By Richard Thomas One of the ugly little secrets of sensory science is just how much the senses of taste and smell can be influenced by preconceptions. Ideally, this reality can be guarded against, and it’s what makes the notion of the blind taste test so interesting. The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 was the …
New Economic Numbers And Tax Breaks Leave More Questions Than Answers By Richard Thomas February saw the release of a key economic report from the Kentucky Distillers Association (KDA), the trade group that represents the Commonwealth’s bourbon industry. The statistics presented in the report were held up as a cause for celebration, billed as a …
By Richard Thomas My initial reaction upon first reading about the emerging California Sober movement was thinking “You have got to be f***ing kidding me.” My disbelief was that even in an era when people love to cloak their bad behaviors behind a thick layer of phony moral superiority, disinformation and deflection, the hypocrisy of …
By Richard Thomas A recent scroll through my Instagram yielded a picture of a bottle of Old Barterhouse bourbon, which had been trotted out by the poster to share at a gathering of fellow enthusiasts. He declared it one of his favorite pours, whenever he can snag a bottle that is. I have a long …
By Richard Thomas John Lunn could be fairly described as the giant of Tennessee Whiskey that the average enthusiast has never heard of, and he passed away on March 30, 2023. He was 53 years old. In an era when veteran master distillers are revered by a large and growing fan base as rock stars, …
By Richard Thomas High end bourbon has been rocked by twin scandals in 2023, and while they are taking place on opposite sides of the country, all of it lies in the realm of bottles that are either truly finite (i.e. no more are coming) or those commanding demand that far outstrips supply. Collectables, in …
Whisky is currently increasing in price. In actuality, there has never been a time when rare whisky from Scotland, Japan, and Ireland has been more expensive. But only some bottles that hit the markets cost a lot. Some alcoholic beverages cost the same as they did decades ago, even though some whisky is now more …
Whenever a new invention, discovery, advancement, and enhancement takes place, it takes a good deal of tech development. And this process is not solitary work: it is important to incorporate user needs. It wants into what you are trying to develop and considers how other people will interact with that technology. As everything happens in …
When you think about drinking and gambling, it’s easy to conclude that they go hand in hand worldwide. They are inseparably linked in Las Vegas, which is famous for its booming gambling resorts. Like in Sin City, drinking and gambling also are inextricably bound in China. However, the Chinese don’t drink to get drunk but …
Whiskey–you either love it or hate it; there’s no middle ground. Those who don’t enjoy the drink often find it too harsh, smoky, or strong. But for those who love whiskey, there is nothing better than a glass of the good stuff after a long day. In fact, there are quite a few reasons why …
