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Should All Whisky Have An Age Statement? |
Yes all whisky should have an age statement. |
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35% |
[ 75 ] |
No not all whisky needs an age statement. |
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64% |
[ 139 ] |
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Total Votes : 214 |
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William Administrator
Joined: 10 Apr 2006 Posts: 4054 Location: Scotland
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:05 pm Post subject: Age Statement or No Age Statement |
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Do you think the age statement on a bottle of whisky really matters?
Do you think every bottle should carry an age statement?
Do you think the current trend for No Age Statement whisky is a clever piece of marketing to mark up the price of young whisky?
Many relate the age statement on a bottle as a sign of quality of the whisky. You may have seen the Chivas Brothers Age Matters campaign last year to advocate the importance and value of age statements to consumers.
www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/chivasbrosagematters.htm
When a distiller puts an age statement on a bottle, that age must be the age of the youngest whisky used in the mix. Having No Age Statement certainly gives the distillers a huge amount of flexibility to create perhaps a more interesting and complex whisky. They wouldnt get away with charging £60 if the bottle had an age statement of 6 year old on it even though there could be some 30 year old whisky in the mix.
Perhaps you think age matters to the price of the whisky. |
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Andy M Master Of Malts
Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 1129
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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No not all whisky needs an age statement but i do agree an age statement isnt always a sign of quality.
I liked the recent Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix, although it had no age statement it did state that it contained whisky up to 30 year old. No harm in other NAS whiskies giving us more info about what is in the mix.
I dont 100% associate age with quality but i do associate it to some extent with price. |
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Crane Master Of Malts
Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 1238 Location: UK
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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There is a number of decent NAS whiskies available now. The blend of young and old certainly gives us some interesting more complex whiskies. Having said that when i see an 18 year old age statement on a bottle i do expect it to be a higher quality whisky than the younger whiskies in that distillers range. |
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Archer Master Of Malts
Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 1384
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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Andy M wrote: | No not all whisky needs an age statement but i do agree an age statement isnt always a sign of quality.
I liked the recent Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix, although it had no age statement it did state that it contained whisky up to 30 year old. No harm in other NAS whiskies giving us more info about what is in the mix.
I dont 100% associate age with quality but i do associate it to some extent with price. | Yes i agree Andy |
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Bookie Master Of Malts
Joined: 15 Sep 2008 Posts: 939
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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When there is no age statement there is no reason why they cant tell us the age range of the whiskies in the bottle especially premium or limited edition bottlings such as Andy pointed out in the case of Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix. When a whisky has NAS and is priced at £20 then it is clear that it is a young whisky. |
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Innes Master Of Malts
Joined: 29 Apr 2010 Posts: 1052 Location: England
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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Personally if it is an expensive whisky i prefer to see an age statement. |
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Keith Master Of Malts
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1508 Location: Scotland
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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Innes wrote: | Personally if it is an expensive whisky i prefer to see an age statement. | Good point Innes. Although some of the distilleries have produced some of the best whisky around and with no age statement. For example i would rate the following NAS whiskies very highly:
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Longrow CV
Aberlour a bunadh
Ardbeg Uigeadail
and i am sure there are loads more. |
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Fergie Master Of Malts
Joined: 02 Dec 2006 Posts: 1659
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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Admittedly there are a few very good NAS whiskies out there and we do seem to be seeing more and more of them. There are even a few that break the £100 barrier, one which comes to mind is the Johnnie Walker Blue Label. |
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James T Master Of Malts
Joined: 05 Feb 2011 Posts: 2791
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:58 am Post subject: |
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I agree the Longrow CV is very good but i have never thought much of Springbank CV although i like older Springbanks |
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Big Mac Master Of Malts
Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Posts: 2202 Location: USA - Formerly Scotland
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:28 am Post subject: |
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I have to say i prefer to see an age statement or at least a good explanation of what is in the bottle if it is an expensive whisky. |
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Calder Master Of Malts
Joined: 13 Nov 2008 Posts: 637
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:11 pm Post subject: |
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Another couple of premium whiskies over £100 are Glenmorangie Signet and Dalmore King Alexander III. I cant comment on the Dalmore as i havent tried it but i have to say that the Signet is very good indeed. |
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Acker Triple Malt Member
Joined: 10 Aug 2009 Posts: 211
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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There is no doubt there are a few very interesting NAS whiskies and some (depending how you view it) good marketing behind some of them to try justify the price. But not all whisky needs an age statement, if they did would we have whiskies such as Aberlour a bunadh, Ardbeg Uigeadail and Glenmorangie have a few such as Signet, Sonnalta and Astar |
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McKay Master Of Malts
Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 769 Location: Scotland
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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What i would like to see on labels is whether the whisky contains carmel E150a colouring. |
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Craven Triple Malt Member
Joined: 10 Mar 2010 Posts: 218
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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McKay wrote: | What i would like to see on labels is whether the whisky contains carmel E150a colouring. | I am surprised that they actually dont have to state when the E150a caramel colouring has been used. Although i am not fully convinced to does alter the taste of a whisky but then again i really dont think it is needed or should be used in single malts.
Not all whisky needs an age statement. |
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Kenny M Master Of Malts
Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 841
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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McKay wrote: | What i would like to see on labels is whether the whisky contains carmel E150a colouring. | That would be nice but i dont think that would ever happen. |
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