Practical Whisky?
Practical (prak-ti-kuhl) Adjective: Having the virtue of being realistic and useful, a decision based in pragmatism.

Whisky (hwis-kee) Noun: A liquor distilled from a fermented mash of grain (barley, rye, or corn) containing at least 40% ethyl alcohol. Also: Whiskey, Rye, Scotch, Bourbon. From: Uisge Beatha, Aqua Vitae, Eau de Vie.
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New tastings every Monday.
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Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition 1992 14 YO $7000
                 88    
Duncan Taylor and Sons Tamdhu 34 YO 1969 $18000
              70       
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Balvenie 12yo Doublewood Single Malt Scotch
Each of the above colors will take you to a different set of reviews. One (Balvenie) takes you to all the Balvenies (including the 12yo) The second second link takes you directly to the 12yo review. The type of whisky, Single Malt, will take you to a list of Single's and Scotland will take you to every whisky from that country.
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Welcome!

There are dozens of excellent web sites out there that extol the virtues of fantastic whisky. Fantastic in taste, fantastic in character and sadly, often fantastic in price. I have no lack of respect for the whisky aficionados who can dedicate the time, energy and money to tasting all the whiskies that I can't afford, and I salute them with glass held high. That salute will just have to employ a dram of practical whisky.

Practical Whisky, this site, contains my reviews of whiskies that I've sampled, from Scotches , Irishes and Canadians to Single Malts, Bourbons and Blends and how “practical” I think they are. I make recommendations like those found in the Random Dram widget to the left, check the lower review for whiskies that score well in both the taste and cost departments. There will also be news and updates on the goings on in the practical whisky market as I become aware of them. Look for new whiskies every Monday plus whatever else I can squeeze in on Fridays. Be sure and come back and see what's new.

I hope the site is entertaining and useful, or at least one of the two.

Salude!
-- Brian --



Recent Updates (last 30 days)     RSS feed
Review Link» Last of the McClellands27-JAN-2012
I've had the Highland version of McClelland's bargain range on my to-do list for donkey's years, but I really didn't want to drop my own cash on the bottle with the plethora of American craft whiskies and ryes and other odd cheapies. This was in the back at a whisky tasting alongside a pile of honey liqueurs and the recently finished Fireball. Thank the Whisky Gods this cost me a buck.
#470  McClelland's Highland NAS Single Malt Scotch (Northern Highands)
This cost is what I found the likely shelf price for a 750ml bottle to be, based on an average of costs throughout the USA. Your price may differ significantly. This is not an advertisement of sale, this bottle is likely empty by now anyway Cost$2000Bottle Image. Image is © Practical Whisky. Bottle, logo and other trademarked imagery are © their respective owners.
BottlerOfficial Bottling
00-09:Horrid
10-19:Awful
20-29:Unpleasant
30-39:Poor
40-49:Below Average
50-59:Average
60-69:Recommendable
70-79:Very Good
80-89:Excellent
90-99:Fantastic
Taste Score
           55          
The whisky's score as weighed against the cost of a bottle. Adj. Score
           55          
ABV40%
Misc:Almost certainly Glen Garioch
AwardsNo Medals Awarded
Tasting # 547
1st
Impression		The bottle is ok but I've had the Lowland and Islay, so low expectations.
SmellDry and sandy, smells like a cheap Highlander frankly. It's not especially expressive and most of what I get is oak and flat wheat.
TasteMeh. Just... meh. That dry feel comes through from the nose and it's mostly wheat, toast crust and a flat oak flavor. Just really mediocre stuff and not something I'd suggest you buy, there's much better stuff than this.
Tasting Score55


Review Link» Return to Tomatin23-JAN-2012
My local shop started to carry the Tomatin line about a year ago. I like the color-coordinated boxes and labels, but the common distillery name and typical lineup made it difficult to remember. The Link to another review 18YO was over-sherried and dull, landing square in drinkable but forgettable 60s-land. The 15 fares much better.
#469  Tomatin 15 YO Single Grain Scotch (Northern Highands)
This cost is what I found the likely shelf price for a 750ml bottle to be, based on an average of costs throughout the USA. Your price may differ significantly. This is not an advertisement of sale, this bottle is likely empty by now anyway Cost$6000Bottle Image. Image is © Practical Whisky. Bottle, logo and other trademarked imagery are © their respective owners.
BottlerOfficial Bottling
00-09:Horrid
10-19:Awful
20-29:Unpleasant
30-39:Poor
40-49:Below Average
50-59:Average
60-69:Recommendable
70-79:Very Good
80-89:Excellent
90-99:Fantastic
Taste Score
               76      
The whisky's score as weighed against the cost of a bottle. Adj. Score
            62         
ABV40%
AwardsTaste Award: Bronze
Tasting # 546
1st
Impression		I like the bottles, simple, classic and inviting.
SmellRaisins and heavy cream up top, wall of oak underneath. Big and inviting.
TasteEverything the 18 YO should have been. Wide oak base, well mannered but goes a little bitter at the end. The top is buttery and there's hard pear and honey and it fades into a butterscotch candy and oak finish. This is a solid glass of highland scotch with plenty of character and few flaws. Solid, slightly dry feel, excellent flavor range and a big presence. 70s.
Tasting Score76


Review Link» The American Craft Wave Continues20-JAN-2012
And I, for one, am thrilled. As exciting as a new release form a big Scotch distillery is, diversity keeps the industry alive and competition drives innovation. I'm also a little tired of new Bourbons or new Scotch-style barley malts that just don't really hold water. This is a 79/29 mix of corn and barley aged for some undefined amount of time.
#468  Ransom WhipperSnapper NAS Blended American
This cost is what I found the likely shelf price for a 750ml bottle to be, based on an average of costs throughout the USA. Your price may differ significantly. This is not an advertisement of sale, this bottle is likely empty by now anyway Cost$3000Bottle Image. Image is © Practical Whisky. Bottle, logo and other trademarked imagery are © their respective owners.
00-09:Horrid
10-19:Awful
20-29:Unpleasant
30-39:Poor
40-49:Below Average
50-59:Average
60-69:Recommendable
70-79:Very Good
80-89:Excellent
90-99:Fantastic
Taste Score
             65        
The whisky's score as weighed against the cost of a bottle. Adj. Score
            60         
ABV40%
AwardsNo Medals Awarded
Tasting # 545
1st
Impression		The bottle is fine and I'll forgive the old-timey letters that every Western company seems to have access to, but the truckload of text on the front is frankly awful. I'm all for descriptions, but don't post a book on the front of your bottle.
SmellLots of apple juice over a pile of corn. It's not the typical airy corn or rye notes I've been getting from American Whiskies of late, so that's nice. This has a fair barley base and a real character for such a young whisky.
TasteCorn takes up the main melody, there's a good apple sweetness up top and the barley pulls some oak flavors in. The top shifts to heavy cornmeal and grain, then finds some wood and fruit notes in the end. It's reasonably smooth and has good depth and feel, although it often feels like I'm drinking cider or calvados. It's still a bit young and unusual, but I'll push it recommendable status without hesitation. Certainly worth trying and I hope Ransom Distillery succeeds in this so we see more American innovation.
Tasting Score65


Review Link» Finally, a Reserve I can be happy about buying.16-JAN-2012
With all the allegedly “Reserve”d whiskies lately, I'm quite happy to have the distiller's edition of a great dram: Dalwhinnie. The Distiller Edition set is an update on the Classic Malt line, which was essentially a way to market some top Scotches as a set. Each of the Classics gets a special version, and I've finally grabbed one.

Review Link» Save us Famous Grouse!13-JAN-2012
It's been a rough stretch lately. I've had two liqueurs, two dubious “Reserves” and a flashback to Dewars White label. Dear Gods we have to go back to Amrut and Tomatin to get any relief! While shopping for my anniversary (my wife has given up) I spied this on the shelf. Oh Grouse. A solid blend for a bargain price!

Review Link» Yeah, so now I'm doing this.09-JAN-2012
It's fireball whisky. Wonder what it tastes like? Hot cinnamon candy. Hot Damn liqueur or Fireballs or Red Hots or whatever you local variety of either might be. If you love those things, well now you have this. I grabbed the mini and felt guilty reviewing it because there's nothing to it, you get whats advertised and not an inch more.

Review Link» Another Reserve. Wait, Old CROW?06-JAN-2012
That's right, Old Crow has a RESERVE and I own it. I dropped a massive ten dollars on this black beauty and you didn't. No, I won't tell you where to find it. No, I won't share this bounty. No, you shouldn't hesitate to be insanely jealous, because I OWN this, this gorgeous nugget. With this, I shall be spared the wrath of the whiskypocalypse for the riders of desolation shall see me holding this and know me as one of their own.

Review Link» Happy New Year with Rich and Rare Reserve02-JAN-2012
Like with wine, in the whisky world the word "reserve" means nothing. It gets slapped on bottles for no reason and good reason and strange reasons. It's a pointless adjective to indicate that what you have is somehow better than the basic variety. So when R&R upgrades their supremely mediocre basic stuff with a "reserve" you can bet I was (insert meaningless adjective here).

» The 2012 run to 500 = Monday And Friday01-JAN-2012
For 2012 and (at least) the run up to #500 I'll be returning to my twice a week, Monday & Friday review schedule. I'll have to see how much review buffer I build & burn during this timeframe to see how long after the big five-double-oh I keep going. Plus, best to get to 500 before the Mayan Apocalypse or pole shift or the bees rise up and enslave us all or whatever supposed to happen this year.



Site Layout
  • Index: The page you are on. Right now. Presently even.
  • Reviews: The raison d'etre of the site where the reviews go to congregate and establish pecking orders. This is important, get moving
  • » Brand Listing: A breakdown of brands for ease of location or general interest
  • » Events: A subsection of reviews, with a ranked list of whiskies for each taste event.
  • About
  • » About Whisky: Start your education here.
  • » About PW: Info about how this site works and what some things mean.
  • » Stats: Lies, damn lies and statistics.
  • Tops: The top (and bottom) 5% of the list and the tops of each style. If you want to know the best of the best, go here.
  • History: Will eventually contain everything I've ever done. Ever. For now it's just the history of this site. Sanitized for your protection.
  • My 2¢: Rants and raves about ... well, whisky related topics mostly. Gripping stuff.
  • Links: Places to go when you're tired of being here. I refuse to make this one a link because I don't want you to leave. See how much I care?


Whisky Cred
  • Member of the Ardbeg Committee
    One of the finest Islays, and the 10YO is legendary.
  • Ambassador of Maker's Mark
    Don't be put off by the hype as I was. MM is a fine bourbon and a perfectly Practical Whisky.
  • Companion of Aberlour
    Speysiders that will warm your heart without draining your wallet.
  • Balvenie Club Member
    One of my first, and I've yet to find a Balvenie I haven't liked.
  • Compass Box Hedonists Society
    Master mixers and Lords of variety. Expand your horizons here.
  • Striding Man Society
    If all you know is the Red Label, you don't know Johnnie.
  • Glenmorangie Kindred Spirits
    They once made the perfect 10YO, I still love them despite changing her.
  • Member of the Springbank Society
    My first true Scotch and the bar by which all others have been measured.
  • Jim Beam Brotherhood of Bourbon
    Beam Black is nearly the definition of Practical Whisky in Bourbon.
  • Glenfarclas Friend of the Family
    Glenfarclas is a wonder and impossible to find locally outside the 10 and 12. Luckily a buddy loves the 21 and so I get a taste reminder once in a while.


Boring Notices
  • This site is not offering anything for sale. Should I ever decide to offer anything for sale it will not include anything produced or trademarked by a whisky company.
  • I receive no compensation for doing reviews, linking to manufacturers web sites or for doing anything else in relation to this page.
  • The images on this site are eiter:
    • Original works created by me
    • Photographs of bottles taken by me for purposes of review
    • Images taken from official sources for identification under Fair Use provision of the Copyright Act for purposes of Review and Criticism.
  • The links on the links page and distillery data pages lead to the companies that produce the whiskies and are provided explicitly without agreeing to any "Linking Policy" presented by the company in question. The proliferation of these unenforceable policies is ridiculous and I refuse to be a party to it. The company web pages are public information, I am presenting them clearly as addresses to be visited for further information, I am linking only to the top level entry page of the site with no framing and I offer no option to deep link. Should the company in question complain, I'll just add a link to a Google search for their name and let Google's lawyers fight it out. The content of those pages is outside of my control, such links do not represent any endorsement by myself or the linked company and should you choose to follow those links, I am no longer in control of your internet destiny.
  • The images of bottles clearly include copyrighted works, and are presented under the Fair Use Statute of the Copyright Act for purposes of review and criticism. All trademarks and copyrights are held by the companies represented.
  • It sucks that I should have to even consider posting this legaleese here, but that's the world we live in.
  • Isn't this text TINY! Man, you could get a migrane reading this.