On Mon, Jul 25, 2011 at 9:30 PM, underscore <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 22, 2011 at 10:29 AM, Udhay Shankar N <[email protected]> wrote: >> http://blog.sethroberts.net/2011/07/08/the-willat-effect-side-by-side-comparisons-create-connoisseurs/ >> The Willat Effect: Side-by-Side Comparisons Create Connoisseurs >> About ten years ago, while visiting my friend Carl Willat, he presented >> me with five versions of limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur) side by >> side in shot glasses. Two were store-bought, the rest homemade, if I >> remember correctly. I tried them one by one. > So it wasnt a blind tasting ? If it was a blind tasting, he would not > be classifying taste by price. Does not follow. We cannot tell from his report if the tasting was blind or not, and even if blind if he discovered that in blind tastings he preferred the more expensive limoncello it would have the same result as was reported. I have in the past used a sort of "reverse" of this effect to find bargains. If, in a blind tasting, I discover that I actually prefer the cheaper of the things being tasted I view that as a fortuitous discovery rather than an indictment of my taste. Being confident in my own taste, I enjoy the fact that I have found a "bargain" rather than berating myself for having an unsophisticated (read "cheap") palate. For example, I have specific qualities I like in Champagnes. I like strong yeasty "toasty" flavors, no sweetness, and a specific minerally fruit character. Bollinger is a classic example of this style, and Krug is the pinnacle. A few years ago, in blind tastings, I discovered there were some Cavas that had these "classic" characteristics at a much lower price. I rejoiced! It means I could enjoy it weekly rather than only on rare occasions! (Sadly, I now live where the selection of cavas is much more limited, and the local sparkling wine style emphasises the varietal character of the fruit, rather than the yeast. Even so, I can recommend the Arras 1998 Tasmanian sparkling wine, or the Clover Hill 2006 if you'd like something more reasonably priced. Anyway, the point being that you can use tastings like this to be unhappy that you have such cheap tastes, or you can be happy that the things you like are so cheap. I think it's better to taste blind and stay confident in your results than taste knowing the price only to let the price determine your taste. -- Charles
