By now, Jim Murray’s pick for 2015 Whisky of the Year is old news. His selection – Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye – triggered poundings of the keyboard from every corner of the Internet, from the smallest hobby blogs to the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, Canada’s largest mainstream news broadcaster.

Why did Murray name a $30 bottle of Canadian rye “Whisky of the Year?” Was it a calculated jab at the Scotch industry? A true diamond-in-the-rough discovery? Just one more in a long line of publicity stunts?

I don’t care, and you probably shouldn’t either. Ratings are great for publicity,…