Whiskey Advocate Top 20 - 2017

[Adam777]

What does everyone think about the new Whiskey Advocate Top 20 Whiskeys of 2017? It includes all whiskey, but I’ll throw a couple of the bourbons in the Top 20 below. I hope this doesn’t mean prices skyrocket for the whiskeys included like with Jim Murray’s whiskey bible!

http://whiskyadvocate.com/top20/

 

1. ECBP - B517

3. WT master’s keep decades

11. Little Book by Jim Beam - not a bourbon but interesting.

12. Rebel Yell SiB 10 Year

 

That’s the 1st list I’ve seen that doesn’t contain any BT products.

 

 

 

 

 

[Kane]

There was some discussion on the ECBP here a while back:

 

Reminds me that I have that Tamdhu batch 2 somewhere in my stash, and I can't wait to open up some space on my Scotch shelf to try it. I'm a sucker for cask strength sherry bombs.

 

Otherwise, for most of the picks, I can think of some other equally easily available option I would prefer; e.g. Ardbeg 10 instead of An Oa, HW campfire vs really HW anything else. The list looks arbitrary to me.

 

[Adam777]

3 hours ago, Kane said:

There was some discussion on the ECBP here a while back:

 

Reminds me that I have that Tamdhu batch 2 somewhere in my stash, and I can't wait to open up some space on my Scotch shelf to try it. I'm a sucker for cask strength sherry bombs.

 

Otherwise, for most of the picks, I can think of some other equally easily available option I would prefer; e.g. Ardbeg 10 instead of An Oa, HW campfire vs really HW anything else. The list looks arbitrary to me.

 

Damn, I searched whiskey advocate and didn’t see anything posted about it. I agree HW campfire?! Not sure about that one.  ECBP was great as usual however C917 was just as good if not better. I bought little book, but have not broke into yet. Didn’t see much regarding little book. Several people here on Straight Bourbon have had nothing but good to say about Decades. Price on that is crazy though. I never know what to think about these lists. Jim Murray picked Bernheim as wheat bourbon of the year and I didn’t care for it whatsoever. I agree with the list being arbitrary. 

 

Cheers!

[Richnimrod]

CAUTION: I'm about to dis WA a little bit, so be warned.....

I'm put off by WA for several reasons; but, mainly their insistence on those numerical "scores" to rate whisk(e)ys (I'd much rather just have a a few tasting notes and a review of impressions, subjective although that would be).      I might even be OK with numerical ratings, if any of the total swill craft ones I've seen rated by them rated what they really deserved.    A few that I'd have given something in the single digits "earned" ratings of 80 and above from WA.    That's one of the several reasons I no longer subscribe.

[EarthQuake]

2 hours ago, Richnimrod said:

CAUTION: I'm about to dis WA a little bit, so be warned.....

I'm put off by WA for several reasons; but, mainly their insistence on those numerical "scores" to rate whisk(e)ys (I'd much rather just have a a few tasting notes and a review of impressions, subjective although that would be).      I might even be OK with numerical ratings, if any of the total swill craft ones I've seen rated by them rated what they really deserved.    A few that I'd have given something in the single digits "earned" ratings of 80 and above from WA.    That's one of the several reasons I no longer subscribe.

Yes, the 0-100 rating scale that most review websites use is rather silly. I'm not sure if any of you ever go to Wine Enthusiast, but they have a massive catalog of reviews. The lowest score they've given a spirit review is 82/100. There are only two wine reviews in their entire history that have been given a rating below 80/100, one of which is rather amusing.

 

Also yes, I have no idea how any of these craft whiskies score higher than 50/100. Here's a Few Bourbon review that hit 87/100. Few Bourbon is terrible, I love that they're making it and that they are reasonably close to where I live, and maybe in 10 years they'll figure out how to make good bourbon, but what they sell now isn't any good, and this applies to the majority of craft distillers. If Few Bourbon is 87/100, Eagle Rare should be 150/100, but it scores a mere 89/100 from the same reviewer. Utter nonsense.

 

Ah well, WE seems to be the only English language website that consistently reviews Armagnac, so I'll keep visiting if only for the tasting notes, but their scores are laughable. Looking at Whisky Advocate, they don't seem to be quite as bad.

 

The Whiskey Wash switched over to a 5 star system, which is really just a 0-10 rating, but they seem to use more of the range now that they made the switch, with average stuff scoring in the 2.5-3 star range (which would be 50-60/100.

[fishnbowljoe]

I normally don't pay too much attention to any of the annual  "Top Whiskies/Bourbons" lists. The writers and bloggers do what they do, and these lists are what they are. To each their own. But this year is a little different. I'm kinda pissed 'cause one of my favorites wasn't even mentioned.   My 2017 Weller Blend was better than half of the stuff on those lists. Them sumbitches never even contacted me for any samples or to ask me any questions or anything, so they can kiss my a**!  

 

I'm giving them fair warning this year. I believe my 2018 Weller Blend might be better than my 2017 Weller Blend.  In fact, I think it's so good, I just might have to make another batch.  

 

Biba! Joe

 

 

 

[Richnimrod]

You Tell 'em Joe!!!!    Dem Fools is stooooopud!

[CUfan99]

On 3/9/2018 at 6:21 PM, fishnbowljoe said:

I normally don't pay too much attention to any of the annual  "Top Whiskies/Bourbons" lists. The writers and bloggers do what they do, and these lists are what they are. To each their own. But this year is a little different. I'm kinda pissed 'cause one of my favorites wasn't even mentioned.   My 2017 Weller Blend was better than half of the stuff on those lists. Them sumbitches never even contacted me for any samples or to ask me any questions or anything, so they can kiss my a**!  

 

I'm giving them fair warning this year. I believe my 2018 Weller Blend might be better than my 2017 Weller Blend.  In fact, I think it's so good, I just might have to make another batch.  

 

Biba! Joe

 

 

 

So this Weller blend, is it 1 part W12, 1 part OWA and 1 part WSR? Or would you have to kill me if you told me? There would be no need to kill me though 'cause WSR is all I can get. 

[BottledInBond]

On 3/9/2018 at 9:28 AM, EarthQuake said:

Yes, the 0-100 rating scale that most review websites use is rather silly. I'm not sure if any of you ever go to Wine Enthusiast, but they have a massive catalog of reviews. The lowest score they've given a spirit review is 82/100. There are only two wine reviews in their entire history that have been given a rating below 80/100, one of which is rather amusing.

 

Also yes, I have no idea how any of these craft whiskies score higher than 50/100. Here's a Few Bourbon review that hit 87/100. Few Bourbon is terrible, I love that they're making it and that they are reasonably close to where I live, and maybe in 10 years they'll figure out how to make good bourbon, but what they sell now isn't any good, and this applies to the majority of craft distillers. If Few Bourbon is 87/100, Eagle Rare should be 150/100, but it scores a mere 89/100 from the same reviewer. Utter nonsense.

 

Ah well, WE seems to be the only English language website that consistently reviews Armagnac, so I'll keep visiting if only for the tasting notes, but their scores are laughable. Looking at Whisky Advocate, they don't seem to be quite as bad.

 

The Whiskey Wash switched over to a 5 star system, which is really just a 0-10 rating, but they seem to use more of the range now that they made the switch, with average stuff scoring in the 2.5-3 star range (which would be 50-60/100.

I always enjoy a good bashing of the “craft” crap. Few has been terrible across the board for the stuff I’ve tried from them. 

[fishnbowljoe]

1 hour ago, CUfan99 said:

So this Weller blend, is it 1 part W12, 1 part OWA and 1 part WSR? Or would you have to kill me if you told me? There would be no need to kill me though 'cause WSR is all I can get. 

 

My Weller Blend is no secret. It's 3 parts OWA, 1 part Weller SR and 1 part Weller 12. 

 

Biba! Joe

[flahute]

5 hours ago, fishnbowljoe said:

 

My Weller Blend is no secret. It's 3 parts OWA, 1 part Weller SR and 1 part Weller 12. 

 

Biba! Joe

I hear that Nancy liked whichever of the Weller blends you sent her.

[Mako254]

On 3/9/2018 at 7:51 AM, Richnimrod said:

CAUTION: I'm about to dis WA a little bit, so be warned.....

I'm put off by WA for several reasons; but, mainly their insistence on those numerical "scores" to rate whisk(e)ys (I'd much rather just have a a few tasting notes and a review of impressions, subjective although that would be).      I might even be OK with numerical ratings, if any of the total swill craft ones I've seen rated by them rated what they really deserved.    A few that I'd have given something in the single digits "earned" ratings of 80 and above from WA.    That's one of the several reasons I no longer subscribe.

 

I kind if like ‘lloyd christmas’ aka bourbon truths rating:

 

would you buy another bottle? It kinda cuts through the BS to me. I’ve had several bottles that I liked that I wouldn’t buy again. The ones that you seek out don’t really need a score to me. 

[fishnbowljoe]

18 hours ago, flahute said:

I hear that Nancy liked whichever of the Weller blends you sent her.

 Yeah. I heard that too. 

 

Biba! Joe