Size 8, with a splash of water

I’ve been drinking a lot of whisky lately.  Not a lot at any one time (mostly – but see below), but just trying a lot of different kinds.  It’s just not clear that there’s much else to do right now.  Smallmouth are around and feeding, according to those who fish for them, but fishing slowly in ice-cold water for sluggish fish, while not quite like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, still takes second place to whisky.

Some of the whiskies have been a little disappointing, at least for the money.  Angel’s Envy bourbon is real smooth, but I can get almost five bottles of Evan William’s 1783 bourbon for the same price.  Elmer T. Lee and Elijah Craig bourbons are nice; I’m glad I tried them and I’m trying to make them last, but might not buy them again.  Russell’s Reserve bourbon I’ve purchased twice, so that must mean something.  George Dickel No. 12 Tennessee whisky was a nice surprise.  Eagle Rare bourbon is a nice change of pace, too.

I picked up the GlenDronach when I was looking for something to fill some gaps in the Scotch collection, and I’m a big fan of it.  My Old Pulteney is almost gone, which will be a real shame.  I’ll replace it immediately with another carbon copy.  Tamintoul “Peaty Tang” was a pleasant surprise.  So was Ardmore. And Bowmore.  But the Arran doesn’t excite me.  Nor does the Glenlivet.

I tried, but didn’t buy, some Lagavulin 16 year old on Thursday.  It’s good, but I can’t drop that kind of coin unless I’ve been really, really good, and I ain’t.  I felt the same way about the Powers John’s Lane Irish whiskey, but I might be good enough to justify a bottle of that eventually.  The Glen Garioch, which is pronounced “Glen Small-mouthed Salamander” or something like that (I only recall that it sounds nothing like it should) was fine, but not my thing.

I did sort of overdo it this day, but I was "on holiday", as they say in England

But the point of this post is not about those things.  What I want to know is why whisky is supposed to taste like other things?  You’ll rarely find a whisky rating that doesn’t mention raisins, figs, caramel, spices, or polished leather.  But I happen to like the taste of whisky more than the taste of raisins, figs, caramel or spices, and polished leather is hardly palatable.  Today, I was thrown out of a Clark’s Shoe Store by the manager, who apparently objected when I told all of the other incoming customers not to waste their time because not a single shoe there tasted anything like Ardbeg 10 year old Scotch whisky.