I really enjoy Nikka Coffey Grain. Distinctive flavor, and not especially expensive. As it should be -- Japanese whiskey was appealing because it was reasonably high quality, and cheap. There were lots of places in Japan where you could get a glass of Yamazaki for under $10, before all of the insanity. Oh well.

"One reason why whiskey enthusiasts hate this "best whiskey in the world" nonsense is that it instantly turns brands into collector items, which get hoarded for trade and resale value instead of consumed by people who actually like whiskey."

Yep. And it's not just whiskey. The attention of the internet is a good way to ruin just about anything. One day, you're enjoying your modestly good local diner, and the next there are Yelp elite waiting around the block for the same food.

(One could argue that the entire city of San Francisco is in the middle of the same phenomenon, but I digress.)