Q - What are the 'browser specifications' of Malt Madness?

A - The design and layout of this site used to be tailored to the browsing configuration of 'the majority' of the on-line population.
For a long time this meant that you had to use a PC and a recent version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser if you wanted to view the site like it was intended. However, it also meant that you could experience some technical difficulties if you were one of those die-hards still using Apple's overpriced junk - or a gadget freak trying to watch this website on your mobile phone.
You should be able to view everything as it was intended with the following configuration:
 
- Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP or Vista
- Browser: Mozilla FireFox 2.0 or higher (Internet Explorer works as well, but items like the Interactive Map won't run as smoothly)
- Screen Resolution: at least 1024x768 pixels
- Browser font size: 'Medium'
- System font size: 11 or 12 (TrueType font Verdana installed).
 
If you use a smaller screen resolution than 1024x768 (or use a minimised window or keep your favourits open) you'll have to scroll horizontally. Those of you with a larger screen resolution will have some extra useless space at the right of their screen.
Just think of it as some room to make notes on ;-)
 

Q - Why do some pieces of text overlap?

A - Actually - they shouldn't anymore after the reconstruction from 'the big crunch' in 2006 is finally finished.
If you still have technical problems, please let me know which browser you're using and I'll look into it. Even in the 1990's I didn't feel like writing all the HTML by hand, so I used NetObjects Fusion 2.0 to build the site. We're now at version 10 and it's still not bug-free.
This means I (or rather you ;-) have to put up with one annoying bug with regards to the display of some text elements.
If the text on a page overlaps, try decreasing the font size of your browser under the 'View' pull-down menu of your browser.
 
If you select the 'standard' setting you should be able to view every page on the site without any problems.
Screen size and screen color can be adjusted on most screens in the Windows control panel. Very much like the Dutch swamp-worm, this site grows out of its skin every three years or so - I may be able to solve the problem in a future incarnation of the site.
 

Q - Why do some pages take so long to load?

A - With more and more people enjoying the benefits of a broadband connection I decided to add some more pictures to the site to give your eyes something to rest on in-between scanning the vast amounts of text on these pages. Also, I often try to collect as much information as possible on a single page, so you can flick through it easily once the entire page has loaded. If you're still crawling across the world wide web with a 28K8 or 56K6 connection you may want to try a trick I used when I was suffering under similar circumstances.
Just open an extra browser window or 'tab' in your browser and read one page while the other is loading.
And remember: patience is a virtue...
 

Q - Can I write something for Malt Madness or Malt Maniacs as well?

A - Yes you can! After all, Malt Madness and Malt Maniacs is all about sharing as many different perspectives as possible.
If you are a relative beginner feel free to send me your questions and comments and if I feel your input and/or my response could be useful to other malt lovers I'll publish it in the 'Vox Populi' section of Malt Madness. All other contributions will be published on Malt Maniacs.
Just contact me if you want to become a 'foreign correspondent' and share your opinions and experiences with others.
You might want to check out the answer to the next question as well.
 

Q - Can I join the Malt Maniacs?

A - No you can't! Well, at least not at the moment...
To keep things cosy (not to mention manageable), we decided to limit the number of certified malt maniacs to 24.
At the beginning of 2005 Dave Broom and Lawence Graham decided to join our little on-line collective, bringing the number of certified malt maniacs to the maximum of 24. Does that mean that from now on nobody will ever get the chance to join our ranks? No, fortunately not. We also publish articles (called E-pistles) from malt lovers and peatheads that are not (yet) members of our team. Anybody who submits at least one E-pistle for publication in Malt Maniacs deserves the title of 'foreign correspondent' and is eligable for a place on the 'core' team of 24 maniacs next year.

Membership of the maniacs is not for recreational drammers with feeble livers.
As a malt maniac you're expected to do some 'serious' dramming and - more importantly - share your impressions and opinions with other malt lovers. So, at the end of each year I cast my evil eye across the ranks of the maniacs to determine if all maniacs behaved maniacally enough during the last year - i.e. contributed to the common good in the form of E-pistles. If it turns out that one or more 'foreign correspondents' are more active than some maniacs themselves, I'm ruthless enough to wield my dictatorial powers and offer their places on the team to foreign correspondents who have contributed more to 'the cause' in the past year.

Yeah, yeah, I know: I'm a ruthless bastard - but then again we live in a cruel, cruel world.
So, contact me by e-mail if you want to overthrow one of the current certified malt maniacs ;-) 
 

Q - I want to try some single malt Scotch whiskies. Where do I start?

A - Ah, now you're talking my language! First off, here are three important tips for beginners.
Tip #1: Don't buy just one bottle of single malt whisky - buy two or three and try them head-to-head.
Tip #2: Use cognac bowls, sherry copita's or wine glasses - or buy some if you don't have any. It's the best investment you'll make...
Tip #3: Read the Beginners Guide beforehand to enhance your enjoyment and prevent mishaps.

But MM has plenty of suggestions for more seasoned malt lovers as well, mind you... The Hit List offers an overview of my personal favourite single malt whiskies while the Bang-For-Your-Buck List focuses on the malts that offer the best value for money. And you don't have to rely on my purely personal opinion either. The matrix on Malt Maniacs shows the scores of more than a dozen malt maniacs for thousands of different single malts, while the awards section highlights some of the very best bottlings currently available.
 

Q - What is the best single malt whisky in the world?

A - Back in the early 1990's I would probably have answered: the Lagavulin 16yo (OB).
However, since then I've learned that 'the' best single malt doesn't exist. It all depends on personal preferences, as well as present company, weather conditions and the mood of the day. Personal preferences are more or less predestined (although tastes can 'evolve' as your nose and palate become more educated), but the other factors I mentioned are variables. For example; I might just enjoy a dram of Tobermory on a sunny day in the company of Heidi Klum right after I've received a huge pay-rise more than a glass of Lagavulin while being beaten over the head with a big stick by Osama Bin Laden. In the rain... So, it's all relative...

What's more, we all have different tastes and it's entirely feasible that yours are different from mine.
In fact, I'm almost certain that they are. It's very likely that you don't like some of the writers and composers that I mentioned in my brief personal introduction, and it's the same with single malts. And variation in personal taste is the least of our 'problems'. You can look at a single malt whisky from many different perspectives. Maybe you find the nose much more important than the taste - or vice versa. Or maybe you're more interested in development over time than in the way it responds to water. There's something to be said for balance in the nose of a malt, but a single malt whisky that goes ballistic in one corner of the spectrum can be very enjoyable as well.
So, I'm afraid that these days I wouldn't be able to answer that question within an hour...

But all these 'problems' are not really problems - they are what make the world of single malts so much fun!
If you're interested in my personal favourite single malt whiskies, you should check out my Hit List in the mAlmanac.
 

Q - What is the worst single malt whisky in the world?

A - Loch Dhu 10yo (OB) - whether it comes in a 20cl, 70cl or even 100cl bottle.
I realise that this short and sweet answer seems to contradict my answer to the previous question, but the majority of the malt maniacs seem to agree the 'worst' single malt whisky ever produced was the Loch Dhu 10yo. By and large the most single malts released on the market range from very decent to superb, but every now and them a small disaster in a bottle manages to sneak its way onto my shelves to haunt me. Check out the Shit List for an overview of some other malts that I think are 'avoidable'. But then again: maybe you shouldn't avoid them - after a Drumguish 3yo you'll appreciate a relatively 'mainstream' Glenlivet 12yo all the more.
 

Q - How can I find information about whisky in general?

A - Well, that's easy: the Beginners Guide offers all the 'basic' information you'll need - and the Advanced Beginner's Guide picks up where the original Beginner's Guide leaves off. After that, you may want to flick through my Liquid Log (a chronological record of my tastings since 1997) or the Distillery Data section. The DD section offers plenty of statistics and background information about all Scotch whisky distilleries.
Like most of this website, the beginners guide and DD section focus on single malt whiskies produced in Scotland.
But there's more in the world of whisky - check out the Deviant Drams section for my notes on other whiskies.
If everything else fails, make sure to check out the Liquid Links page before you try to 'google' it.
 

Q - How can I find information about a particular whisky?

A - That's easy too. Just go to my Track Record and you will find my score for that whisky - if I tried it between 1997 and 2006.
Clicking on the name of the malt will take you to the appropriate tasting notes in my Liquid Log. If I haven't tried a particular bottling, it's entirely possible that some of the other malt maniacs did. Check out the MM Matrix for the scores of thousands of whiskies that were sampled by at least 4 malt maniacs. The MM Monitor on Whiskyfun that's maintained by Serge Valentin features even more single malts. But obviously the easiest way to find data on a specific whisky is by using the search box above. If you want to find out when a particular official bottling was bottled, we usually don't know more than you do. In some cases we offer our 'best guess', but that's just what it is - our 'best guess'... When we estimate a bottle was bottled around 2000 it could be 1999 or 2001 as well.
 

Q - How can I find information about a particular distillery?

A - The Distillery Data section contains information about +/- 90 active distilleries in Scotland.
Actually, it contains information about quite a few silent distilleries and new projects in Scotland as well. The Lex-icon on Malt Maniacs offers an overview of the malt whisky distilleries in the rest of the world. Use the Google search box if the distillery you're looking for isn't listed.
 

Q - I found a dusty old bottle of whisky - What's its worth?

A - I get a lot of questions about the value of 'collector's items' like Macallan '1874' or bottles recovered from a sunken ship.
I have to admit that I'm not a collector myself, so I really wouldn't know anything about it - it's what the buyer is willing to pay for it, I guess. Maybe you can find some more information through one of the liquid links or Google. But please keep in mind that the bottles you find on eBay or in some stores might actually be fake - so it's wise to keep your eyes open at all times.
 

Q - I like this website. How can I get one of those?

A - Unless you have 'professional' aspirations, building and maintaining a website isn't too difficult.
Some basic writing skills and knowledge of HTML and graphics would come in handy, but other than that you don't need that much too start. Unless you really want the 'professional' stuff like Adobe Photoshop, much of the software you'll need is available as freeware or shareware on the web. In case you're thinking about a more professional site, I might be able to help out - for a modest fee of course.
Feel free to contact me for more information or check out the NerdQuake site for some examples of my other work.
 

Q - I don't like this website. Am I crazy?

A - Well, evidently - at least if some of the 'fanmail' that the maniacs and I receive is any indication.
Just take a quick glance at the list of 'testimonials' from other visitors I've added to the 'contact' page. Judging from their kind words (soothing balm for my ego, let me assure you), It would seem they are pleased enough with our efforts. Of course, I'm conveniently ignoring the fact that those who don't like Malt Madness probably won't bother to let me know ;-)

No reason for panic though - if Malt Maniacs or WhiskyFun don't tickle your fancy, there are thousands of other whisky websites.
Just check out the Liquid Links section for an overview of a selection of my personal favourites.
 

Q - What's the meaning of life?

A - I'm currently very busy with my research into the matter.
I'll let you know as soon as I've processed all the data and made sense of it all...
There is, however, one preliminary result I can already divulge. My personal experience indicates that single malt whiskies provide an excellent fuel source for the brain while it's working on existential questions like 'what's the meaning of life', 'is there life on other planets' and 'I wonder how many bottles of whisky I can balance on my head'. (I found the answer to that last one: none.)
 
So, why don't you have a dram while you look for wisdom on the rest of this site ?
 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 

[1] The Beginner's Guide  (Ten chapters stuffed with information aimed at the novices in maltland.)
[2] The Distillery Data section  (All active distilleries in Scotland - and a few silent ones and upstarts too.)
[3] The mAlmanac  (A section with - hopefully - useful information for both novices and seasoned imbibers.)
[1] The Liquid Log  (A chronological overview of my alcoholic adventures, containing over 300 entries.)
[4] The Deviant Drams section  (Dedicated to all other alcoholic beverages.)

Apart from the hundreds of 'topical' pages in these five site sections, there are
a few other pages you might find useful. The sitemap offers a more extensive
guide through this site while the brief personal introduction tells you about
yours truly and the history of the site. If you have any questions that are
not answered here you can get in touch with me via the contact page or
follow one of the liquid links to the very best whisky websites in the world.
Esteemed members of the press can find some more information and a
few high resolution digital images on the 'press' page on this website.

The sitemap offers a complete overview of the available information on Malt Madness, but I'd
like to point out just a few pages that might be of interest to you. Take my Little Black Book for
example - it contains brief tasting notes on more than 500 single malt whiskies. When my Little
Black Book ceased being little I replaced it with my Track Record - an A-Z overview of the more than
2000 single malts I've tried until December 31, 2006. There are no tasting notes in the Track Record
itself, but the name of each malt whisky is linked to an entry in my 'Liquid Log' with with the full notes.
When I write this, the Advanced Beginner's Guide isn't finished yet, but when it's done it should contain
loads of useful information as well. If you want to know when it's done, just join the mailinglist...