New Year's Resolutions:

Instagram || lifeofawhiskeydrinker

I've never been into New Year's resolutions. I've always looked at them as cliché. Why would you make a list of things you want to change/accomplish only once a year? For the most part I have always felt that people write down a list to make themselves feel better, then forget about it until the next year, only to realize they didn't accomplish any of the resolutions they set their heart on achieving in the first place. And thus, the cycle continues, year after year. Resolutions have always appeared to me as words, never actions. Yet, I've grown up a bit. The older I become the harder it seems to focus on my life goals. With age comes more responsibilities and more distractions, both good and bad. Hence, the realization for constant reminders that inform my daily decisions and prompt me to push forward towards my goals have become more appealing. 

During Katie and my last trip to Europe in the summer of 2012, I used much of the time for contemplation and “list making.” Katie and I had just left our home in Portland, OR, to move back to California so we could be closer to our family. We knew that a life, once we arrived back from Europe, would change immensely – a new stage. So I wrote. I filled pages of my Moleskine with lists and goals for myself. I wanted to start fresh as it were. I made resolutions to work harder, avoid laziness, be a better husband, prepare to be a father, and lastly, I made a declaration to pursue life to its fullest. From goals of learning a new skill, reading particular books, setting weekly time aside for solitude, to learning how to cook new foods, the list has evolved. It's a constant and ever changing tide of hopes and dreams that keep my priorities grounded on the right foundation.

So here we are, January 2014, and I am making a New Year's Resolution. This is a much shorter version of my actual list, but maybe these few goals will encourage you to make your own declaration of change for the year to come. These resolutions are broadly written, but be specific with yourself. Set dates and times. Set real goals so you can make them happen. Make them varied, and practical.

1. Solitude: Solitude was much more easily obtained when I was in college. My lifestyle flowed in a way where I could actually find times of rest and peace each week away from the noise of the daily grind. This is something I need more than ever. Time away from work, blogging, and all distractions. Meditation.

2. Cooking: Since we have moved back to California cooking has not been a huge priority. Don't get me wrong, Katie and I cook almost every night. But up in Portland we really pushed ourselves to grow as cooks. I need to push myself to be more intentional about meal planning. Less “easy meals.”

3. Cycling: I want to ride more. I don't ride every day to work, but I want to make it more of a priority. It's good for me. I should make this happen.

4. Whiskey Education: Yes, this is a goal of mine. I am always learning, but I could push myself much harder in this area. Tasting needs to be a larger priority. This year has been a big one for me, but I need to step up my game and get to be a real expert.

5. Date Night: Katie and I talk about the importance of this a lot. One should never stop dating their spouse or partner. Even when times get busy, or going out becomes financially tougher, it should NEVER stop. With the baby on the way, this is of great importance. This is a reminder to always make time.

6. The Blog: I want this blog to succeed beyond a simple hobby. It's a complete joy to work on, but I'm not pursuing it for my leisure anymore. I want to create something genuinely useful and enjoyable. This year will be its success and its beginning. That said, I know the posts have been far and few between. I am working on some exciting improvements which shall be unveiled soon, so be ready for reviews, and more, in abundance.

To this next year! Try new things, work harder, and be safe!

-Wesley

White Whiskey Climbing the Ranks:

Just another example of white whiskey climbing the ranks as a viable product: Chuck Cowdery made a small post about the the delay of Beam's Jacob's Ghost which I believe highlights an interesting trend. Since micro-distilling has jumped on the scene, most have not known what to make of many of these young and unaged spirits flooding (or more of a trickle) into the market. Is it a viable product, even within a niche market? Will it only be something bartenders latch onto? Or is it something that will disappear once many of the current craft distillers release extensively aged products? I think Jacob's Ghost is a possible clue into the turning market. Tuthilltown, as one of the first major players in the craft distilling industry, has been putting out partially aged products for some time now. And without getting into the small barrel debate, we see there is more of an appeal for products that are partially aged, to take some of the green-ness out. Jacob's ghost is doing something on a large scale and it appears they are putting a bit more thought into it than Jack Daniels with the release of their unaged white whiskey. Aged in barrels for one year, the products, though "still raw, [is] much milder than the white dog, with significant amounts of corn body and barrel sweetness." This is a product almost entirely produced for the bartender and at $22.00 per bottle, compared with Jack Daniels ridiculously high price tag, this is nothing to dismiss. Something we have rarely seen and something which might be a turning point in understanding the place of young whiskey.

Photo from guyism.com.

Do Small Barrels Produce Inferior Whiskey?

In the last few years, with the explosion of micro-distilleries in the US, there has currently been a slew of blogs and articles flaying around debating the whole issue of small barrel aged whiskey verses large barrel aged whiskey. On one side of the argument you have a large majority of micro-distillers using 5, 10, and 15 gallon barrels to age their whiskey; think Tuthilltown. On the other side you have more traditional, and generally larger, distilleries aging whiskey in 48 and 53 gallon barrels; think Buffalo Trace. The question is: do smaller barrels produce whiskey, aged 2 years or less, similar or comparable to bourbon aged in, say, 53 gallon barrels for 8 years?  No matter what the outcome, it might seem insignificant at first, but the large scale effect of products claiming to be analogous (“as good as”) to mainstream bourbon or scotch, if they are actually inferior, could be devastating on the image of traditionally crafted bourbon or scotch style whiskies. I thought, rather than try and fully delineate my thoughts here, I would post a link to Chuck Cowdery’s blog post which deals with the exact subject at hand. I believe Chuck has a very clear understanding of the issue and I encourage all of you to download his (very) small book which details the whole argument in full - on Kindle for just 99 cents.

Photo Above: Tuthilltown 15 gallon Spirit Barrels, courtesy of The Spirit Review.

Mad About Whiskey: AMC's Mad Men, Drinking, and Other Things…

"All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses." 

– Friedrich Nietzsche

I love the show Mad Men. Recently I introduced my wife to it through Netflix. Now she's addicted. So about once a week, or twice depending on how badly we want the next few episodes (since we only get one disk at a time), she and I sit down on the couch and delve into the world of advertising for about 2 to 3 hours. And without much thought, before we even get to the start menu, my mouth starts to water. I get up and walk to the bar, pouring myself a double of whatever happens to be on hand. Finally ready to relax the night away I sit back down next to her and press play. 

And during those three to four 45 minute episodes something happens. I forget about everything I had done that week. I forget about everything I have to do tomorrow. I am transported into a world which is so different than mine - a past I never knew. Yet somehow everything is familiar to the point that one of my largest emotions is nostalgia. Nostalgia for something that has passed, a time that will never be. I find myself yearning to live in a world where the cars are classy, the restaurants are swanky, where all the women dress in beautiful clothing, and where the men order Scotch instead of beer. A place where smoking actually has sex appeal.

But then I sit back and think about what I’m watching. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) the star and face of the show is an identify thief. As a married man he sleeps with every woman he can get into bed with. And he is a complete alcoholic who lives by the motto, “I’m living like there’s no tomorrow, because there isn’t one.” And speaking of egotistical self-loving narcissists, almost everyone else in the show seem to exhibit much of the same characteristics. Sleeping around, drinking too much, lying, cheating… the list goes on. Everyone is striving for a life they believe will fulfill them, the epitome of the American dream, in a world speeding forward at a pace no one can quite keep up with. So the natural question to ask would be: Why do I enjoy the show so much? Why does it make me nostalgic? Why is Old Overholt getting an overhaul in the real  world – rye Old-Fashioned anyone? Why are more men wearing suit vest again? Why is Don Draper so cool?

I guess my questions are not necessarily about drinking, per se, as much as the way people used to drink. The way in which Scotch used to be enjoyed. A cultural essence of sorts. Where have the classy bars gone? When did playing video games and cheap beer replace drinking Scotch and playing cards? Have we lost something, in spite of the rampant prejudice, sexism, and tumultuous times of the 60s, which was worth having? Somehow Don Draper in all of his folly, exudes a quality which people admire.  “What,” asks Lauren M.E. Goodlad, “is it that makes this odd blend of Jay Gatsby, American Gigolo, and the Man in the Gray Flannel Suit so captivating a figure for today?” 

Maybe Don Draper, with our hindsight of the impending world crisis to be had in the next decade, just makes falling look good.