Appointed as a Taster for Whisky Galore Magazine

The Whisky Culture Research Institute has launched its newly published magazine, 'Whisky Galore,' which serves as the successor to the 'Whisky World' publication. Today marks the release day at bookstores, and members of the institute likely received copies earlier than the general public. As some readers may have noticed, I have been appointed as a taster for the tasting department of this magazine. This aligns with my New Year's article, which mentioned an increase in whisky-related work this year. I received the job offer unexpectedly at year's end, and it was quite hectic to taste, write articles, and finalize the content. Additionally, as this is the inaugural issue, I experienced some of the challenges that come with launching a new publication. The editorial team must have faced significant difficulties. As mentioned in the early sections of 'THE TASTING,' which I am responsible for, Whisky Galore has predetermined scores for several bottles as baseline standards. For example, Morrison's Original is set at 84 points, while Macallan 12 and Ardbeg 10 are both at 83 points. This system aims to minimize scoring inconsistencies and variations between tasters by maintaining these benchmarks. Initially, I thought the baseline scores might be a bit high. However, considering that in 'Whisky World,' the highest score for Scotch over 12 years was 93 points, with scores above 90 being rare, I found no real discrepancy even when considering legendary bottles from the past. Compared to other well-known scoring systems like Malt Whisky Companion or Malt Maniacs, which are often used abroad, Galore's scoring is notably stricter. However, since the magazine allows for a maximum score of 100 points—primarily targeting new releases—the decision was made to set higher baseline standards, with the intention that exceptional whiskies could still receive a perfect score. I approached the tastings as usual, but I struggled with the word limit and the challenge of quantifying scores, which is not my strong suit. However, through tasting 12 bottles this time, I have become more accustomed to the process and believe I've established a reasonable internal standard for higher scoring. While the magazine and blog may cater to different audiences, I hope to showcase not only existing whisky products but also the diverse charms and values that whisky holds for those who appreciate it. I look forward to your continued support.