There are A LOT of websites about whiskey. As of May 10, 2017, Sku’s Recent Eats lists five hundred and eighty English language whiskey blogs. That’s more than anyone has time to follow. So when you’re looking for reliable information on whiskey where do you go? Which whiskey websites are worthy of your time? That’s a question I don’t presume to answer for you since the criteria you use to judge is likely different from my own. So instead, I’ll tell you which whiskey sites merit my time and why. The rest is up to you.
One such site is The Son of Winston Churchill; A Part of the Secret Whisk(e)y Society. We’ll refer to it as the SOWC for short. There you’ll find over one hundred and forty whiskey reviews, and they’re adding new ones all the time. They use a straight forward rating scale, and you can search the reviews alphabetically or by rating. They also do side by side tastings and probably my favorite feature, illustrated doodle reviews. The closest I can describe the doodle reviews is that they’re like mind maps for whiskey tasting. You’ll also find interviews, articles, and all things whiskey related.
So far, SOWC sounds like an above-average whiskey blog. They have a lot of nice features and everything is well thought out. But you know what? The features aren’t what wins me over. Do you know what really sets SOWC apart? Their integrity.
Before we go any further I want to clarify. By saying that SOWC’s integrity sets them apart I’m not suggesting that other whiskey blogs don’t have integrity. It’s simply that I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the lengths Hasse Burg and his team go to provide impartial reviews. They won’t do anything that could unfairly bias their views.
On their About page it states, “the site will stay clear of financial self-interests and running only by the passion and joy for whisk(e)y. A whisky society for the whisk(e)y enthusiasts.” So what’s that mean? It means good reviews are not for sale on SOWC. It means no brand can buy a leg up. It means the rating a whiskey receives is the reviewer’s genuine opinion.
That means a lot to me. We live in a time where companies like Amazon, eBay, and Yelp scour their feedback pages because more and more reviewers are given incentives for good reviews. It’s refreshing to know there are still places that shoot straight and don’t pull punches.
If you have a minute, check out SOWC by clicking here.
— Zac Smith
We believe the only definition of “good whiskey” is whiskey YOU like to drink.