Don't Look Down Your Nose. . . at Blended Spirits

Trends, trends, trends. . .one of the most recent trends in spirits is looking down one's nose - WAY down - on blended spirits (whiskies).  When I was a cashier in the liquor business, I saw many a customer express his/her preference for single-malt scotches and single-barrel bourbons.  I often wondered if part of that preference weren't based on the significantly higher prices for these single-whatevers.

I go back a few years.  Way back, in fact.  I drank scotch and other whiskies with my father, grandfather and uncles.  They all drank BLENDED whiskies, they were just fine.  But that's not the whole story.  Whiskies are blended, to give the best possible flavor, by taking a mixture of different whiskies with favorable qualities.  And like the single-whatevers, the aging brings out even greater qualities.

Am I against single-whatevers?  Ab
solutely NOT!  I love single-malt scotches and was introduced to them before they became popular.  I remember drinking Laphroaig and Red Hackle (no longer available) and enjoying them.  I have nothing against the single-whatevers.  My approach is to enjoy whiskies, if you like them and NOT to look down my nose on blended whiskies, because the social and marketing pressures are toward single-malt and single-barrel whiskies.  If you choose to drink a whiskey, choose it because you like it, and not because it's trendy.  I don't like "trendy," because it invariably ends up being a synonym for "snobby."

And I should share something else with you.  [looking around]  I occasionally put my whiskies ON ICE.  Few whiskies are as satisfying to me, as those that I enjoy on the rocks.  So lift up your sights and avoid looking down your nose, when it comes to blended whiskies.