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.