Reviews come down to personal opinions. So in order to know whether the reviewer’s opinion will
resonate with you it’s important to know what the reviewer likes and dislikes,
and how he/she thinks.
Scoring:
I will never give out a 100 point score because that means it could not be
improved on. Anything above 50 points should be considered good and anything
below it not good.
Above 60 is very good.
70’s are really recommended.
80’s are exceptional and rare.
90’s and you’re in the region of the elite. A 90 score can only be given by
somebody who has had decades experience with 80’s. I can give a movie/gadget/game
a 90 score, but I can’t give out 90’s for Scotch.
My taste:
I like warm happy sweet things, with a side of extreme. I like full bodied Shiraz
or Grenache, with a particular preference for South Australia’s Barossa and
some Rioja baja . I don’t like white wines.
I like a steak that’s been cooked on a hot BBQ pink in the middle with a taste
of either garlic or wood smoke. I like grilled fish salted on the skin. I like
a blue brie cheese. I like a rich chocolate ice cream.
I avoid
anything marked as light or diet, low in something, I want full flavor or
nothing.
I don’t like bitter or liquorish tastes. But I like grape fruit, lemons and
limes.
What I look for in a Scotch:
When I drink Scotch, I’m looking for a sweet smoky scent. I want a peaty smoky
sweet creamy taste. I want the flavor to linger. I want the empty glass to emanate
the essence of the Scotch. I want the effect of the alcohol to lift my spirits and of
those around me. The next day I want a clear head with zero body load; so I don’t
want the Scotch to remind me of it presence. I don't mix the SCotch with water or ice, I use my saliva to dilute if required ratio of 1:3... and sip it slowly.