Identity blinding reduces one bias but does not eliminate contrast effects introduced by the paired task itself.
The methodological caution is the reviewer's own post-reveal reflection on the same tasting session.
After reveal, Burke says the two whiskeys had influenced one another's notes. He distinguishes moving back and forth between glasses to choose a preference from the fuller sensory evaluation needed for standalone tasting notes; Buffalo Trace won the comparison.
Article lines 154–159
Thoughts — pre-reveal and post-reveal
Thoughts and winner
Paraphrase, result, and locator checked against the public post on 2026-08-25.
Evidence
After reveal, Burke says the two whiskeys had influenced one another's notes. He distinguishes moving back and forth between glasses to choose a preference from the fuller sensory evaluation needed for standalone tasting notes. Buffalo Trace won this comparison.
Locator
Thoughts section, pre-reveal and post-reveal reflection, and winner; article lines 154–159.
Context
The contrast-effect limitation is the reviewer's own reflection on the same blind tasting session.
Research boundary
Verified against the source on 2026-08-25. The result documents Burke's preference under this protocol, not objective product superiority.