Why I stopped writing reviews.

Back in October when I had the idea of writing a blog, I had all sorts of enthusiasm for my new hobby.  Every bottle I bought excited me, and the unopened bottle barely survived a day before I opened it and tried it.  Samples filled my mailbox on a weekly basis, as I had begun swapping samples on Reddit.  Enough reviews and posts had landed me a few samples from distillers and marketing companies.  I was thrilled with my new hobby, it couldn’t get any better and I was hooked.

Review after review came, a few stories in between.  One of my earliest reviews had been William Larue Weller 2014.  I hated it.  It burned my mouth and my tongue and I thought I would never appreciate it.  Then I had another sample of it a few weeks ago and thought it was absolutely amazing.  Another early review of mine was Jefferson’s Ocean.  I gave it glowing praise and absolutely loved it.  I revisited my bottle recently and found that not only did I not like it, I actually poured it out.

I couldn’t understand what was going on.  Was my palette for bourbon going through some sort of metamorphosis?  Was I maturing in my tastes?  Was I not experienced enough to blog reviews?  I was a little embarrassed.  I felt like I had misguided people with my reviews, and I took some time off to expand my palate, grow my tastes, and feel like my tasting notes came from experience, not from ‘the experience’.

It took a little while to figure it out, but it isn’t really going to matter what I say.  Saying that I love something, or I hate something, or that a bourbon I tried had notes of tiramisu with brandy on top isn’t going to change your mind either way.  It’s just informational.  It’s just a way of me connecting to other enthusiasts.  At the end of the day, this is a hobby, it’s not a job.  I give my review because it’s fun.  Seeing your response to my review is just as fun.  Reading other reviews is fun.  And isn’t that what this is all about?  Fun.  Well that and getting a nice little buzz from some delicious juice.

I’m back baby.  See you soon.