Hats and Drinks - A Match Made in Heaven

[Hurricane Jack]

I read Mezcal reviews until I was blue in the face looking for a sipping Mezcal & not a mixer that I could buy locally. Del Maguey Vida offered high ratings & reviews so I picked up a bottle on a Tequila run today.

On the nose upon first pulling the cork I got the aroma of Tequila (agave), fresh lime (7UP) & new rubber tires. Holding the first sip on a clean palate I realized I was getting agave, new rubber tires, lime & a bit of other citrus tang, & smoke. Some reviews have compared this Mezcal to a smoky Scotch but it's not Peat smoke, or woodsmoke, it's burning tire smoke. I don't get any of the mineral, earthy taste I like from blue agave so this must be a different agave. Upon swallowing there is a bit of cinnamon & other spices I cant distinguish. On the short aftertaste the smoke lingers but fresh green lime & banana take over. The banana taste is artificial & weird.

Thinking of what might compliment this Mezcal or pair opposite it is difficult. Cigar leaf wrap of a good cigar comes to mind. So does Mac Barens HH Old Kentucky Dark Fired pipe tobacco. Blackened Cajun seasoning would. Anything blackened in a cast iron skillet.

Grabbed my hat to go out & enjoy a couple of Sam Adams Summer Ales on tap, & a blackened Cajun Strip Steak. Enjoying my second dram at home now with a pipe bowl of Black Magic Woman.

 

[The Shoe]

What can you all tell me about the different Ardbeg whiskeys? I’ve only ever had Ardbeg at a bar and I must confess that I don’t know which one/ones I’ve had. What I do know is that Wee Beastie and An Oa are both significantly cheaper than my favourite Lagavulin.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

What can you all tell me about the different Ardbeg whiskeys? I’ve only ever had Ardbeg at a bar and I must confess that I don’t know which one/ones I’ve had. What I do know is that Wee Beastie and An Oa are both significantly cheaper than my favourite Lagavulin.

In general I think the Ardbegs have more iodine taste than Lagavulin but not near as much as Laphroaig does. I have no experience with An Oa, it's at a price point here where I would just buy the Ten. The Ten is kind of the flagship at its price point. Wee Beastie is an NAS with an average age of 5 yrs. so it tastes a bit younger & its a bit more smokier than the Ten. For an introductory bottle I would start with the Ten.

The Uigeadail & Corryvrecken are higher proof, more expensive but very special drams if you like Ardbegs.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

The Uigeadail & Corryvrecken are higher proof, more expensive but very special drams if you like Ardbegs.

The morning after a few drams of either Oogie or Corry I love the aroma from the glass used the night before. As a comparison I checked the glass used for last night's Del Maguey Vida Mezcal & I get no aroma from it.

 

[The Shoe]

In general I think the Ardbegs have more iodine taste than Lagavulin but not near as much as Laphroaig does. I have no experience with An Oa, it's at a price point here where I would just buy the Ten. The Ten is kind of the flagship at its price point. Wee Beastie is an NAS with an average age of 5 yrs. so it tastes a bit younger & its a bit more smokier than the Ten. For an introductory bottle I would start with the Ten.

The Uigeadail & Corryvrecken are higher proof, more expensive but very special drams if you like Ardbegs.

Thanks for that. If the Ten is the flagship, it’s almost certainly what I’ve had at bars. Over here, the Wee Beastie and An Oa are slightly more expensive. The Uigeadail is a little more than Lagavulin and the Corryvrecken another $20 on top of that. My wife is a bigger fan of Laphroaig than me, so your assessment is likely to assist me in getting approval for the purchase!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Thanks for that. If the Ten is the flagship, it’s almost certainly what I’ve had at bars. Over here, the Wee Beastie and An Oa are slightly more expensive. The Uigeadail is a little more than Lagavulin and the Corryvrecken another $20 on top of that. My wife is a bigger fan of Laphroaig than me, so your assessment is likely to assist me in getting approval for the purchase!

The Ten averages about $9 -$10 more than Wee Beastie & about $2 more than An Oa. On the upper end with more variation I find the Corryvreckan anywhere from $4 - $7 more than the Uigeadail.

If you all like Laphroaig Quarter Cask which averages 8 yrs I think, then you would probably like Wee Beastie.

 

[The Shoe]

The Ten averages about $9 -$10 more than Wee Beastie & about $2 more than An Oa. On the upper end with more variation I find the Corryvreckan anywhere from $4 - $7 more than the Uigeadail.

If you all like Laphroaig Quarter Cask which averages 8 yrs I think, then you would probably like Wee Beastie.

We’ve only ever had the Laphroaig 10. My wife likes it a lot. I find it nice, but at a similar (or lower) price, I much prefer Talisker.

 

[The Shoe]

Also, while I have your attention, my wife is keen to buy a bottle of Knob Creek bourbon, which she had in a bar a couple of years ago. Again, there’s a number of options here, all within about $10 of each other. If I can pick your collective brains again…

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Also, while I have your attention, my wife is keen to buy a bottle of Knob Creek bourbon, which she had in a bar a couple of years ago. Again, there’s a number of options here, all within about $10 of each other. If I can pick your collective brains again…

They do have a lot of options & many of them only added to their lineup in recent yrs. I've only tried 4 I think. I like the original 12, the Single Barrel, & the 120 proof for high octane. I thought the Small Batch was nothing special. Never tried their Rye.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Beer Run under a Waco.

Todd Snider

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Home yesterday afternoon I celebrated a long week with a beer from the back of the beer refrigerator.

My wife got home and we picked up a couple of glasses and the Laphroig Quarter Cask and sat outside and shared our days.

A post dinner walk and had me reaching for Founders All Day Pale Ale. It was a sweaty walk and the beer was very refreshing.

Coffee this morning was made special by brewing and sipping some Blue Mountain.

This morning's breakfast beer was a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Errands completed and I was headed over to my neighbors dock to shoot the breeze while sipping a Founders Agave Spritzer.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Also, while I have your attention, my wife is keen to buy a bottle of Knob Creek bourbon, which she had in a bar a couple of years ago. Again, there’s a number of options here, all within about $10 of each other. If I can pick your collective brains again…

I also have not sampled the Knob Creek. I will listen to the replies with curiosity. I frequently see this brand on sale.

Beer Run under a Waco.

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Todd Snider
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Essential errand in a glorious hat. Having a truck is a good choice for loading up your whiskey, agave and beer purchases.

Enjoy the weekend folks. Cheers, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

They do have a lot of options & many of them only added to their lineup in recent yrs. I've only tried 4 I think. I like the original 12, the Single Barrel, & the 120 proof for high octane. I thought the Small Batch was nothing special. Never tried their Rye.

Thanks Jack. I will listen to a couple reviews on Youtube to see if they excite me into purchasing.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

^^^That Old Faithful Ale has a great color to it.

As I’ve said before I’m not a big bourbon guy but another fav on my list would be Elijah Craig.

thanks & have a happy 4th holiday, & remember those who made that possible.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Earlier tonight it was Chili Verde & Dos Equis Lager with a Stetson One-hundred NOR, now home enjoying more Del Maguey Vida Mezcal.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

I treated myself to a Sculpin Ballast Point after yard chores late afternoon.

Tonight I sipped Macallen 12 while entertaining guests. First guests since a year ago March. Fun!

My 7X OR was a party hit. All of our guests know about my hats. Lots of compliments on my "cowboy hat." I was flattered and a bit embarrassed.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[The Shoe]

Cheap South African Cabernet Sauvignon from a box. Not a terrible quaffer. My barbecue hat is an Akubra Cattleman. The wine was just ok, but the food was spectacular.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Working at my brother's house for 4 hours we dropped 3 trees and ran the smaller limbs through a rented chipper. The cut wood we rolled up on a trailer. We were too tired to unload the cut tree. It will wait til next weekend to unload and split. Hat content - no brimmed hats worn. I sweated through my "ball cap" in the morning/afternoon efforts. I included a collage pic of one of the trees.

Back home after some quick chores I finished a couple big mugs of ice water. A palm leaf Sunbody 3" brim was a relief to wear.

After a shower I opened a beer on the way down to the dock. I intend to sit and dangle my toes in the water. A first world respite. A Deschutes Freshly Squeezed IPA is my afternoon treat. I selected a vintage Adam Milan hat for this moment of peacefulness.

Happy Four of July American forum members. I do remember and offer tribute to my family that served / continue to serve and appreciate all offer praise to the multitudes of other Americans that make this Holiday possible.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[dh66]

Red, white, & blue to celebrate the red, white, & blue yesterday...Adam straw topped off the fun

 

[RBH]

PBR and a straw hat.....classic!!!!