In this entry I am going to try and consolidate the opinion I have shared on various other web pages, Twitter and Facebook into a single, possibly coherent, position. I am very conscious of the fact that “both sides of the story” have not yet come out and I may yet be proved to be more inaccurate than Matt Schaub throwing a pass.  However I am more interested in the core of this issue than the “he said / she said” of recent events that is no doubt going to be focus of most of the coverage. I am also conscious that I may be expelled from the virtual whisky community (#whiskyfabric) for heresy but if that is the case I was already out of step and all I am doing is stating how I feel and it will be cleansing to do so.

Balcones was started by Chip Tate in Waco, Texas and he produced some rather interesting, sometimes great, often weird and occasionally (in my opinion) average whisky. I think even he would admit to some inconsistency especially early on. However the whisky media and bloggers went “super ape shit crazy” (technical term) for his stuff, some with good reason and some for reasons I can’t begin to fathom. Chip went “global”. He became a Whisky Kardashian (without the sex tape – thank god – and an appalling mother figure trying to live vicariously through her daughters success).  A whisky superstar was born and I honestly saw more of Chip Tate at events like WhiskyLive London than I did at local events in Texas. Clearly he was “going to need a bigger boat” to secure Balcones place at the whisky’s top table and plans were announced to expand. And that is where this story goes to its darker second act. I have even suggested that media and bloggers who stoked the fires have some accountability for this.

Of course Chip needs money to expand and along come the investors (or the “suits” as they have been referred to). Chip asked them in. He wanted their money. He sold a majority share of the company to them. What bastards! How dare they try to run the company they bought the majority of! If you want to stay in control of your business, the best advice I can give is don’t sell it. Just because you started a business it doesn’t give you lifetime ownership of that business. If that means that expansion is not in your immediate future then accept that and stay in control. Perhaps he was badly advised, perhaps even mislead by investors or others, but when you sell something you lose control of it. That is the moral of this story. Chip apparently chose expansion over control. 

At end of the day I hope this situation is resolved, and the third act is happy, feel good ending. Perhaps they reconcile and go onto to great things, maybe Chip starts again and stays small (and in control) if that is what he wants. Personally I hope Chip and his investors are reunited and Chip goes onto to make lots more Balcones Single Malt, perhaps a follow up to the stunning Vth Bourbon and, if I had my way, a lot less Brimstone and Rumble.

Blog Reader:  Are you going to post any new interesting blog entries, or for that matter, any kind of blog entries, ever again?

Blog Writer: Yes.  When I have something to say that isn't tired and hacky.   I will in the meantime continue to post tasting notes and visit distilleries.

Blog Reader:  Thank you.

Blog Writer: No, thank you.

1. There are probably too many distilleries in the world right now. I hate to admit this, but I fear it is true. It seems not one episode of WhiskyCast goes by without Mark discussing major expansions and investments in Scotland or the USA by the big players or a new player announcing distillery openings in both emerging and traditional whisky countries. The list of countries producing whisky is currently growing faster than the list of countries that can beat Scotland at football.   Recent cut backs at Sweden’s Mackmyra distillery suggest to me that producing “ok” or “good” whisky won’t be enough in an increasingly competitive world where the others will be pumping significant amounts of cash into marketing their brands to ensure a return on their major investments. Being “unusual” or “different” and interesting to the blogging community will not be a substitute for good whisky backed by big marketing budgets. I fear Mackmyra won’t be last distillery to learn this lesson. If some “fresh from the box” new or boutique distillery is producing your favorite dram (which I have to say honestly is very unlikely) I suggest you buy a load of it now. It will save disappointment down the road.
2. Distillers….as I have learned from Ding’s Beer Blog; just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Bourbon, single malt, rye and other whisky iterations are classics that have stood the tests of time for a reason. When properly distilled and matured, they work. New players like Balcones too often display the compunction to prove how clever they are by making things like blue corn whisky smoked with mesquite. Clever yes. Good?  In my opinion, no. Even their best friend (which in the whisky internet world appears to be every f*****g person with keyboard and a broadband connection) would admit to some “variability” in their early work. On the other hand, when not focused on defiling the laws of nature Balcones have produced a stunning Texas single malt and their Anniversary 5 year bourbon was an astonishingly good product worthy of most (but still probably not quite all) of the praise and admiration that has been heaped on them like the guano in a forgotten bat cave.
3. The whisky fairy does not exist. The imposter on Twitter (@TheWhiskyFairy) is just like all those other fake celebrity Twitter accounts, unverified. I think I may have to accept the reality that is staring me in the face; there is no whisky fairy.
4. Glengoyne is a lowland whisky. They call themselves a Highland whisky and I agree the distillery buildings are technically located in Highlands, however their warehouses are located on the south side of the road that defines the border and as maturation accounts, by most estimates, for 60 – 70% of flavor, then I submit they are more of a lowland whisky. When they will accept this fact and move on is still unknown.  By the way they would be a fine lowland distillery, perhaps even the premier lowland distillery, rather than today where they are, if we are being honest, just another very good Highland single malt.
5. And finally Gaja Barolo is not the Portuguese national team’s reserve goalkeeper. It’s a type of wine.

As I mentioned in the first installment of this blog entry “114 Whiskies to Try Before You Die Part 1: A New List” I found thirteen changes between Edition 1 and Edition 2 of Ian Buxton’s’ fine work. In Episode 2 I discussed those that were obliterated like Alderaan by Ian’s death star.   In this entry we shall take a look at the new characters, the Jar Jar Binks if you like.

I was very happy that just six whiskies stood between me and the "monumental" claim to have tasted and reviewed not only all 101 from Edition 1 but also all 101 in Edition 2. Those six were whiskies Cutty Sark 18 year old, Glenglassaugh Evolution, Kavalan Concertmaster, Lord Elcho 15 year old, Naked Grouse and The Tweeddale 12 year old. The links to my tasting notes are posted below.

http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/671-cutty-sark-18-year-old

http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/669-glenglassaugh-evolution

http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/667-kavalan-concertmaster-port-cask-finish

http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/670-lord-elcho-15-year-old

http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/661-naked-grouse

http://www.somanywhiskies.com/reviews/item/668-the-tweeddale-blend-12-year-old

The table at the bottom of this entry reflects all the changes from the first edition of 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die and the second edition released in 2013. There are thirteen changes in total and in this blog I will focus on the departures which I will categorize accordingly:

“The Marketing Department’s Revenge”: Three victims here. Some were simply a straight swap of one expression to an updated expression. That accounts for Cutty Sark 18 for 25 and the Bruichladdich 10 for 12. I am pretty sure even their own Marketing department agreed that continuing to sell Glenglassaugh’s new make spirit was not a good idea now that they had real whisky.

“TTTTTThat’s All Folks!”: Phrases you don’t often hear include “Justin Bieber is a wise young man” and “Of course I have a bottle Glen Grant 25 year old, doesn’t everyone?” Adios Gordon and MacPhail Glen Grant 25 year old and Glenglassaugh 26 year old. If you still have a bottle of one of these enjoy it, because they are rarer than a Scottish World Cup victory

“Compass Box: Your 15 Minutes of Fame is Up”: I think even John Glaser’s mother would agree Compass Box get a pretty good shake of the whisky publicity tree and had a more than fair representation in the original edition. However they have been culled like a Canadian seal pup in this version. Their redaction (it’s a word – look it up) accounts for three more victims.

“Three for one”: Macallan have recently revamped their well-established line up for a new “no age statement” offering based on colors (I still giggle when I read the “official” explanation). Their fully deserved punishment is three out with just one of the newbies, Macallan Gold, making the second edition cut. They are getting off lightly.

“The Conspiracy Theory”: At face value the final two British badgers in Buxton’s gun sights may seem unconnected, Berry Bros and Rudd’s Blue Hanger and Glen Rothes Select Reserve. Except that as every whisky anorak worth his tattered copy of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible knows they are in fact very closely related with BBR jointly developing the concept of whisky vintages with Glen Rothes single malts.   As these are both great products and still available, I have to assume a Christmas card got lost in the post in 2012 and a score had to be settled.  

Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away Ian Buxton wrote a book called 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die. By long ago I mean 2011 and by far away I mean Perthshire. Stretching the Star Wars analogy further, from time to time I like to think of myself as Luke Sky-Johnnie-Walker to Ian’s Obi Wan Whisky. Just a few months ago Ian released the “revised and updated” second edition of this book in to the whisky and literary world. A second edition was not a surprise considering how popular the first book was (and not just with me, but with actual normal people too) but what I didn’t expect was the thirteen changes to the original 101 list so soon. That was thirteen changes to the list of whiskies that I spent eighteen months hunting down with the tenacity of a Kardashian searching for a photo opportunity.   Upon reflection of course I realize the list will have to change with time. After all whisky marketers change expressions and packaging like Roman Abramovich changes mangers at Chelsea; that is very frequently and with slightly less success each time.   Some other whisky stocks will simply run out, but unfortunately that does not appear to be the case with Johnnie Walker Black just yet.

At first I tried to be casual about it. I found and tasted all of the original list and as any true Star Wars fan will tell you the original is all that matters. No director’s cuts or CGI re-mastered versions are acceptable. I call my first edition list the Canonical 101, all other lists are heresy and besides I already had a new adventure finding all 101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die from Ian’s second book (97 and counting at time of writing this blog). But as time went by I knew I would have to investigate and so after waiting for an online review which would explain the differences (none were forthcoming until now) I purchased the second edition of the book and found the thirteen changes for myself.

The good news was that I had already tasted seven of the thirteen. This left me the tantalizingly small number of just six new whiskies to try and then I could claim completion of the second edition list. I felt I was already in limited company with formal completion of the first 101, but to complete both editions? Perhaps even the first to claim both editions? Then my whisky geek status would be assured. When you stop to consider that “achievement” alongside a reference to the sanctity of the original versions of Star Wars in my blog it is wonder I even know a girl yet alone have been happily married for over fifteen years.   Imagine my joy when I discovered that all six of the newbies were available on Master of Malt’s excellent website in their affordable sample size. In just one night of tasting I could complete the second edition.  How could I not do it? And so the order was been placed and as I write is en route to me. What are they? Well you can try to use the force to determine for yourself, buy your own copy (Ian will be pleased)  or wait and I will reveal all in 114 Whiskies to Try Before You Die Part 2: The Blogger Strikes Back.

If recent media activity is any indicator (which it probably isn’t) then the merger of Japanese Suntory and Beam is the biggest international whisky based crisis since Makers Mark reduced their ABV for about the same length of time that the Houston Texans were a dominant force in the NFL. For those interested, in both cases, the time was less than 1 month. There are actually images of American consumers pouring bourbon down the sink as a protest at the Japanese ownership of Jim Beam. Caught up in all the hype and excitement I personally poured a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black down the sink, but that had nothing to do with patriotism; I just don’t like it that much.

As with many things in life I think it is all about how you sell something and the marketing department missed a trick with this one. Personally I think “Suntory and Beam” would be a great cop / buddy story and suggest that if they had promoted the merger in the form of an internet movie trailer everyone would have been thrilled. I propose it would go something like this (imagine caps = deep gravelly voice):

SUNTORY IS JAPANESE COP AND A STRANGER IN THE USA. HE WAS SENT HERE TO DEFEND HIS HONOR AGAINST THE MYSTERIOUS DIAGEO CRIME EMPIRE AND FORCED TO WORK WITH THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN HELP HIM, THE SMALL TOWN SHERIFF, JIM BEAM. TOGETHER THEY ARE SUNTORY AND BEAM.

SUNTORY: We aim to be good corporate citizens not only by delivering top quality products and services to meet the needs of our customers, but also by striving to protect the global environment and undertaking various social initiatives to help realize a truly prosperous society.

BEAM: Well you are in my country now, and we have a culture and a passion for making some really great spirits and creating innovative spirits brands. Now excuse me, I am going to kick this Diageo’s ass.

SUNTORY: As we like to say: Yatte Minahare. Go for it

SUNTORY AND BEAM. COMING TO A LIQUOR STORE NEAR YOU.

I am afraid can’t take all the credit for the screenwriting. Most of Suntory and Beam’s dialogue was taken from corporate websites. Except the bit about kicking Diageo’s ass. I found that on the back of a Beam Global Ambassador’s business card.

Internet tip: when searching for images for your blog on the internet with a work PC do not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES type in the words “Japanese Western partners images”.

If I ever had an opportunity to break a real whisky story on my website this was probably it... and I blew my chance so badly I have made the ObamaCare website look organised and efficient.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog I am a very minor shareholder in The London Distillery Company ( http://www.somanywhiskies.com/blog/item/390-living-the-dream ).  I took my first tour of the facility in September 2012 before construction had really begun and have since visited Darren and Andrew at the TLDC on at least 3 occasions.  Considering this and the fact that Darren and the team started the historic malt spirit production on December 12th 2013, an event I had prior notice of and also access to exclusive "behind the scenes" photos like I have used in this blog, you would think as a whisky blogger trying to make his bones I would have got around to writing something about this before now.  Well the truth is many people covered the story much better than I could (with very notable exception of @whiskycast ... what gives?).  Being a businessman first and blogger second I am rather glad that the BBC and Reuters were breaking this event rather than a second rate blogger living in Texas.  If you are interested (I really hope you are) I have attached some of the way better, and much more timely, coverage at the time.  Happy new year.

• BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25349961
• BBC News Video      - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25359432
• Reuters - http://uk.reuters.com/article/video/idUKBRE9BB12G20131212?videoId=274910962
• MSN - http://news.msn.com/videos/?videoid=206885ac-d1fe-89e8-a5d8-476436b9c0b7&ap=True
• Londonist - http://londonist.com/2013/12/whisky-distilled-in-london-again-today-after-103-years.php
• Time Out - http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2013/12/12/a-dram-good-idea/
• Just-Drinks - http://www.just-drinks.com/news/london-distillery-company-edges-nearer-to-whisky-landmark_id112321.aspx
• Drinks Report - http://www.thedrinksreport.com/news/2013/15200-london-distillery-co-to-produce-single-malts.html
• Spirits Business - http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2013/12/london-produces-first-whisky-in-100-years/
• Whisky      & Fine Spirits (France) - http://www.whiskymag.fr/actualites/unfuturwhiskylondonien/?age-verified=b00236a163
• Chicago Tribune - http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-rt-beverages-britainwhisky-tv-20131212,0,2082369.story
• Palm Beach Post      - http://www.palmbeachpost.com/videos/news/londons-first-whisky-distillery-in-100-years/vCLGwX/ 
• Juliet Oscar Yankee online mag      - http://julietoscaryankee.com/the-london-distillery-company/
• All About London Blog - http://www.all-about-london.com/2013/12/bbc-news-londons-first-whisky.html
• Harringay Online - http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/whisky-distilled-in-london-again-after-103-years?xg_source=activity

As I rapidly approach 500 tasting notes I took the time to reflect on some of the more interesting and colorful notes that I have written.   My first reaction when I reread many of them was to ask myself if I was drinking at the time I wrote that? My second reaction was to remember that I was most definitely drinking at the time and there is no doubt some of the better notes (better in the sense of memorable at least) came later in the “longer” tasting sessions.   As I have discussed before my approach to tasting whisky is quite loose and unstructured (which makes whisky to whisky comparisons totally unfair so I no longer “score” whiskies) but I think that randomness helps me create an expression, or to be honest to recreate or borrow an expression from elsewhere. Anyway here are some of my favorites from last 18 months or so along with the whisky I was tasting at the time I was inspired:

Weymss The Hive 12 year old: “more honey than Winnie the Pooh’s poos.”

Longmorn 16 year old: “tastes like a curlywurly had a baby with pencil”

Blaue Maus Single Cask: “Smelled like the alleyway between a bakery and greengrocers shop”

GlenDronach PX Puncheon: “a Spanish bar fight … after drinking you feel like you have been smashed in the face with a sherry bottle”

Crown Royal Maple: “It smells like the inside of Mrs Butterworth's laundry basket”

Buck Bourbon: “Like Toy Story 3 this one is a little predictable and woody”

Colonel EH Taylor Rye: “indian food and cucumbers”

Adnams Spirit of Broadside: “reminded me of the menswear section in a department store”

Knockando Master Reserve 21 year old: “like eating a Rolo while sniffing sherry”

Drambuie: “chewing a pencil that had been dipped in sugar and cough syrup”

The more astute readers may have noticed that while I am still posting regular reviews my blog entries are now rarer that a Scotsman drinking English whisky on Burns Night or perhaps Edward Snowden at an NSA employees reunion picnic. I could make excuses around work and family but the truth is I simply have less to say.   Rest assured I have not lost any interest in, or my passion for, whisky.  However in a recent online discussion in a Whisky Bloggers forum I made the analogy between blog entries and the “difficult second album”. When I set my website up I had lots to say and couldn’t wait to share my passion and release all the thoughts that I had accumulated on my whisky journey. I had several years of ideas and beliefs and I now had a forum to express. Just like a newly signed band has all their life experiences to date to draw on and an entire catalog of songs to use when they record their first album I had oodles of blog matter ready to go. However when the demand for a second album of new material comes along often what is left to draw on is the stuff that wasn’t good enough for the first album and the life experiences of just the last 6 months. In short a much shallower pool of material. So I have a choice; to use the ideas that were either half-baked or not good enough for the first couple of years that my website has existed or be patient and wait for inspiration as and when (or indeed if) it comes. I choose the second option (for your sake). In the meantime I promise will keep drinking, tasting and exploring whisky.

This decision created a bit of an issue (in my mind) with the current web site structure as the home page only shows the most recent blog entry. The lack of new blog entries therefore creates the impression that nothing has changed and this site is deader than the Houston Texans season and about as lively as Matt Schaub’s throwing arm. In reality I may have posted lots of new tasting notes but how would you know? As I mentioned above I don’t want to post something for the sake of posting something so I have decided to restructure the website so that every time I write a new review and tasting notes it will update the home page. A simple change (we shall see exactly how “simple” in coming week or so) but it will keep site refreshed and then I will only feel the need to post blog entries when I am inspired and actually have something to say and you might actually want to read.