h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A592292

Quoting the researcher of this entry:
"I noticed a definite lack of information on Scotlands biggest export, so I hope this will be of use to some people."

The researcher is whisky (http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/U180644) and will show up here soon. This is just a replacement thread for an ill-formatted one which will have to leave the place, to ease housekeeping around here

Whisky,

BTW I tried the 18 year Macallan, but I still like the Glenmorangie better...

I'm quite sure this *is* of good use for researchers around here. If not the theory behind it then surely the, err..., more practical aspects

You could point out the difference between (scotch) whisky and (US) whiskey. I know some purists get angry if innocent researchers get the pronunciation wrong.

Other than a few typos (which I lost track of because the server failed a posting), and the last para, there's nothing which a beer drinker like me would miss in a whisky entry obviously written from an expert

The last para should be rephrased into something like 'A few most favourite/renowned brands are:...' or so, it's just to get out the very personal touch there.


again, a great entry


Bossel (Scout)

An entry to be savored like a good single malt, but not yet completely matured.
Like Bossel I miss the difference between whisky and whiskey, its vital in spelling, speach and especially taste.

In the style I miss one my favorites, the special western ones with the iodine tinge from the seeweed, or do you mean those in "The environment" with the word "iode"? That sentence does not run correctly, I think there should be a full stop after environment.

Maybe you can add something about the blending process, how the taste is kept constant over the years.
Also the uncivilised horror of yanks killing good whisky with icecubes.

For your top ten, the only name I recognise is The Macallan, but I trust your word the others are great also.

I would like to add a whisky smily, but alas, the stiff drink contains an olive.

LOL oh yes, that's a severe fault with the

I think those round things in the stiff drink are ice, not olives. It is not recommended to put ice in whisky, but it has been done.

Whiskey is the spelling for Irish, while whisky is the spelling for Scotch. Which spelling is used for Bourbon?

There's a lot of first person stuff in this article which will have to be removed.

A splendid start. IMO the yarn has a bit too much personal opinion scattered through it. Perhaps if the author checked out the yarn on bourbon he may pick up a few ideas on structure http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A526196

Of cause the author would be quite within his rights to tell me to "go jump in the (wine)lake".

Thanks for all the comments folks, no really, I don't want anyone to have to go and jump in a lake (unless its a whisky lake)

Ok I'll add on a little about blended whiskies and bourbons.
As to any spelling mistakes, blame the computer keyboard, it doesn't know how to type!!

There will always be spelling mistakes when there's whisky in the jar.

If there are problems with stating your personal preferences, is it possible to replace that by an objective quality ranking like there is for wine? That way people can see what should be good whisky, and probably also good tasting.
The personal preferences of you and me and everyone can then go into the discussion threads. Hopefully we all prefer different brands, otherwise it will be very difficult to get.

Ok, I've now added a little about other countries whiskies. However, the section on my favourite whiskies is a little more sensitive, It is a little difficult to tell people what are the best whiskies without invoking ones own personal opinion, after all, not everyone would agree with me, I think I'll probably get rid of this section all together.

Coming up next will be sections on Cask Strength Whiskies, Independant Bottlers and Blending.

Anyone think of anything else I should add? (however, I suspect this entry is getting a little too long as it is)

I think the subject merits the length....

I noticed Canadian Whiskey (or is it Whisky ) is conspicuous by it's absence. I believe it is probably blended, anyway. However, I have heard of an excellent small distiller? producer? of single malt somewhere in eastern Canada. Apparently this place has won rave reviews worldwide for top quality stuff..

Good article. It needs a little polish in terms of layout and typos, but it certainly seems well-researched and is informative.

Makes me thirsty, though

Got any more details on that Canadian whisky? its not one of my strong points I'm afraid.

I don't think it's too long at all - you can settle down with a nice glass of single malt and read it at your leisure. It pretty much seems to cover all the points you get on a distillery tour.

Something you might want to include, or not - you touch on the regional variations when you talk about environment, but perhaps something more specific along the lines of Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Islay and Islands? There can be as much difference between an Islay malt and a Speyside as between Scotch and Irish.

Or is that too much? I don't know, but it's a thought.

I didn't say that I think it's a good article. I think it's a good article. There, said it now.

I agree that this entry really should have some mention of the regional variations in Scotch. Unfortunately I'm not enough of an expert or connoisseur to give any help there because I drink Islay malts almost exclusively.

The information on the Canadian Single Malt was from a National Post article a few months back -- I believe the distillery is located in Cape Breton. Sorry, I don't have any more info. Perhaps if you do a web search, or go to the Canadian National Post website, you may be able to find out more -- I'd give you the URL, but we all know what would happen then

Anyhow, Canadian Whisky is really rye whisky. I can't say I like the stuff. I drink local micro-brew in summer, and an amazing concoction called Fireball in winter -- hey, it gets cold here!

Japanese tourists are apparently fond of Canadian rye whisky, if they can't get their favourite, JW Black..

And that is about the extent of my whisky knowledge

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Peer Review' to 'Scotch Whisky'.

This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review Forum because your entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

You can find out what will happen to your entry here: http://www.h2g2.com/SubEditors-Process

Congratulations!

Whiskey, your splendid opus will now be sent to a sub editor. When they return it to h2g2 Towers - usually it takes about four weeks - the article will feature on the front page and your life will never be the same again When this happens you will be sent an email informing you of the happy event. Well done.
Loony

Hello Whisky, I'm GTBacchus, the SubEditor working on your entry. As an American, I've always been a bourbon drinker, but you've inspired me to expand my horizons a bit. I'm sitting in an internet cafe which is also a full bar, and I just browsed through their selection looking for something from your top 10 list. They didn't have any of them , so I got a glass of something 15 years old called 'Dimple Pinch'. 'Taint half bad!

Anyway, I've been editing away. I'm working on a copy of your entry, which is the version that will go to the Front Page. Your copy is yours forever, and nobody else can change it. The version I'm working on is here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A602939

Feel free to drop by and see how things are going. If you have any additions or changes you'd like to make, or if you see any mistakes I've made, now is a great time to let me know. I'm still in the process of tweaking the GuideML a little, so there's no urgent hurry. I expect to finish subbing and send it in to the Towers sometime next week.

Incidentally, I like the style. You cover a lot of information in bite sized pieces, so it's not intimidating, and the tone is nicely informal.

Thanks for the entry, and Congratulations!

GTBacchus