tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post3305425547448869474..comments2024-03-19T20:31:23.141-05:00Comments on The Chuck Cowdery Blog: How Whiskeys Are Rated.Chuck Cowderyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12191121480961526039noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-22718251225007293672010-12-22T04:47:01.041-06:002010-12-22T04:47:01.041-06:00I can sympathise with what you guys are saying, I ...I can sympathise with what you guys are saying, I am always impressed with Jim Murrays ratings as he scores, reviews with specific tasting notes and there is always a little extra thrown in to make it all a bit more readable. I think we will just have to put up with numerical systems as a necessary evil particularly in competitions, though whether they should be released or just placings given is another idea, as surely the numbers become more worthless comparing year upon yearJameshttp://rawdram.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-73421831108070150112010-12-19T21:36:57.421-06:002010-12-19T21:36:57.421-06:00In my opinion numerical ratings don't really m...In my opinion numerical ratings don't really mean vey much. Unless a whiskey is faulted the scores reflect only the taste of the rater and little else. Once a whiskey moves beyond the faulted range everything else is rather subjective.<br /><br />For example why is complexity important? What is even meant by balance and why does the definition seem to vary from person to person? <br /><br />Was a poll taken of the taste on most whiskey consumers and the tastes of the preponderance noted so that the raters could calibrate their taste to give an objective rating corresponding to the average consumer?<br /><br />A review is different. A review tells me about a product and how it compares to things I might be familiar with. It puts a whiskey in context. More reviews and less rating would be a good thing for me.G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01151671298577406623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-34891091990185410122010-12-19T18:46:12.105-06:002010-12-19T18:46:12.105-06:00I dislike and distrust all liquor competitions. I ...I dislike and distrust all liquor competitions. I find them to be less about rating the spirits, and more about boosting the status and lining the pockets of the hosts and judges. When a contest comes along where any spirit can enter, free of fee, then I may take notice. But even the, as you say Chuck, it's subjective at best.Robert Simonson, "Our Man in the Liquor-Soaked Trenches"-New York Times.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14428424677554600158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-28885462404125736412010-12-19T09:51:52.103-06:002010-12-19T09:51:52.103-06:00Classic grade inflation.
Nobody wants to be a 3 o...Classic grade inflation.<br /><br />Nobody wants to be a 3 on a 1-10 scale, so it ends up not ever being used.<br /><br />Grade compression on the upper end of the scale is deceiving. An 87 is 2 points better than an 85, but those 2 points are on a fake 1-100 scale. This system benefits retail sales, because a consumer sees an 87 and 89 side by side and thinks they're almost the same. Are they? Who knows. Rating a whisky with a single number is also crazy. Sadly, most people don't care, so a single number distillation is about as good as the lowest common denominator gets.lazhttp://facebook.com/laznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-840930092789285091.post-74838856958119819572010-12-19T01:50:37.511-06:002010-12-19T01:50:37.511-06:00Chuck, here's my system. Please critique any ...Chuck, here's my system. Please critique any way you see fit. But in short it's similar to what you mention. No rocket science here, but I think it helps people. Would love your critique.<br /><br />http://sourmashmanifesto.com/rating-scale/Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01113757774442017087noreply@blogger.com