it serves to open up the whisky spectrum and bring attention to whiskies outside of that single malt elite. But there's still a balance to be maintained...

@LeFrog Jim Murray gave it a score of 96.5 and said of it, "One of the most beautiful, complex and stunningly structured whiskies in the world. Truly the epitome of great Scotch."

@OJK JM should have some sort of "Best buy" or "Thumbs up" award. In that case, the Ballantine's could win it, Amrut Fusion could have won it hands down, or whatever he wants to put in the spotlight (and cause a little controversy if that's what he wants). But in an objective (well...) quality-based scoring system, there are better whiskies around. They may cost 100 times as much, but that shouldn't matter to evaluate the quality (it starts to matter once you're in a store of course).

@WhiskyNotes if JM was to do a best buy category i think the Irish whisky he gave top prize to this year (Sainsbury’s Dún Léire 8yr old Single Malt) would be in the running! I picked up a bottle of it last night for £15. Very very very nice

It's quite an achievement that a supermarket own brand whisky has received this kind of accolade.

Mind you 'grocers' have a long history of bottling whisky - just look at Gordon and MacPhail

JM seems to be careful with his palette. One wonders if he had eaten something that might have thrown his palette off on a given day? I usually read what his opinion is before I buy something new. Occasionally he say "Once in a lifetime" or "Must buy" and I throw caution to the wind, trust in Jim and spend the money. Every time he say" buy this" I do, and am not disappointed.

Having said that, I really like a few things that get low ratings in the Whisky Bible, Aberfeldy 12, Old Pulteney 12 and Clynelish 14 come to mind.

However, I would kill him if I could get his gig. Kudos to a wise man for picking an ultimate profession.