Aura

Happy birthday, Gene!

Happy birthday, Haj!

Thank you friends, I had a wonderful golden birthday and my wife was just amazing as usual to stick with me on a booze-filled escapade through Kentucky.

Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill Acoustic

Happy birthday, JP!

oh i missed it too, happy monkey business birthday #6

Happy monkey business birthday #6 oh wait nevermind

Happy monkey business birthday #5

Happy monkey business birthday #4

Happy monkey business birthday #3

Happy monkey business birthday #2

Happy monkey business birthday #1

If you were looking for 2015 Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition... it's available at MasterofMalt right now. Won't last long.

Happy birthday, Mikey! Happy birthday, Chris!

I. So. Want.

Yep. This is a great blog post sharing similar disillusionment. http://redwhiteandbourbon.com/2015/11/01/producers-distributors-markup-and-you/

Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way

Speaking on behalf of Mikey but he said he preferred HP25 to HP30.... I haven't had Pulteney but Colin absolutely loved the 17 yr... That whiskyfun website I linked in my post above is amazingly detailed and useful. Mikey's pal Serge runs it, and while his notes are crazy (and border snobby), the dude knows whisky. Most whisky you'd want feedback on is probably scored somewhere by Serge.

Well I officially struck out on Van Winkle this year. My one connection that looked like a sure bet (been on a list since July) didn't pan out and I had no interest in scrounging at random stores. It's fitting though. My perspective is that it is time to move on from the "Limited Edition" scene in American whiskey. Four Roses' old master distiller (Jim Rutledge) is retired now and his last LE contribution has been released... and as for all other LE's, most are not worth the price and none are worth the hassle. I've tried too many of the recent releases and spent too much money to think otherwise. Stuff like Booker's, Four Roses Single Barrel, Elijah Craig 12, and (of course) Turkey 101 represent what American whiskey should be. If you like scotch, now's a good time. Things sure are expensive but in many cases more justified than American equivalents. And it's a lot easier to find things here in the states. Bottles that fly off the shelves in the UK linger in my Chicago stores for months, if not years. I've got some specific single malts I need to explore but I am most interested and excited about grains and blends. Compass Box just released two new bottles in the states - "This is not a luxury whisky" and Flaming Heart 15th Anniversary. Both got some great feedback and Flaming Heart's mix of malts sounds fantastic. One random thought - I discovered why I love Black Bull 12 so much (may it RIP). Apparently there was a significant amount of ~20 yr Mortlach in the blend. MUST buy a few more bottles of it while it's still on shelves.

Cat Power - The Covers Record

Because Mikey got some? If I see more, I will post. (I bet shop.whiskybase gets it)

Head's up @mikeymad and @Voltron and anyone who likes Campbeltown spirits - Masterofmalt just listed the first single cask Kilkerran I've ever seen. It's a weird barrel (Calvados) but the price is seriously good and if they release more of these in sherry or bourbon.... could be awesome. I really like Al's Kilkerrans he had me try in January.

This one makes me think of Matt. Blackfield - Blackfield

Happy birthday, Marc!

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife