The sanctimonious whiskey pope and his useless Bible

As Japan became the Whiskey Olymp

A British tester duped the proud Scots, thus making advertising for his book and Suntory

In the wonderful movie Lost in Translation "played Bill Murray 2003 a washed-up movie star who travels to Tokyo to shoot a commercial for Japanese whiskey. The Suntory Group had, as was to be heard, for this advertising (It's Suntory time" ) a few million dollars spent. Eleven years later, the Japanese are looking back on worldwide advertising for their whiskey, but this time they (presumably) no or little cost.
Ironically, a namesake of the US actor who also renowned as controversial whiskey writer Jim Murray has chosen in his published since 2004 annual ranking for the first time a Japanese distillate at the best whiskey in the world. The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 "belongs Distillery - correctly: the Suntory Group.
As if he had not yet been entirely sure of the expected echo on his selection, Murray put something extra: in the top five of the tested him Whisk (e) ys is not a single Scotch. The Scots were duped even beaten by three American bourbons and a Rye (rye).
A sensation - would you take this result seriously. You might as well, however, Bill Murray argue Lost in Translation "was the best film in the world.
Jim Murray has, since it had been (as a number of other experts) the title of whiskey pope "awarded driven the self-congratulation on the top. Its lovingly detailed tasting notes of over 4,500 whiskeys, from 95 per cent for the ordinary consumer as exotic as unreachable are sold in all immodesty as Whiskey Bible ". It is in its assessment to the course by no means infallible opinion of an individual tester. Each blind tasting of spirits among experts has a higher utility value. But that's not Jim Murray. He wants to attract attention: by size and the exclusivity of its taste.
No question: The man is one of the most profound connoisseurs of the scene. And perhaps the best writer among whiskey-authors, because he can tell highly amusing about his profession has become a hobby. So he praises in his readable book The great whiskeys of the world "to malt the distillery Littlemill so on. Perfect for someone you hate" The Lagavulin drinker he urgently warns: This is not a Malt, where one sips lightly - he swallows a "and its current Japanese Jahressieger (97.5 out of 100 possible points) he describes as dense, dry and round like a billiard ball." ,
As I said, Jim Murray is fun as long as you do not pardon him: beer seriously. And as long as you tolerate its above average vanity. In his blurb Whiskey Bible, it can be described as follows: Jim Murray is a legend on the Whisky stage. Each beverage sector has its giants: wine, Robert Parker and whiskey Jim Murray "superlatives that belong to the business plain annoying but it is when its editors praise him that he now refuses to write for Whisky Magazine,... because there is not the space for his honest, fearless and above all independent judgment.
Regardless? In the first vintages of his Whiskey Bible the meantime mothballed and revived by Glenmorangie distillery Ardbeg 1997 on the island of Islay was the measure of all things. Under Murray's ten best whiskeys in the world at times appeared up to six Ardbeg versions. Mind you, by Ardbeg may rave about it, the whiskey is particularly appreciated by friends smoky peaty drops. But a little more restraint would perhaps hip, if you look - as it did Murray - had committed the undiscovered jewel "- just as a promotional ambassador for the film Ardbeg.
Whether Murray received a corresponding order by Suntory, is unknown. Certainly, however, is: The Group - also in Germany - get priceless publicity for its products. Thanks to Jim Murray and the benevolent help even the most reputable media headlines as World's Best Whisky comes from Japan "(Die Welt) or embarrassment for Scotland" (FAZ) did not miss. Under PR aspects of whiskey author definitely has done everything right. It is located at the Suntory sales and can read the sales of his book.
At Murray's vindication, however, should not go unnoticed that the Briton has possibly around the world proved to the carriage of a Japanese distillery on the whiskey-Olympus and the concomitant decline of Scots whiskey-drinkers a great service. Intensified but in recent years the impression that the rest be largely subrogated in foreign ownership Scottish distilleries on the laurels of the past and in the already inflationary expansion of its product range put more emphasis on marketing than on quality.
Where were "asks the author in his recent Bible with some justification, the complex whiskeys at the peak of their lives? Where were the mixtures with amazing depth?" As a consequence, he wishes of the Scots a small portion of humility "and the return to the roots".
There it was again, that Jim Murray, who can invent stories so gorgeous and - has always been a passionate whiskey connoisseurs - beyond real or suspected dependencies.