Krjstoff New Member

Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Denmark Posts: 7





I haven't been into rum for that many years yet. And only a couple of years being a nerd about it.



However when I first started to get serious about my rum, I had to rely on reviews when I wanted to stray from the products available to try-before-buy in my location.



Reading reviews I was at first quite impressed with the way reviewers seemed to be able to dissect into single flavours and compounds.

So when I sat down with a newly purchased bottle of rum and wanted to compare my own experience to the actual review, I was frankly disappointed.



In no way was I able to detect the same things that I was reading... and that also made me question the entire reviewing premise.



But then it hit me ... I have a similar skill when it comes to music.

I have been an active musician for 20 years, and whenever I listen to a piece of music I hear all the different instruments separately.

When my girlfriend listens to the exact same piece of music she hears it in its entirety and she is not able to single out individual instruments.

And that ability has taken a lot of years of practise, blood, sweat and tears to learn.



The same thing can be said for a trained reviewer versus an unexperienced and/or casual drinker.



So I started "reviewing" everytime I had a glass of rum on my table and after a lot of effort I started to be able to pin point certain flavours.

But it still took a lot of tries before I was able to dissect a rum to a point, where there wasn't any flavours left to separate.



I am still very much a newbie in the reviewing community, and I mostly do it for my own sake. To grow and become more experienced as a rum drinker. Not to fool anybody into thinking that I am some great aficionado with a nose and palate so specialised that I am the rum-drinking-equivalent of a bloodhound.



What I am trying to say is: I think you have to stop and recognise the shear amount of time, money, grief and experience that goes into being a seasoned reviewer. Some of these reviewers have been doing this for many years and have spent an insane amount of their own money on spirits to help them evolve and grow.



Yes, there are some reviewers out there that seems to just copy the official notes from the company websites and post them as their own. But no matter which field you go to find an "expert", you will risk relying on a imposter.



But that is no where near the same, as saying that the entire reviewing community is just a snooty bunch of elitist know-it-alls (my words, not yours).



Cheeas Even though I don't share your frustration from the original post and even if I actually wish you would have had a different approach, I see why you are sceptical.I haven't been into rum for that many years yet. And only a couple of years being a nerd about it.However when I first started to get serious about my rum, I had to rely on reviews when I wanted to stray from the products available to try-before-buy in my location.Reading reviews I was at first quite impressed with the way reviewers seemed to be able to dissect into single flavours and compounds.So when I sat down with a newly purchased bottle of rum and wanted to compare my own experience to the actual review, I was frankly disappointed.In no way was I able to detect the same things that I was reading... and that also made me question the entire reviewing premise.But then it hit me ... I have a similar skill when it comes to music.I have been an active musician for 20 years, and whenever I listen to a piece of music I hear all the different instruments separately.When my girlfriend listens to the exact same piece of music she hears it in its entirety and she is not able to single out individual instruments.And that ability has taken a lot of years of practise, blood, sweat and tears to learn.The same thing can be said for a trained reviewer versus an unexperienced and/or casual drinker.So I started "reviewing" everytime I had a glass of rum on my table and after a lot of effort I started to be able to pin point certain flavours.But it still took a lot of tries before I was able to dissect a rum to a point, where there wasn't any flavours left to separate.I am still very much a newbie in the reviewing community, and I mostly do it for my own sake. To grow and become more experienced as a rum drinker. Not to fool anybody into thinking that I am some great aficionado with a nose and palate so specialised that I am the rum-drinking-equivalent of a bloodhound.What I am trying to say is: I think you have to stop and recognise the shear amount of time, money, grief and experience that goes into being a seasoned reviewer. Some of these reviewers have been doing this for many years and have spent an insane amount of their own money on spirits to help them evolve and grow.Yes, there are some reviewers out there that seems to just copy the official notes from the company websites and post them as their own. But no matter which field you go to find an "expert", you will risk relying on a imposter.But that is no where near the same, as saying that the entire reviewing community is just a snooty bunch of elitist know-it-alls (my words, not yours).Cheeas

http://www.rumcorner.dk __________________ Last edited by Krjstoff; 02-12-2015 at 12:38 PM .