I am always seeing articles about ‘TheTen Best this’ or a list of ‘The Best that’. When I read those articles I am always left with the question, “What makes these ones the best? To me beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whether it be whisky or wine, I have tasted some that I love and others that are so-so, or even worse, that I detest. Just because someone tells you this one is fantastic doesn’t mean that you will agree. Does this mean you are less learned than the author or lacking in your ability to recognize great flavour? Absolutely not. After all, what makes the author’s opinions any better than our own? Nothing.

Another thing I find interesting is that often many of the selections found on these lists are not available in Canada and many are not even accessible to order via the internet. Thus, the information becomes basically useless. It would be like searching for a unicorn.

Lastly, the price point on some of these choices is out of reach for many as prices may reach well into four digits to obtain a bottle of the golden nectar. In my opinion, a steep price doesn’t automatically equate to it being a fantastic wine or whisky. It only means that it is expensive. A high price is better equated to the economic and production factors associated with making the wine or spirit.

To me these articles provide mere opinions and are nothing more than casual reading entertainment. I find it interesting to compare these lists to see whether there are any that I have tried. Of those that I have tasted, I compare the writer’s opinion to my own. If there is agreement, then I am more interested in what the writer has to say since there is then a stronger likelihood that we have similar tastes.

Sláinte mhaith