tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post4637987198529457343..comments2024-03-13T04:04:32.568-07:00Comments on Sku's Recent Eats: Am I Too Hard on Whiskey?skuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00487419662314518931noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-79014622437898528442012-11-02T20:04:38.113-07:002012-11-02T20:04:38.113-07:00Thanks to all for your comments, and don't wor...Thanks to all for your comments, and don't worry, I'm not about to soften my reviews.skuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00487419662314518931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-8825949640600289492012-11-02T19:27:31.771-07:002012-11-02T19:27:31.771-07:00I've always enjoyed your reviews for their hon...I've always enjoyed your reviews for their honesty. I love almost all whiskies and can find something good to talk about in most (which is why I don't rate them on a scale -- I don't want to mislead people who don't know my writing or palate). So, I'm on the softer edge of things because of that. The whisky world needs people on the firmer edge to help balance things out and to give people a full picture before they drop their hard-earned money. Keep up the honest work. whiskyguyrob.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09966901496135780943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-32170794953762422172012-10-26T13:51:45.111-07:002012-10-26T13:51:45.111-07:00The brutality of your honesty and clarity of your ...The brutality of your honesty and clarity of your tasting notes sets you apart. When you recommend something, I can trust it, and that goes for the rest of the crew on LAWS: untainted by advertising or industry pressure, and never whores for the free-sample gravy train.<br /><br />It's a joy to see you give out so many "C" and "B-" ratings. Not only does it help calibrate the rest of your reviews (so the "B or better" ones are meaningful) but your honesty also confirms the sad state of whiskey: most of the new releases are pretty piddling. Distilleries shouldn't be congratulated for producing weak, overpriced dross.<br /><br />The insidious tendency to overrate whiskeys plagues most other review sites and renders them functionally useless. It's more of a flirtation diary where writers with dubious palates pen love letters to every new bottle. Is seemingly every bourbon--including Maker's Mark 46--really worthy of an 8.9 or better and gushing tasting notes? Does every whiskey--including Rebel Yell--actually earn a B+? Did Angel's Envy deserve a 93 point rating? <br /><br />It's like the bumpkins who give enthusiastic 5-star Yelp ratings to "Olive Garden." Would any sane person rely on their other restaurant picks?<br /><br />So many other easy-to-please critics repeatedly discredit themselves with their low standards. You are a voice of reason, please don't change.BarrelCharnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-52551186919582881952012-10-26T08:10:04.450-07:002012-10-26T08:10:04.450-07:00I agree with you that a good portion of the new re...I agree with you that a good portion of the new releases over the past few years really aren't much to write home about. They're more of the shiny new object that everyone will flock to and then dump when the next shiny new object comes up. It's pure sensationalism. We see it with expensive restaurants and clubs here on South Beach all the time...<br /><br />I think you're honest and I appreciate you sharing your opinion. I also like the sarcasm and tomfoolery that goes on here. Thanks for sharing it all.SteveBMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10203167407546384904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-11508306892103347492012-10-26T04:31:02.164-07:002012-10-26T04:31:02.164-07:00The whisky world has plenty of happy fans-bloggers...The whisky world has plenty of happy fans-bloggers. Allthough whisky is in general almost always an enjoyable product it's nice to see someone that wear consumers glasses :-)<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />SteffenSteffenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09214829298998129214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-20134337974819862092012-10-25T20:02:57.554-07:002012-10-25T20:02:57.554-07:00It seems to be cultural for people to tend to be s...It seems to be cultural for people to tend to be super positive and exaggerate: one hasn't seen somebody for a week and it is "a million years", an average meal is "awesome" and an ok looking girl a "bomb".<br /><br />It is refreshing to read your posts.<br /><br />Keep up the good workNPnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-9089911655782967792012-10-25T18:55:48.622-07:002012-10-25T18:55:48.622-07:00tag away my friend!tag away my friend!Lazernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-29624327800449351652012-10-25T16:16:41.419-07:002012-10-25T16:16:41.419-07:00sku, I'm glad you finally brought this up. I&#...sku, I'm glad you finally brought this up. I've been wondering for a while now whether you even get the point of writing a whiskey blog.<br /><br />New whiskey is always good. New whiskey in a cool bottle is great. New whiskey in a cool bottle with a gimmicky backstory or name is best. Bonus points are awarded for scarcity, a price point above $75, or being named for a distillery that doesn't exist. Reviewing bottles that have been widely available for more than three years is an outrageous waste of your time and your readers' attention. Don't ignore nose and palate altogether, though; whiskey blog readers need tasting notes they can parrot to their friends and for whatever reason some labels don't include them.<br /><br />It's not complicated. Most of your peers have figured it out. Get with the program already.newtoastnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-60553240119302483852012-10-25T11:57:29.581-07:002012-10-25T11:57:29.581-07:00I hope all of your holiday recommendations will no...I hope all of your holiday recommendations will not be available anywhere. We need to keep these lists consistent.<br /><br />We need to be negative to push whisky companies to work harder. I finally talked with Diageo today and it was amazingly positive and optimistic. It all started from being honest about I felt. Your honesty keeps me and plenty of other people in check. It's all part of the balance.David Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-61916162147456897762012-10-25T10:30:35.970-07:002012-10-25T10:30:35.970-07:00but if sku likes it, then it's probably very g...but if sku likes it, then it's probably very good,... or very weird.<br /><br />Lazer, I may make this my tagline!skuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00487419662314518931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-92187934367899132092012-10-25T10:27:56.003-07:002012-10-25T10:27:56.003-07:00Its funny you posted this today. I just bought som...Its funny you posted this today. I just bought some '09 birthday bourbon, which got a lot of negative reviews at the time, which is my guess why its still on the shelf, anyway, I only bought it so I can see what all the haters were talking about. There were some veteran whiskey reviewers that did like it, but they were the exception.<br /><br />Its good to write an honest review. It keeps things consistent. I know by now that if sku doesn't like something that doesn't mean I won't, but if sku likes it, then its probably very good,... or very weird.Lazernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-32356110840082782752012-10-25T10:15:14.906-07:002012-10-25T10:15:14.906-07:00Its your blog, Sku. You are free to bag on any wh...Its your blog, Sku. You are free to bag on any whiskey you like. Personally, I like private bloggers such as yourself who speak freely about whiskey reveiws instead of cowtowing to the pressure to positively review a whiskey because you got a free sample. You and bloggers like yourself are a great counterpoint to the reviews that are bought and paid for to promote brands.<br /><br />But as you welcome comments I occasionally feel moved to voice my own opinion. Most of the time my opions line up with yours. <br /><br />You are not too hard on whiskey. Keep up the good work. Your voice is appreciated. Justinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082156144028140004.post-66140879117854909372012-10-25T10:11:27.810-07:002012-10-25T10:11:27.810-07:00Sku, keep up the good work. It's no fun to pa...Sku, keep up the good work. It's no fun to pay hard money on a bottle of whisky praised by this and that blog only to find that what's inside is "meh". I find that your tastes and threshold for good whisky line up well with mine, and you've already saved me a good deal of money. And helped me spend even more!Florinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14445344658258056628noreply@blogger.com