How much credibility do you give whiskey reviews?

[BourbonGuy]

How much credibility do you give whiskey reviews? Sometimes, if I have never seen a certain bourbon, I will usually ask here and seek whiskey reviews. Interesting how much they can vary.

Take Ancient Age 10 year as an example Clay Risen, in his book American whiskey Bourbon and Rye gives it a 86. Whiskey Advocate gives is an 85 Jim Murray gives it an 96.

Another example, in American Whiskey and Rye, Old Grand Dad 114 is not recommended, yet most here seem to love it.

[LCWoody]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.........

[fricky]

Everyone's palate is different. I often look at multiple reviews to help determine what I may purchase. I try to identify someone that has similar tastes to help with my decision to buy or pass. Ultimately, I prefer to taste something before buying.

[PaulO]

I view a lot of the whiskey reviews as entertainment, and don't take them too seriously. Reviewers may like different things than what I like. I don't know what the relationship between source and reviewer is. Is the free product really a ringer from some special honey barrel? If I wanted good information, I would check out the Straight Bourbon Of The Month thread on this site. If that didn't help, I would start a new thread asking about it.

[dcbt]

I can't recall ever reading a poor review from any of the "normal" sites, so I tend to ignore them all. I like reading the opinions here more, though I don't know if i've bought or not bought a bottle because of what i've read here even.

[Richnimrod]

Although I don't place any importance whatsoever on any of the 'rating' numbers given by the usual reviewers (see dcbt's comment just a bit earlier), I do read their impressions of the profile.

I'm interested in the aromas and flavors teased out by these folx. Some of it is borderline bulls__t, some seems genuine; but nearly always interesting, or at least humorous. I make zero buying decisions based on 'em, though.

[BigBoldBully]

Although I don't place any importance whatsoever on any of the 'rating' numbers given by the usual reviewers (see dcbt's comment just a bit earlier), I do read their impressions of the profile.

Same with me. And I also ignore any attempts to tease out subtle or ethereal qualities, so far as buying advice is concerned. It is, however, useful to me when reviewers agree that a whiskey is rich and bold, or the opposite, without regard to what specific flavors or analogues are identified.

[Darwin]

I will read several different reviews on items I have never tasted. I am looking for the general consensus as related to quality and major characteristics. I ignore outliers and reviews that I think may have been paid for. (individuals & big box stores) I do tend to trust some more than others if my impressions of a product line up with the review of a more experienced person. After all of that it comes down to personal preferences and those may change or drift over time.

[callmeox]

The only review that matters to me is my palate. The rest is strictly for entertainment purposes or to entice web clicks or book purchases.

[squire]

Some of them are good for a laugh.

[El Vino]

Actually, I prefer what I read on these boards to any pro review. I think we as a community provide a cross section of palates and one learns whose preferences align with yours.

[GaryT]

I like to look for what various reviews have in common with regards to characteristics. Ultimately, I want to taste it myself - but reviews have helped me avoid buying bottles I would not have enjoyed (which I learned after sampling someone else's!) I also try to identify which reviewers seem to align with my palate - although that isn't a guarantee.

At the end of the day, you have to determine if you trust the reviewer (or if they're slanting their review at the behest of a distributor/distiller). But as others have said - I look at impressions here more often than reviews. Or, I wait until I can try someone else's to form my own opinion!

[kjbeggs]

There are a few blogs/sites that are run by people with opinions I respect. That doesn't always mean I agree with their ratings though. Just like there are many people on this site who I respect a great deal, but we can still disagree on things. I'm more likely to skip something that is universally panned than to hunt down something that is universally praised. Like DCBT inferred, there are far more positive reviews out there than negative ones.

Every new small batch release seems to have an awards show created just for it. I come here for opinions, but ultimately I let my own palate/wallet make my decisions. Sometimes I get burned, but sometimes I find a real gem.

[Josh]

Never trust whiskey reviewers.

[squire]

Never trust awards.

[Richnimrod]

Never trust whiskey reviewers.

Awww, c'mon, Josh. There must be one or two that wouldn't steer us wrong.....? I can think of at least ONE! HA-HA!

[callmeox]

Actually, I prefer what I read on these boards to any pro review. I think we as a community provide a cross section of palates and one learns whose preferences align with yours.

Quoted for truth.

People get their backs up when some here resist telling new members what to try next. Read the forums and find others with a taster that lines up with yours. The problem with that is you need to drink a lot of different whiskeys to build the tasting database.

Did I say it was a problem?

[flahute]

Quoted for truth.

People get their backs up when some here resist telling new members what to try next. Read the forums and find others with a taster that lines up with yours. The problem with that is you need to drink a lot of different whiskeys to build the tasting database.

Did I say it was a problem?

Exactly. There are no shortcuts. You have to try them all eventually to determine what you do and don't like. Reviews can help you decide "what's next" but in the end, you have to try them for yourself.

[BFerguson]

Trust takes time.

Until you've had enough pours under your belt to define what you like, and to benchmark against what other "like", it's all a big gamble until then.

There's no shame in not being with in sync with them.

Like what you like, that's all that is important.

B

[B.B. Babington]

I learn a lot from reviews and sometimes bad reviews entice me to product, like harsh over-oaked. And can learn a lot from folks like Cowdery, Hansell, Ralfy.

[squire]

Kdding aside I've given some thought to the thread title. If I were to write a review on something, say Old Grand Dad, and it was good enough to be published the magazine would get a through, honest review and I would pick up a piece of change. It would be my best effort and if the magazine contacted me few years later for a similar review I couldn't change what I originally said.

Those who write about spirits for the revenue stream can't just sell the same review over and over, they have to jazz things up a bit. I'm reminded of a comment made by the late Jack O'Conner, longtime field editor for Outdoor Life magazine, who when speaking about hunting stories said "we all shoot the same deer over and over again in different stories, we just change the time, place and species".

I do not envy those who have to meet publishing deadlines. Mozart wrote great music but had to keep writing to make a living.

[Xevious]

Most are pretty useless IMO. I don't even know what some of the flavors they describe are. I used to read them to get ideas on what the try next. Now if I do it's for entertainment purposes only.

[The Black Tot]

Since I spend most of my year offshore in environments where alcohol is prohibited, whiskey reviews make up a lot of my vicarious enjoyment

I don't think I've ever read a review that made me run out and buy a bottle. Most of the time by the time I'm reading the review I was too late to pick up the bottle anyway.

The best part of the reviews for me though are the facts on the bottle - the whiskey's history, mashbill, the story of the release, age, proof, number of bottles in the release. Stuff like that. I don't take the tasting notes too seriously, but I do enjoy reading about what the nature of the whiskey is.

[BourbonGuy]

A lot of good info. I will say I have learned a lot here. For example, I had Stagg Jr. at a friends house and did no care for it. Trusting the members here, when I went to my local and found release #3 was on the shelf I purchased it. So I do give the members reviews here a lot of credibility. I also agree a lot with the reviews given by John Hansell. He does give (looking for the wording) polite, less than stellar reviews to let you know how he feels. Through experience I have found his reviews correspond well to my experience and taste. As it has been stated, I prefer to taste and make up my own mind. Which is why I go to a local when they have their mini-whiskeyfest. BTW: I have gone there a taken notes. I was surprised even when I things start tasting the same, you can pick out a stellar sample.

[jvd99]

I'll echo a lot of the sentiment here. Whiskey awards mean less than nothing, which I learned the hard way early on (anyone want some Old Medley 12 year - it won about 20 gold medals at a prestigious spirit competition in Tijuana). Beware of marketing claims like "Orphan Barrel" Barterhouse which had bottle numbers ranging all the way into the 30,000+ range which hardly signifies that the barrels were ever lost and convincingly proves that the juice was not of limited quantity in the traditional sense. This type of marketing crap happens all the time and most people here probably have a keen radar for such shenanigans. I don't put much stock in paid reviews/reviewers, although I read them all for general characteristics and entertainment. I have more trust in the group think type of reviews on SB, Reddit etc. I frequently buy before tasting because a lot of times, you just can't taste before you buy - especially for dusties, semi-dusties, LEs and foreign whisky. I will never miss a whiskey event at the local stores, because you can make some unexpected finds. Just the other day, I bought Barrell Whiskey, it was really good (better than the bourbon) and at a good price.