Okay, it’s rant time again. I’m trying not to be a curmudgeonly whiskey blogger but I just can’t help it sometimes.
Awards. In and of themselves I have no problem with whiskey awards. I find it amusing how you see some whiskey advertisements where they wear a gold medal from the 1st Annual Columbus Georgia Pig Chase & Whiskey Awards (no that doesn’t really exist…at least I don’t think so) like it’s a an Olympic Gold. I’m not going to argue the merits of one award over another. There are some I respect more than others and John Hansell already spoke in the past about the mulititude of awards that you buy into to even be considered so I won’t go there either. What’s bugging me today is the World Whiskies Awards 2010 from Whiskey Magazine. If you haven’t seen it already, here’s what they liked:
World’s Best Single Malt Whisky: Ardbeg Corryvreckan
World’s Best Blended Whisky: Hibiki 21 Years Old
World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky: Taketsuru 21 Years Old
World’s Best American Whiskey: Rittenhouse Straight Rye 100 proof
World’s Best Whisky Liqueur: Wild Turkey American Honey
World’s Best Grain Whisky: Greenore 15 Years Old
World’s Best New Release: Parker’s Heritage Collection Golden Anniversary
Do you see a problem here? No, I’m not asking why whisky liqueur is even a category. I gave up on liqueurs a long time ago and I’m sure they’ve improved quite a bit recently. Matt and I are conversing on a liqueur review series in the not too distant future. If any producers want to change my mind please contact me about what you’d like me to try. 🙂
I take issue with the “World’s Best American Whiskey”. Oh I really like Rittenhouse BIB. I think it’s a great value rye and punches well above it’s price range. Is it the World’s Best American Whiskey? No. If there is anyone in the whiskey world or blogosphere that wants to make an arguement why it is then please due. I’d be happy to post your response. However, I think it’s actually the “best whiskey that was submitted to us for judging under certain criteria for the given category” but that doesn’t really fit on a medal or trophy.
So why am I harping on this? I don’t question the integrity of the awards or the judges. I really just have a hard time with the wording. It’s not actually the World’s Best American Whiskey by anyone’s standards. If you’re new to the world of whiskey and you pick up a copy of the next issue of Whiskey Magazine and see this then you might run out and buy a bottle based solely on this. Is that a bad thing? No, but if you don’t take to the Rittenhouse then you might write off all American whiskey. After all, according to a prestigious award given by a well known magazine this is the World’s Best American Whiskey so everything else must be sub par in comparison.
Am I crazy here?
Richard
You know, that’s a good point that I’ve never really thought about. It would be nice to see what the competition was. It is nice to see an affordable whiskey win an award though.
What!?
very strange choices there. i dig the corry..
but the japs have won over all scotch?
Agreed. I’m probably just cranky today. 🙂
I can still keep my blogger award and t-shirt from MA, right?
Award – No. T-Shirt – Yes, but only because I didn’t get one too.
I don’t have any real gripes with these “awards,” but I agree that it would be great to have them publish a list of all entrants (if they don’t already do that and I’m just not aware of it).
I’m pretty new to whisk(e)y, and have never found myself steered in the wrong direction because I read about some award and thought that was the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I think most people are smart enough to balance the weight of any individual “award” against their own experiences, recommendations by friends, online reviews, other awards, pretty packaging, price, etc. This award is just one of many data points that you can use in creating a game plan for your own whisk(e)y discovery process.
But then…my view is kind of boring and doesn’t make for a very good blog post. 🙂
Cheers,
Jeff