Whisky Bible 2008 - Jim Murray

[Wendy]

The Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2008 can now be purchased through Jim's website at http://www.whiskybible.com/. I thought I would start this new thread seeing that a number of comments about the 2008/Fifth Edition were being posted in the 2007 Whisky Bible thread. As noted by Dave (WestVan) in that thread, Jim was recently in New York promoting the Bible. While there, he met up with Mark Gillespie for an interview. You may want to check that out where he talks about the 2008 edition, amongst other things.

Best regards,
Wendy

[Di Blasi]

Great, thanks for the info Wendy, looking forward to this latest edition.

[IainB]

Thanks for the heads up Wendy. I've ordered one this afternoon. Have decided not to cancel my amazon order though. I'll keep whichever gets here first and give the other to my dad for Christmas.

[Di Blasi]

I'm looking forward to meeting him again and enjoying another World of Whisk(e)y tasting in Oslo next month, I'm sure he'll be signing the latest one so I'm planning to get mine then.

[les taylor]

I had a phone call from my brother this evening. He has got me a signed copy through KW's favourite retailer. The good news it's come into stock today so I should have my hands on a copy real soon.

[adogranonthepitch]

Signed copies are available to buy from Parkers Whisky ....

http://www.parkerswhisky.co.uk/oscommer ... b9a15a02b8

[K-Mile]

Did anyone get a real copy of this book already? Would like to give it as a birthday present to my brother, accompanied by the Glen Grant bottle (by the Hart Brothers) from his year of birth (1972). In the 2006 edition I think it is, Jim Murray mentions in the tasting notes of this particular bottle: "If only my sex life was this good"

I am curious if that still made this year's edition.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Well it's available here in Ireland in the Celtic Whiskey Shop... no signed copies though

[Onefortheditch]

I've just been on a wee tour to see distilleries. In all I went to Tomatin, Dalwhinnie, Loch Lomond, Deanston, Glengoyne, Glenturret, Aberfeldy, Blair Atholl and Eradour. Loch Lomond and Deanston were not open to the public. And why not? It makes no sense to me. Deanston, in particular, looks a very very nice distillery.!! And Loch Lomond is not a bad dram at all.

I had my holely whisky bible 2007 with me, but as I was after single cask bottles and limited edition bottles it was pretty useless, as a lot of the limited bottles currently for sale are not in the bible.

Jim's bible is a great idea, but a yearly edition is not enough. Single casks and limited editions will come and go before they get a mention in the bible....if they get a mention in the bible.

Jim needs to find a way of keeping up.....or I'm sure someone else will.

I thought about posting a topic about bottles not in the bible, so that people would who knew about them could post what they knew about them. It would make help to make the picture more complete.

In all I bought 13 bottles, 7 to collect and 6 to drink.

Maybe if I had had the 2008 version.....

[Di Blasi]

With so many various bottles around the world, you can't blame Jim Murray for not keeping up, as he does a helluva job, the 2008 5th edition covers about 3,800 whiskies right?? Great idea to fill in the places he just can't quite reach with a yearly publication, but that would probably have to be a frequently updated website. I too have been a bit disappointed at times when not finding everything I'm trying to get info for in The Bible, but it's understandable. But I'd check your site Onefortheditch if you did have one for all the bottlings Jim Murray misses!

[Wendy]

Hello onefortheditch,
As I have said to others before who are able to tour the Scottish distilleries, I am certainly envious of the day you have just had. For me that would be like hitting the Jackpot.

You make a good point about the challenge's Jim faces tasting all of the single casks and Ltd. editions, but, on the other side of the coin, Jim can only sample what the industry sends him. It can be bit of a "catch 22 situation." In the 2008 edition, he has added a total of 811 new & reviewed tastings.

Jonathon, I hope you have a great time at next months World of Whisky tasting in Oslo.
Sincerely,
Wendy

[Di Blasi]

Jonathon, I hope you have a great time at next months World of Whisky tasting in Oslo.
Sincerely,
Wendy

Thanks Wendy! First up Thursday night the 1st of November it's the tasting with Jim Murray! And another 2 full days of great whisky!!! As always, an exciting festival!!!

[corbuso]

I had my holy whisky bible 2007 with me, but as I was after single cask bottles and limited edition bottles it was pretty useless, as a lot of the limited bottles currently for sale are not in the bible.

Jim's bible is a great idea, but a yearly edition is not enough. Single casks and limited editions will come and go before they get a mention in the bible....if they get a mention in the bible.

That's why you have whiskywebsite like http://www.whiskyfun.com which contains as much information as Murray, but for free, and with real tasting notes. With time, I am getting annoyed with Jim Murray's whisky bible, since for more and more whiskies, you don't have real tasting notes (e.g., nose, taste and finish appreciation) and you can only use his rating to help you for your shopping. Personaly, I consider that as unsufficient and some Jim Murray's apprciations seems to be biased (e.g., with the LVMH products).

Corbuso
................
http://www.whisky-news.com

[bond]

While I have a few other books from Jim Murray, have not been enthused enough to buy the Bible yet.

I have been intending to ask this question for a while. Is it worth buying the Bible every year or does it make more sense to pick it up once every 2/3 years? I mean do things change so perceptibly year to year?

[Deactivated Member]

My main criticism (amongst many positives) is that the Whisky Bible's out-of-date even at publication.

I wonder, for example, if the just issued 2008 edition will contain say "PC6". I doubt it.

By contrast, the Malt Whisky Yearbook's always smack bang on the mark. I've not seen this year's edition, but I bet that "PC6" is pictured.

[les taylor]

My brother just phoned he has got in the post today our copies of the Jim Murray Scriptures. I'll get mine on saturday when he comes over to watch the rugby with us. Evidently whisky of the year is ...............................................................................................................................................................




























Do you really want to Know?

[Onefortheditch]

I'm a fan of the whisky bible. And although I don't always agree with his ratings out of 100, I often do. His tasting notes provide amusement to me and I can't take them seriously.

It must be tough for him to keep up and I don't know the details of how he produces it. I wasn't aware that the industry sent him samples. Personally I think the job is simply too big for just one guy. And probably not very good for his health?

He should step back and get a group of other tasters to work for him. (I assume he can afford this by now?)

On the other hand, whisky companies send him whisky, he drinks it and we pay him, via his book, to find out what he thinks about it. Who could possibly want to give that up??

The whiskyfun website looks good and I'll have a detailed look through it now I know about it.

[Onefortheditch]

My brother just phoned he has got in the post today our copies of the Jim Murray Scriptures. I'll get mine on saturday when he comes over to watch the rugby with us. Evidently whisky of the year is ...............................................................................................................................................................


YES!!

























Do you really want to Know?

[Onefortheditch]

While I have a few other books from Jim Murray, have not been enthused enough to buy the Bible yet.

I have been intending to ask this question for a while. Is it worth buying the Bible every year or does it make more sense to pick it up once every 2/3 years? I mean do things change so perceptibly year to year?

A lot does change! I think the bible is worth buying every year!

[Deactivated Member]

I think that, for all its faults, the Whisky Bible is the best there is available. It wouldn't work to get a panel of tasters as palates differ. The key point of the WB is that the whiskies were all tasted by the one person so there ought to be some degree of internal consistency. You might not agree with all the marks and all the notes, but with time and experience you can see where most of them were coming from. Although some of the whiskies just have scores, those are the lower scoring ones - or old ones with fuller notes in previous editions. The new interesting (i.e. good) ones tend to have full notes. I think the problem JM has is keeping his marking consistent from year to year. I detect GCSE style grade inflation creeping in with more and more 95s, 96s and 97s. In particular, this year sees a couple of really strange 97s - I'm drinking one right now and its really not that special. Good, yes, but not amazing.

[Aidan]

I buy it every year. I don't really know why, as I think the ratings are a bit of a nonsense. Same goes for whiskyfun, alhtough my tastes would be much closer to Jim Murray's than whiskyfun's.

The same whisky would get seven different ratings on seven different days if they were all tasted blind.

Still, I'm looking forward to this year's edition!?

[Reggaeblues]

"The same whisky would get seven different ratings on seven different days if they were all tasted blind."

amen!

[Di Blasi]

Les, please do tell, I don't want to wait. Is it another bourbon???

[Aidan]

Les, please do tell, I don't want to wait. Is it another bourbon???

No, it's from a predictable distillery.

[les taylor]

For those that really want to know I will PM you. Just in case anybody wants to wait and read it for themself.

[Leither]

Have cancelled my 'delayed until 6th Nov' Tesco Books order and have ordered direct - signed by the man itself and on its way to me.

Like many comments above I find the Bible by far the best printed guide there is, but I use it in conjunction with this forum and Serge's whiskyfun to get more up to date reviews on new releases. You do need to take some ratings with a pinch of salt but I can relate to his notes more than any other writer - you don't get any pretentious waffle and his humour is a bonus.

I suspect an Ardbeg (Almost There or maybe the Beast) to be bottling of the year.

I'm trying hard to like blends, bourbon and Irish as much as single malt scotch but just can't get it yet. However it's all good fun and I thank Jim and his Bible for getting me to try different whiskies.

[Deactivated Member]

I suspect an Ardbeg (Almost There or maybe the Beast) to be bottling of the year.

I little bird tells me that it is an even better whisky than these - better even than Ardbeg 1977 and Ardbeg Provenance!

[Di Blasi]

I too owe my curiosity and discovery of various world whiskies to Jim Murray. I started with Single Malt Scotch, (Ardbeg Ten!), but love tasting and enjoying many others from all over!!

[Deactivated Member]

Well, my Whisky Bible arrived today with a lovely personal message in it from Jim Murray.

[Leither]

Likewise mine arrived yesterday - very impressed with a nice personal message.

[Deactivated Member]

I picked up one yesterday from Milroy's of Soho.

I don't know why I bother. It's just more of the same arrogant pontification.

And endless whining in the early pages about how sulphur's ruining his life (like caramel did a few years back).

In truth, I'm never aware of a tenth of the subtle flavours that he claims to detect in malts. Nor, of the majority of the supposed flaws.

Is this perhaps because I'm a normal person who just likes a dram?

[Deactivated Member]

I would also say that half of the bottlings that I've got in my drinks cupboard don't even feature in the Bible. Yet there are still references to expressions from years back where only a handful of bottles were filled.

I don't think it's an excuse to say that he can't try it if he's not sent it. It's supposed to be a comprehensive guide. There shouldn't be whiskies missing which I can find in my local offie.

God knows, he makes enough money. Can't he afford to shell out on a bottle or two?

[Leither]

Just a thought - but can you take it back for a refund if you think it's so bad?

Also, did you think previous editions were so arrogant and whining? If so why buy it again?

[Deactivated Member]

I picked up one yesterday from Milroy's of Soho.

I don't know why I bother. It's just more of the same arrogant pontification.

And endless whining in the early pages about how sulphur's ruining his life (like caramel did a few years back).

In truth, I'm never aware of a tenth of the subtle flavours that he claims to detect in malts. Nor, of the majority of the supposed flaws.

Is this perhaps because I'm a normal person who just likes a dram?

You're such a card Eelbrook. We'd miss you if you weren't here.

[Deactivated Member]

I'm a naughty boy! I'll consider myself duly spanked with bamboo soaked in Laphroaig.