What Bourbon Should I Purchase Today? - Spring/Summer 2012

[cowdery]

My current recommendations are here.

Interestingly, that post has received a lot of hits, several times more than the posts around it. How to interpret that? One way would be that many people are more interested in simply being told what to do than they are in taking the time, and doing the work, to learn about something so they can make their own selections.

[BarrelChar]

One way would be that many people are more interested in simply being told what to do than they are in taking the time, and doing the work, to learn about something so they can make their own selections.

Agreed. People who read reviews and recommendations are lazy. They should just buy every bottle in the store and figure out what tastes good.

[sob0728]

My current recommendations are here.

Interestingly, that post has received a lot of hits, several times more than the posts around it. How to interpret that? One way would be that many people are more interested in simply being told what to do than they are in taking the time, and doing the work, to learn about something so they can make their own selections.

A lot of people have a limited amount of money and would like to buy something that is generally perceived by others as a good product. I see nothing wrong with this thread.

This isn't like running shoes where you can just try them all on and take home the ones that fit you best.

[Lazer]

Agreed. People who read reviews and recommendations are lazy. They should just buy every bottle in the store and figure out what tastes good.

Amen. Bourbon is a personal journey and you can't just let people tell you whats good. You'll end up drinking a lot of Maker's Mark and Pappy Van Winkle and you'll never know what you might really like. You'll waste a lot of time and money buying what's in style instead of what YOU like. The answer is yes, give everything a try, but not all at once. After a while you'll be able to make educated guesses about what is and isn't worth it. Bourbon takes personal experience.

[BarrelChar]

Amen. Bourbon is a personal journey and you can't just let people tell you whats good. You'll end up drinking a lot of Maker's Mark and Pappy Van Winkle and you'll never know what you might really like. You'll waste a lot of time and money buying what's in style instead of what YOU like. The answer is yes, give everything a try, but not all at once. After a while you'll be able to make educated guesses about what is and isn't worth it. Bourbon takes personal experience.

Well, I guess this would be the time to admit I was being sarcastic, albeit ineffectively it appears.

There's no reason to knock someone who relies on the expertise of others. People with limited budgets want to avoid making mistakes on bottles and may not have the time to trawl the threads of a bourbon geek forum. It's rather unfair for someone to flaunt his expertise and then simultaneously chide the plebes for following his recommendations. Yes, finding what flavors you like is a personal journey, but there's nothing wrong with reading the opinions of those who've been down the road before. Also, Chuck's recommendations were three types of whiskeys that are going to be extremely limited and/or disappearing completely--the kind of information that couldn't be gleaned from taste alone.

[hectic1]

Well, I guess this would be the time to admit I was being sarcastic, albeit ineffectively it appears.

There's no reason to knock someone who relies on the expertise of others. People with limited budgets want to avoid making mistakes on bottles and may not have the time to trawl the threads of a bourbon geek forum. It's rather unfair for someone to flaunt his expertise and then simultaneously chide the plebes for following his recommendations. Yes, finding what flavors you like is a personal journey, but there's nothing wrong with reading the opinions of those who've been down the road before. Also, Chuck's recommendations were three types of whiskeys that are going to be extremely limited and/or disappearing completely--the kind of information that couldn't be gleaned from taste alone.

Same can be said in the opposite vain...what one thinks is great juice I might think is swill. Just because a review is out there stating good or bad contents doesn't mean that you're going to agree or disagree with the reviewer. Please try and keep your personal battles/issues with Chuck private as it's pretty clear that all you were trying to do is go against whatever he said.

Money does come into play but that's the beauty of trading samples, buying 50ml bottles, 200ml, buying a pour at a bar...you don't have to buy a 750ml to see if you like or dislike a bottle!

[BarrelChar]

Same can be said in the opposite vain...what one thinks is great juice I might think is swill. Just because a review is out there stating good or bad contents doesn't mean that you're going to agree or disagree with the reviewer.

True, but if most reviewers agree on a particular bottle and post similar notes that appeal to your preferred tasting profile, it's probably a good bet that you'll enjoy it too.

Please try and keep your personal battles/issues with Chuck private as it's pretty clear that all you were trying to do is go against whatever he said.

Puh-lease. Gratuitous attacks on enthusiasts who lack total expertise aren't appreciated, no matter who's behind them. The notion that people reading recommendations "are more interested in simply being told what to do" is ridiculous.

Money does come into play but that's the beauty of trading samples, buying 50ml bottles, 200ml, buying a pour at a bar...you don't have to buy a 750ml to see if you like or dislike a bottle!

Right, obviously there are other ways to try things before buying 750 ML. But reviews and recommendation lists are helpful in finding out what you want to try in the first place.

[hectic1]

True, but if most reviewers agree on a particular bottle and post similar notes that appeal to your preferred tasting profile, it's probably a good bet that you'll enjoy it too.



Puh-lease. Gratuitous attacks on enthusiasts who lack total expertise aren't appreciated, no matter who's behind them. The notion that people reading recommendations "are more interested in simply being told what to do" is ridiculous.



Right, obviously there are other ways to try things before buying 750 ML. But reviews and recommendation lists are helpful in finding out what you want to try in the first place.

I don't have a dog in this fight and I'm not looking to engage in verbal sparing over the internet. I don't see anything wrong with what Chuck said...I know many people who are intimidated by the hobby and are in the exact position that he described...if you could take a step back from your personal dislike for Chuck you might see that there is some level of truth to what he said.

[soad]

Please try and keep your personal battles/issues with Chuck private as it's pretty clear that all you were trying to do is go against whatever he said.

Hear, hear.

We are here to talk bourbon, not fight at every turn. It has gotten old.

[sob0728]

I don't have a dog in this fight and I'm not looking to engage in verbal sparing over the internet. I don't see anything wrong with what Chuck said...I know many people who are intimidated by the hobby and are in the exact position that he described...if you could take a step back from your personal dislike for Chuck you might see that there is some level of truth to what he said.

I can see either side of this, however, sometimes it is nice to have a recommendation. Just last week I wanted to know if I should buy Rare Breed or Kentucky Spirit, so I started a thread. Eventually I will try both, I am sure, but I was just looking for some opinions on what people seemed to like. Rare Breed was a runaway winner so it made me excited to go out and buy some bourbon, isn't that what this place is about?

If I need legal advice, I'll talk to a lawyer friend. If I need tax advice, I will talk to an accountant. If I need bourbon advice, it's nice to be able to ask the great bourbon minds here.

I am not trying to defend BarrelChar by any means, but I do think Chuck should understand that not everyone gets sent samples and invited to industry tasting events and we like to get good bourbon when we spend money on it.