The whisky year 2017 in review

Written By Thomas Øhrbom

Time to take a look at the year that was, and take stock. 2017 has been a busy year at Whisky Saga HQ, even if the number of reviews was a bit lower than in previous years. In the Spring the website was moved to a new hosting service (SiteGround), and in October I revamped the whole site with new layout and new functionality.

2017 in numbers

  • 450+ whiskies tasted

  • 219 articles posted

  • 200 whiskies reviewed

  • 10 tastings/seminars hosted at festivals and various other venues

  • 9 festivals attended

  • 7 distilleries visited

  • 3 whisky trips

The best of the best

I scored 21 of the 200 whiskies I reviewed this year at 90 points or above. Here they are:

  1. Karuizawa 1965 Japonisme Edition - 60th Anniversary LMDW (96/100)

  2. Karuizawa 1965 Monyou Edition Sherry LMDW (95/100)

  3. Karuizawa 1965 Monyou Edition Bourbon LMDW (94/100)

  4. Amrut 12 YO Greedy Angels – Chairman’s Reserve (93/100)

  5. Brora 1977 38 YO (Special Release 2016) (93/100)

  6. Teeling 33 YO Vintage Reserve Collection (92/100)

  7. Glenfarclas 1986 The Family Casks (Spring 2017) (92/100)

  8. Linkwood 1978 37 YO (Special Release 2016) (92/100)

  9. Mannochmore 1990 25 YO (Special Releases 2016) (92/100)

  10. Cambus 1975 40 YO (Special Releases 2016) (92/100)

  11. SMWS 29.211 Jazzy Jousting Hastlitude (91/100)

  12. BenRiach 1986 30 YO cask 3183 (91/100)

  13. Old Pulteney 1990 25 YO Authentic Collection (91/100)

  14. Glenfarclas 1990 The Family Casks (Spring 2017) (91/100)

  15. Macduff 1991 26 YO Chieftain's (91/100)

  16. Laphroaig 1996 20 YO Masterpieces (91/100)

  17. Jack Daniels Single Barrel Barrel Proof (90/100)

  18. Glenfarclas 1992 The Family Casks (Spring 2017) (90/100)

  19. Highland Park Single Cask Vintersolsnu (90/100)

  20. Chichibu The Peated 2012/2016 (90/100)

  21. Bowmore 1989 23 YO Port Cask Matured (90/100)

Affordable and available

This year I have expanded this section, and included also available and affordable whiskies reviewed before 2017, but with updated prices:

  1. Bunnahabhain Toiteach (NOK 580) (91/100) *heavy peat*

  2. Talisker 10 YO (NOK 540) (90/100) *medium peat*

  3. Laphroaig Quarter Cask (NOK 570) (90/100) *heavy peat*

  4. Dalwhinnie 15 YO (NOK 520) (89/100) *no peat*

  5. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey (NOK 530) (88/100) *no peat*

  6. Lagavulin 16 YO (NOK 650) (88/100) *heavy peat*

  7. Laphroaig Lore (NOK 999) (87/100) *heavy peat*

  8. Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach (NOK 750) (87/100) *heavy peat*

  9. Glengoyne 15 YO (NOK 760) (87/100) *no peat*

  10. Arran 14 YO (NOK 590) (86/100) *no peat*

  11. Scapa Glansa (NOK 625) (86/100) *light peat*

  12. BenRiach 10 YO (NOK 699) (86/100) *no peat*

  13. Bunnahabhain 12 YO (NOK 625) (85/100) *no peat*

  14. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel (NOK 630) (85/100) *no peat*

  15. Hazelburn 10 YO (NOK 785) (85/100) *no peat*

  16. Mackmyra Svensk Rök (NOK 500) (85/100) *medium peat*

  17. Armorik Double Maturation (NOK 790) (85/100) *no peat*

  18. Talisker Skye (NOK 510) (85/100) *medium peat*

  19. Talisker Port Ruighe (NOK 570) (85/100) *medium peat*

  20. Craigellachie 13 YO (NOK 600) (84/100) *no peat*

  21. Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold (NOK 520) (84/100) *no peat*

  22. Box Dalvve Signature (NOK 650) Malt (83/100) *no peat*

  23. Talisker Storm (NOK 530) (83/100) *medium peat*

  24. William Cadenhead 13 YO Irish Malt – Bourbon Cask (NOK 695) (82/100) *no peat*

  25. Chivas Regal 18 YO Gold Signature (NOK 700) (80/100) *no peat*

Most popular reviews

There are a few interesting and weird entries on the list of the most popular reviews over the past year. I simply have no idea why my reviews of Statesman, Winchester and Long John are so popular. Could it be that these are simply very popular whiskies, and as such there are many people curious about them?

  1. Statesman Finest Old Scotch Whisky

    1. Winchester Bourbon Whiskey

    2. Mortlach Special Strength

    3. Nordic Whisky #45 – Flóki – Icelandic Young Malt 1st Edition

    4. Long John Special Reserve

    5. Togouchi – Japanese whisky from Scotland and Canada

    6. Yamazaki Limited Edition 2016

    7. Highland Park Single Cask Chris Maile Edition

    8. Michter’s 20 YO Single Barrel Bourbon

    9. Nordic Whisky #127 – Gjoleid Blindpassasjeren

Most popular articles (not reviews)

My report from visiting Chichibu Distillery in Japan continues to be very popular. My visit there was back in 2014, so I guess I will have to go back for another visit soon.

I am also pleased to see that my two first attempts at making a quiz made it to the top 10 list for 2017:

  1. Visiting Chichibu Distillery

  2. Special Whisky Release for Norway – December 2017

  3. Myken Destilleri – mer norsk whisky!

  4. Highland Park The Valhalla Collection – tasting it all

  5. Diageo Special Release 2017 – release dates and prices for Norway

  6. My top rated whiskies 1st half of 2017

  7. Nikka discontinuing their entire single malt line-up!

  8. Vinmonopolet må ta nettkundene på alvor

  9. The whisky nerd quiz

  10. Nordic Whisky Quiz

You - the readers

The top 10 countries you come from (position from 2015 in parenthesis):

  1. Norway (1)

  2. United States (3)

  3. Sweden (2)

  4. United Kingdom (4)

  5. Germany (5)

  6. Canada (6)

  7. Denmark (9)

  8. France (7)

  9. Russia (-)

  10. The Netherlands (8)

Linking to and from

Incoming links

Who pointed readers in my direction - incoming links to my blog. I have purposely disregarded the search engines here:

  1. whiskyanalysis.net

  2. tastenote.se

  3. nmwl.no

  4. startsiden.no

  5. theladiesshare.com

Outgoing links

So who did I send readers to? Well, here's the list:

  1. whiskymoro.com

  2. vinmonopolet.no

  3. whiskyfun.com

  4. scotchwhisky.com

  5. skotsktaake.com

Search terms

Various search terms that have generated traffic to my blog.

The most used:

  • whiskysaga / whisky saga

  • statesman whisky

  • Chichibu distillery

  • highland park thorfinn

  • Myken destilleri

The weirdest:

  • long jon whinski

  • whisky notes fresh bread

  • why ballantines taste shit

The whisky year 2017 in review

The whisky year 2017 in review

Sláinte! - Thomas

Thomas Øhrbom
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