In the beginning....

So I'm not much of a writer. In fact, given my failing track record of trying to keep a journal over the past 15 years this whole thing may end up being a huge flop. Further more I should not be held accountable for any reckless use of a comma or run-on sentence...so to all you university English majors or aspiring harlequin romance writers, you've been warned!


On the other hand...I, like so many others, love whisky and this is the purpose for this blog. I am not a complete amateur to the world of whisky drinking. I do know my way around many of the whiskies of the world. I've read some books, have a second-hand subscription to "Whisky Magazine" by way of my father, who is also very fond of the water of life (and has the means to support a much more diverse collection than I). I also love food, wine, cocktails and flavors in general. This is why I want to go deeper. So often the world of food and wine is so pretentious and tries to be "upper crust" when all it is really about is pleasure. Can you taste the red currents and dark cherry undertones? No? Who cares? Are you enjoying what you taste? Yes? Perfect! This is what I strive for in food and wine and something I found immediately with the culture that surrounds whisky. Whisky started and continues to be the common man’s drink (I use the term in the most gender non-specific way possible, my wife has a more sensitive pallet and can hold her booze better than me any day…I resigned to that fact years ago). Of course there has to be a way of conveying what you taste, I appreciate that fact. I just want to make sure that the enjoyment is the fist part and everything else comes second. So, in this blog you will find the descriptions like “it tastes of dried raspberries and burning car tires” but you will hopefully find foods you may want to pair your drink with or historical anecdotes that help to explain why you are tasting what you are. Besides…I love things that strike the curiosity and any drink that has tasting notes that include hints of seaweed, medicine and tobacco, well I just have to find out more!

So, if you are new to the world of whisky and want to come along, feel free (ha! I'm writing this as if someone else other than my wife, father and mother are going to be reading it for anything else other than moral support!). My plan is to taste...and provide background to what we taste (as if I needed another excuse to drink more whisky!). So here goes....