Bourbon — or at Least Whiskey — Is King of the Hill!

I read a few articles this week proclaiming bourbon, or at least whiskey, as the conqueror of vodka.

If you're a drinker, that's a good thing.

Here is a sampling if you want to read the articles:

• These Trends Point To Whiskey As The Future of Drinking - Esquire 
• All Hail King Whiskey - The Atlantic

Whiskey, particularly bourbon, is everything that clear-eyed vodka is not. Color equals character, at least when it comes to spirits. Aging, char, oak, barallenness.

You name it -- but the color means the alcohol, the distilled spirits have become more than pure alcohol.

It has taken on a a life, a flavor, beyond itself. In other words, it offers more to taste.

An Embodiment of the Barrel

Without the barrel -- the charred oak barrel, there is no bourbon.

Bourbon has taken on the appearance, which in this case is a -- barrel -- and in bourbon's case -- not just any ole barrel -- but a charred one made of oak.

The subtle nuances infused by the charred oak barrel make bourbon what it is.

It Is What It Is

Vanilla. Smokiness. Leather. Char. Corn. Rye. Wheat. Spice. Smooth. Sweetness, Burn, Etc. It's all part of the experience of drinking the good "brown" stuff.

In my opinion, the white spirits, i.e. vodka, gin, and rum are thin.

But...whiskey is THICK -- meaning the taste is more satisfying and  stays with you longer.

Gives You Something To Think About

Oh I am with you, a gin and tonic with a twist of lime on a hot summer afternoon -- good stuff -- or a nice cold, tomatoey Bloody Mary the morning after you've had a little too much fun the night before. Yes, I get it.

But...nothing is like sipping bourbon.

Closing your eyes. Sticking your nose in the Glencairn with your lips open and sniffing deep.

Taking a slow draw (almost like taking in a cigar) but this is liquid -- letting it roll over your tongue, slip down toward the back of your throat. Next, taking a sip and "chewing it" as Fred Noe says --to suck out all the flavor.

Sucking Taste From Bourbon

Henry David Thoreau once said he wanted to "suck all the marrow out of life." For me, sucking the taste out of my ounce or two of bourbon reminds me to do the same with the marrow of life.

To savor, to slow down, to be conscious of what is right in front of me -- and in my mouth or in my hands.

Aroma. Mouth Feel. Taste. Feeling. This is what alcohol, spirits and particularly bourbon is all about.

On a side note -- here's an article from Karen Heller -- Washington Post -- she calls me -- ask the last time I had Pappy-- I think -- February of 2013 -- she is surprised -- but I think to myself you don't know how hard his stuff is to find.

Cheers my friends. Pappy is close. Hope you get some.