It's hard not to be. We are all affected in one way or the other by labels and advertising. A couple weeks ago I found a new shop near where I work called simply Whiskey and Beer. I stopped in and started chatting with one of the employees about Burbon. I inquired about the Four Roses single barrel they had there, and asked about Pappy. He make a big point to me about drinking for taste and not labels. Then he started pouring me samples of stuff. He gave me a sample of a $40 Bourbon I'd never heard of and a sample of that Four Roses (no samples of Pappy were available). I liked the $40 Bourbon better than the $80 Four Roses, and so then bought it. Without stopping to axial do a tasting I never would have tried that Bourbon. I'm over halfway done with that bottle now (wish I could recall the name off the top of my head) and will surely be going back for more.