Practical Whisky

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.

Tasting Schedule

New tastings every Monday and Wednesday

	Whiskies Reviewed
	Tastings

Bottle Advisor

Random Drams

Famous Grouse Gold Reserve 12 YO $35⁰⁰

Evan Williams Black Label NAS $10⁰⁰

Taste Events

Coming in May, it's Chardonnay! Wait... what?

Visit the Event Page to see all previous taste events.

On Deck

Coming soon to a history blurb near you!

First Time Visitors

→ If you're under the legal age to drink, move along.

→ You can click on a number of things to take you to detailed reviews. For example:
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)

Reviews RSS feed

» Another pig on my whisky bottle!

08-MAR-2010

Pig's Nose was supposed to be a complimentary whisky to Link to another review

Sheep Dip by some sources. It advertises being a smooth as a pig's nose. I'm not sure who thought this was advertising genius, but I will admit this is acceptably smooth for a blend.

#391 Pig's Nose 5 YO Blended Scotch

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

$25⁰⁰

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

The whisky's score as weighed against the cost of a bottle. Adj. Score

ABV

40%

Awards

Tasting # 423

1^st
Impression

Ugly livestock on my label, good grief.

Smell

I got through cornmeal, oatmeal, popcorn and hay before finding barley, but there's a strong presence down in the nethers. Comes across a touch blendy and sharp, though.

Taste

Ok, smooth enough. There's a bit of prickle in the top and a -lot- of barley flavor for a blend. I'm going to come out front and say this was a pleasant glass of whisky, a tad focused on the barley and there's plenty of grainy blend flavor, but those are small prices to pay for something this cheap and drinkable. If you're hunting through the bargain bin and like barley, give this a go. In detail, the front is straw, all-purpose flour and a lot of blend flavors that rise up to the big barley top. There's also a bit of green apple, slightly sour but enjoyable. The fade keeps most of the barley and adds a nice wood that disappears rather quickly. For a 5 YO, this is fair stuff, somewhere hovering around the 70 point mark. I'm giving the nod on this one to the Dip, but this is still well met.

Tasting Score

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Your 2 ¢ Post Tips
You Might Should Know and other caveats and disclaimers Posting here and clicking through this means you've essentially agreed to play by the rules of my sandbox. Your options are to agree or to not post. That said, there is but one rule: I decide what stays and what goes. Promising nothing, I intend to leave any posts that are on topic and civil, I intend to delete anything else and I will ban anyone who abuses the system without warning. I'm not trying to be a jerk here and I'm not moderating for opinions or even attitudes, stay on target and we'll get along fine. Clicking [Agree] will set a small cookie so you'll never see this again. All submissions will be tracked by IP address. Brian.

» Canadian Mist: blue label

05-MAR-2010

As of this tasting, Canadian Mist's older Link to another review

Orange Label version has my least favorite Canadian Whisky of all time, sitting at the very bottom of my overall taste list for four solid years. Now, thanks to my new label = new review rule, I get to drink it again. Yikes. The fact that I picked this up as a one-buck mini is small comfort, I'm subjecting you to another dreary review of this repackaged horror. Because of that, I'm tossing this in on a Friday instead of the normal weekly review. I simply cannot imagine that this is anything but a new label (someone realized that mist isn't orange, I guess) of junk whisky. Sorry, but this stuff was miserable last time and if anyone at Canadian Mist reads this, I hate your whisky. You'll just have to console yourself by watching those truckloads of Canadian Dollars backing up to your headquarters.

#390 Canadian Mist NAS Blended Canadian

$15⁰⁰

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

The whisky's score as weighed against the cost of a bottle. Adj. Score

ABV

40%

Awards

Tasting # 422

1^st
Impression

There's no path to objectivity here, but I will say the label is easier on the eyes.

Smell

Unbelievably sweet rye and raisins. Very sharp when you get down into the glass. Not as horrible as I remember, at least.

Taste

Ugh. I almost thought there was hope, but this is just bad whisky. I don't know if I can completely justify the old sub-20 score on this, but it's certainly an unpleasant pile of rye-tartness. There's nothing especially horrid up front, but the sandpaper attack of rye at the peak makes up for it and then some. Sour fade and so on and so on and nevermind. Ugh, just no. Really unhappy with this almost through the entire finish. To it's credit, it ends reasonably well, too bad you have to suffer through the actual... well, drinking part. I'm going to bump the score above 20 only because I now know where the depths of whisky truly lay, but don't take it as an improvement.

Tasting Score

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You Might Should Know and other caveats and disclaimers Posting here and clicking through this means you've essentially agreed to play by the rules of my sandbox. Your options are to agree or to not post. That said, there is but one rule: I decide what stays and what goes. Promising nothing, I intend to leave any posts that are on topic and civil, I intend to delete anything else and I will ban anyone who abuses the system without warning. I'm not trying to be a jerk here and I'm not moderating for opinions or even attitudes, stay on target and we'll get along fine. Clicking [Agree] will set a small cookie so you'll never see this again. All submissions will be tracked by IP address. Brian.

» More grouse, with a bit of mystery.

01-MAR-2010

Back when I purchased the Link to another review

other 12YO Grouse I ran into a bit of a holdup at the register because the barcode didn't scan and it didn't match the number on the wall. That card was advertising today's subject: the not-so golden version while I was holding the Gold Reserve. So, is this just a repackaging? A replacement? The replaced? Some oddball sibling from another market? Luckily, I've saved a small vial of the old 12, mostly because I hoped one day I'd track down a 12 without the Gold suffix and could properly compare them.

#389 Famous Grouse 12 YO Blended Scotch

$45⁰⁰

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

The whisky's score as weighed against the cost of a bottle. Adj. Score

ABV

40%

Misc:

Not the same as the Gold Reserve version.

Awards

Tasting # 421

1^st
Impression

It's Grouse, just with a darker label. Fair enough.

Smell

Orange honey and green apples, very fruity but with enough barley that I'm not concerned.

Taste

So the big reveal: Famous Grouse 12 is not the same thing as Famous Grouse 12 Gold Reserve. Hooray for new tastings! This 12 is bigger and sharper than the GS, and it only took a tiny sip to determine there was no chance this is a rebranding either way. Finally, my obsession pays off.

Oh, right! There's a tasting to be had. Really burly front, to the point where I checked the alcohol % (nope, it's 40). Still, there's some good to be had in this part. The barley is wonderfully big and expressive, albeit with a bit too much caramel and bite. Moving forward things improve with a nice top, but that sadly sours and turns tart with a sharp green apples and a lot of sour mash grain. Then it gets a bit better... and then a bit worse. This is really all over the flavor map from very nice woods to near-pine, good barley to bitter rye and a ton of fruits. It even ends on an odd, dry note. Adding water helps a bit but you have to go well beyond they typical one or two drops to loosen things up. I just can't go very high on this. The 12GS was nicely expressive if a bit caramel-heavy and weak in a few flavors but this is a shotgun of flavor in the other, wrong direction. Mid 50s and a huge disaster for my beloved Grouse.

Tasting Score

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Your 2 ¢ Post Tips
You Might Should Know and other caveats and disclaimers Posting here and clicking through this means you've essentially agreed to play by the rules of my sandbox. Your options are to agree or to not post. That said, there is but one rule: I decide what stays and what goes. Promising nothing, I intend to leave any posts that are on topic and civil, I intend to delete anything else and I will ban anyone who abuses the system without warning. I'm not trying to be a jerk here and I'm not moderating for opinions or even attitudes, stay on target and we'll get along fine. Clicking [Agree] will set a small cookie so you'll never see this again. All submissions will be tracked by IP address. Brian.

» Christmas Bounty 3: Ledaig

22-FEB-2010

My brother's contribution to the holiday festivities, this follows the Link to another review

horrible prior Ledaig and improves its score... slightly. This was a fascinating bottle because the slightly peated flavor gives it a world of interesting flavors, sadly they aren't all -good- flavors.

» Christmas Bounty 2: The end of the Johnnie Walker Rainbow

15-FEB-2010

It would have been more poetic to have the Link to another review

Gold Label as the final JW, or the Link to another review

Blue had we gone upline, but instead we have what might be my new favorite: the Green. JW Green is the only vatted member of the color line, which might explain my fondness for it.

» My Christmas Bounty: Part 1

08-FEB-2010

I've had a mixed relationship with Dalmore, but given my love for the Link to another review

21YO I'm more than willing to put money up for another. The 15 does well enough, but it's a fiddly, fussy sort of Scotch.

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.

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