My dad had a buddy who loved gin. I can say I taste very little difference in gins or vodkas. But I don't like white liquor anymore so it all tastes bad to me.

His buddy liked Beefeater gin. This is in the days before all the designer gins, like everything these days. So they were at a bar and this guy always said he could tell Beefeater from all others. My dad had the bartender pour 5 shots from different bottles and have him taste them. He wasn't sure about a couple and then he drank one and said, well, I know that's not Beefeater, that is some nasty swill. It was, of course, the Beefeater.

I would never claim that I could tell what a certain whiskey is. But you can damn sure taste the swill effect in some of the el cheapos. I have had some $40 or so ones that I was appalled by, though.