Bourbonr Blind Tasting 001 – Reveal
Correction – In the video I state that the Michter 10 #2345 is the 2010 release. It’s actually the 2012 release. The same holds true on the Stitzel-Weller and older age rumor but it is a 2012.
This is the reveal for the first Bourbonr Blind Tasting. For the first tasting, our blind tasters were Wade Woodard, Aaron Goldfarb, Josh Peters and Joe Long. I appreciate their willingness to be the guinea pigs in this first episode! This is the full live reveal and discussion video. If you scroll down to the bottom of this post I did a quick wrap-up and reveal video as well.
Here are the guidelines for the Bourbonr Blind Tastings:
Here’s the format. Each episode with include 4-5 tasters with 5-7 whiskeys. Each taster is sent samples and will submit their reviews and ratings before the live reveal. Every bottle in the blind tastings has been purchased by me. No outside bottles or media samples will be selected. I try to purchase every bottle at retail but, with today’s bourbon market, have to rely on fellow Bourbonr’s to source certain bottles. This is an important part of the blind tasting to ensure accurate results. While I doubt it’s common, there are stories of distilleries and brands sending “honey barrels” to spirit competitions. The leftovers are what make it to the store shelves.
Each taster is asked to grade the samples based on the following point system:
0-60 – Terrible. Bottles should be destroyed
61-70 – Bad. Flavor is off as a whole but shows a few redeeming notes
71-80 – Decent. Could drink in a pinch but probably more of a mixer
81-85 – Good. I want a bottle on my shelf as a daily drinker
86-90 – Really Good. Everyone should buy a bottle
91-95 – Great. This is phenomenal I would be willing to spend whatever it takes to get a bottle
96-100 – Perfect. This is everything you want in a whiskey and it has no flaws
If you really want to take a deep dive, here are the review notes.
8 comments
LOL, so Josh is the only taster with a clue. No surprise there!
I chose this group because they all know their whiskey. The results show how widespread opinions of whiskey can be. I.e. drink what you like
They may “know” whiskey in an academic sense, but certainly not organoleptically. These results provide evidence of what I’ve suspected for some time now- when it comes to sensory analysis, most people have no clue what they’re talking about.
wades hates everything not garrison- proof
Two things:
– I like that actual tasters can debunk the internet banter that Michter’s is crap by label.
– It’s a bit unfair to compare $24 whiskey to $99 whiskey (or whatever Michter’s is up to now).
Keep going.
you know, you should have put a woodford reserve in there as well. To my palate and based on the barrel I have tasted of 2016 M10, they are identical. One obviously being much more consistent than the other (not M10) in quality/taste. Mind you I am no woodford fan, but it is ubiquitous, whereas the M10 is not.
Kinda fun like having me and my friends get together doing the same thing. Don’t understand how it benefits your audience. I mean taste is subjective. I’ve tried all but one on your list and know they are at best average bourbon not worth their price range. If I never tried any of these then purchased based on your blind tasting, I would’ve gotten screwed — IMO. Point is that tasting notes don’t mean anything and can actually misguide or even harm the novice.
Really cool, I loved the different outcomes and how each taster rated it. This was very interesting and I thought comparing older to newer, with in the same bands was an excellent idea. Even the numbering of each sample was ingenious. How about doing another one comparing Kentucky bourbons to non-Kentucky bourbons. Your tasting adds new tasting options to our neighborhood Bourbon Sunday’s (salute to Elijah Craig). Thank you I really enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the next one.
Check out Somm on Netflix’s (about Sommelier’s) a documentary on wine tasters.