I have not tried the Peter Arkle.

Posted on: September 26, 2016 at 22:42:58 CT

I'm a puppet to a certain degree...if Jim Murray doesn't like something, I usually stay away from it, and he doesn't like Peter Arkle versions. Arkle is only an illustrator who designed the sleeves. I keep hearing that the whisky is nothing special, and the whole thing with Arkle is just a gimmick. The key to relying on critics is to find one who has a taste preference similar to your own and I usually agree with Murray, until he raves about subtle whiskies, which are usually beyond my limited palate.

One interesting side note, Jim Murray is an unabashed self promoter so he can sell more Whisky Bibles. He's been a blender and a consultant, so there is some grey area in his relationships with distillers and independent bottlers. In the insular world of whisky critics, he's the acknowledged ring leader, but he's been bashed for giving Ardbeg preternaturally high ratings to the point that it's been speculated that he may have an ownership stake and thus a conflict of interest.

Murray had mentioned in the latest Bible that he had told the folks at Knockdhu (the distillery that produces AnCnoc) that he thought their whisky could benefit from being peated. If true, he was spot on. It's really amazing how a relatively lower ppm can produce a whisky that is so full of flavor in the glass. I'm enjoying a dram of the Rutter as I type.

I originally turned to AnCnoc as a light summer alternative a few years ago based on Murray's recommendations. Boy, was he right. I gave up buying Dalwhinnie 15 yo in favor of AnCnoc 12 yo, and pocket the $17 or so that I save on each bottle.

Edited by BB63 at 23:38:55 on 09/26/16