If you're a whiskey enthusiast you have probably heard the name Jim Murray. He is the most well-known judge of brown spirits, including whiskey, brandy, rum and tequila. He spends the majority of the year traveling the world, tasting different whiskeys and grading them on a 100-point scale. His rankings are then published in his annual Whisky Bible, which will hit shelves November 24th, 2015. His rankings have been proven to be very controversial. In 2014, the top award went to Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013, the first Japanese whiskey to ever take the title. This collection has since been discontinued but bottles are available through auction for about $3000.
This year, another controversy has errupted. You can own 2016's Whiskey of The Year for only $30! Huh? Yeah, you read that right. Murray named Crown Royal's Northern Harvest Rye as the best of the best. This new release from Crown Royal, a Canadian brand, scored a 97.5 on Murray's 100-point scale. Murray said, "This year, doubtless there wil be many more eyebrows raised because rarely is Canada mentioned when it comes to the world's top whiskies. But I have no doubt people finding the bottling I tasted will be blown away with the whisky's uncompromising and unique beauty." This whisky is described to be fantastic, but conservative.
Have you tasted the Northern Harvest Rye? Do you think it deserves the title?
