Whisky is a simple drink made for simple people ( I mean no offence by that statement!!) it consists of 3 simple ingredients and a tree.. A liquid is produced which is then thrown into a wooden cask to gather some colour and flavour.. Its that simple and yet we continue to scrutinise it to the point we rip it apart, stamp all over it, disrespect the very people who dedicate their whole working lives to make it in order to find some shortfalls within its structure.. Why ?

Within the circle of friends ( ok I call them friends but they may think of me differently ) I associate with there is one common theme, we love whisky, not to the point of being dependent but more in an appreciative way, most of us believe there isn’t really any bad whisky and that if you do find one you don’t like ( yes it does happen ) then its more down to the flavour profile and your individual palate..

On a recent podcast I listened to ( #uncorked by Tbwc ) they spoke about this a little and people from within the industry  will tell you the industry does not release flawed / shit / piss poor ( all terms have been used to describe releases ) whisky into the public markets.. This might or might not be true but remember it all has to pass some sort of quality process !!

Think about it for a minute, there is very little you can really do to totally screw up the making of whisky, the production is pretty standard and the ingredients stay the same, follow the process and you get a liquid that resembles what we know as whisky, store it in a wooden cask and check occasionally, eventually you get a liquid known as whisky, bottle it and sell it..

Ok that is the simplest form of thinking and I know there is far more to it but come on where can it really get to the point we call it piss poor or un-fit to drink ?

I ask you this..

Is it really that poor or do you not appreciate or even understand what you actually have within your glass ?

I drink whisky because I actually enjoy it, I buy it because I want to enjoy it, I drink it because I enjoy it !! am I getting the point across ?

We know every cask of whisky will not be perfect but what in life is ?

There are several facts to consider when you decide to share an opinion on something.

Firstly, its just your opinion and none of us are perfect.

Secondly, Its just your opinion and you are not perfect.

Thirdly, its my opinion and I am far from perfect.

Last but not the least important – Its all about opinions and those unfortunately change faster than the weather in Scotland.. You getting the picture.. Opinion is a word that keeps popping up..

The major problem these days is that we live within a society that insists upon complaining about EVERYTHING.

The thing with whisky is, its a liquid designed to drink, but it has become far more over the years with the introduction of the thought its a commodity, it is now an investment, it has become far more than just a simple drink designed for the masses, its an elite drink, a show of wealth and status that only the privileged can drink !!

Bollocks..

Its still that simple liquid it has always been, its just the driving force called Greed that has changed the concept..

People who have an opinion and try to push something down your throat usually have an agenda, they want, no they need to be noticed, they crave the attention, the more controversial the more people notice them, the more important they feel, the more they push their opinions upon you.

Ask yourself this, do they know more than you, or even, do they have the right to call out the people that spend their whole working life understanding the process, the ins and outs, the small details, the problems with what works, what doesn’t and what will eventually end up within the bottle itself ?

The simple answer is Yes.. I suppose they do..

But its not that simple is it !

We can all have an opinion and someone will agree with what we have to say but be careful because it also breeds contempt, it eats away at the very core of your soul, you become bitter and twisted, you then feel the need to be more controversial with the next piece, then the next until its eaten away all the good you had to offer.. Find something positive within what you have to say and believe it or not you might actually start to understand and enjoy what you are doing..

Who am I to say anything ?

I am nobody important..

I have an opinion.. Take it or leave it..

I am a little whispering voice in a vast world of negativity and I don’t like what I hear..

Remember –

Whisky itself is simple, treat it that way and you will enjoy it far more than you used to..