Come to the bar, get advice on whiskey. Helpful stuff. Just popping by for a moment, I won't need a drink. Did plenty of that with the sisters-in-law this weekend! They made a short visit up to see the wife, and when the three of them get together for any time at all, things get wild. We smoked up all our weed and drank all our stockpiled liquor, including some delicious Chattanooga whiskey I'd been saving for just such an occasion. I've had the reserve and the cask, and like the reserve more - though it qualifies as "cheap" in jF's rubric, it's tasty neat (the only way my wife drinks it) and cocktails well for people not so tough. I've had more than my share of deaths in the family these past few months, so we've been seeing a lot of my half of the tree. This is the first time I've seen the in-laws since about this time last year though - missed those ol' gals. As a point, I think I've avoided using our names because I didn't think people would care very much. Someone tell me if I should be scared of doxxing on this site, but I'm not. I'm Peter, wife's Shani, and below is a picture of us from a while back.
Not that I'm aware of. Site's so small we've got users who used there own names (mike, steve, elizabeth, etc.) Mine is my last name. Just realized PTR could be "Peter" when you say the letters aloud. Naisu. Hey there Peter!Someone tell me if I should be scared of doxxing on this site, but I'm not.
Any interest in watches? I'll probably be driving through Freiburg on my way to baselworld the weekend of march 24th. Wouldn't mind some company
About once per week, maybe Sunday or Monday, something happens and I think "I should share that on pubski." Then Wednesday rolls around and I've forgotten what it was. I'm going to go get a cup of coffee. 🍵
Yep, looks like I used the tea emoji. On my Samsung it looks black, but Emojipedia shows it green, including for Samsung. Hmm. I didn't use the coffee emoji because my phone shows latte art. My coffee today definitely is not that fancy.
I know the feeling...something happens, but it's not Wednesday. It's not quite worthy of it's own post, but is kinda worthy of a record of experience that you might want a record of somewhere. A thing that can be done and has been done (by me at least), is that I share the thing in a pm to someone. Then I'd say, "Do you think I should share that on pubski?" They can write back or not. Doesn't matter. On Wednesday, cut and copy. Send it to me if you like. I might share more too if I did that sort of thang.
First, some levity in the form of owls. Owl cowl, and its big brother, the owl belly warmer. Happy with how these turned out ------------ Anyway, on to the bummer. One of my preschoolers' dad just died. She doesn't know yet. She's 3. He was 67. He is survived by his wife, 65, to whom he was married for one month, and with whom he raised a child for the past 6 months. They adopted her from an Ethiopian orphanage a little while back, and were shocked at the amount of work that goes into raising a child who doesn't speak english and has suffered various mental and physical traumas. Go figure. They're stupid hippies who got married with mood rings and I think I might have more contempt for them than just about anyone I have ever met. To bring a child halfway across the world into a home with people who don't speak your language (but insist that you love Bob Marley and P Funk) when you know goddamn well that it will be a miracle if both of you are alive when she's 20 is such an insanely short-sighted and, frankly, selfish act that I can barely begin to wrap my head around how they thought it might be a good, even virtuous thing to do. To adopt a child at age 67 when you have numerous pre-existing health conditions, no experience raising a child, and are living off of retirement savings is fucking insane, and every time I saw her father drop her off, I could see that realization dawning on him more and more. He has been in and out of the hospital for months, and the school's been watching her pro bono every day the past two weeks while he's been on life support. Her mom is a part time music teacher with no family to speak of, but at least she has a litany of like minded friends to help pick up the slack. I just can't deal with the fact that, probably within a decade or two, this girl is going to be an orphan twice over. I know that realistically the quality of life that she will likely have here is much better than it would have been as an orphan in Ethiopia, but this whole thing just feels... wrong. I can understand getting to your late 60s and wanting to give back, but this is not the fucking way. I pray that she doesn't end up in foster care, and that her mom stays alive until she's at least 18. She's the happiest kid I've ever met, and I'm gonna be a mess when I see her on monday. Also, I'm pretty content with the fact that none of these kids will remember me in a few years, but my heart is aching knowing that she's going to have basically no memories of the man who thought he could be her dad.
I got the internship!!!! Its a local natural gas company, Infinite Energy that's very into having a great culture and just seems like a really nice place to work. It was a quick process, applied a month ago, interviewed last Monday and found out earlier today. Its going to be my first job / internship ever and I'm super excited. Classes: Digital Logic is kicking my butt with the labs but is a fun time Computer Organization is just generally good, we're doing assembly language shenanigans and how cpu's work. Some days its the same topic as digital logic but from a different perspective which is kinda interesting The ethics class is a stickler and is giving me a 0 for an assignment 1 minute late which is fair but still disappointing Data Structures hasn't covered anything not already done better in discrete which is a shame but at least its not hard Scuba is both the coolest thing ever and incredibly horrifying when it comes to listing how exactly everything underwater will kill you. Personal Life: Meeting people is hard. I tried making a tinder profile using this romantic profile pic: Unsurprisingly it didn't work very well. On the other hand, Ive started playing Pandemic Legacy and Seafall which have been a blast and a half. Overall a pretty good week :)
Hey Pubs. Is it Friday yet? Oh. You sure? Well, ok then. Gimme a boilermaker. I'm on a mission. The shit is gonna hit the fan this week. Been trying to wave this flag furiously for a month now, and am getting NOTHING back from the people who should be really fired up about this project. The deadline is Friday. I expect sometime this afternoon or tomorrow someone in Leadership will figure that out, ask someone in Senior Management about it, who will ask my Manager, who will ask me. I'll point out I have done NOTHING on this project because I have not received ANY engagement from Leadership. Or Senior Management. Despite thrice-weekly requests, for a month. Shit: Meet Fan. It will then fall to me to do all the work to slap something together and get it submitted in time. And people will wonder why we didn't get the job with one of the two largest airplane manufacturers in the world. And I will shake my head. Whoops! My boilermaker is gone. Slide another down here, and when it gets to 2 inches, line up another.
A good paper trail but also a good relationship with the company. The kind of outcome I'd want is for the company to evaluate what went wrong. Why did management not engage? Does the wrong corporate structure exist? Showing it wasn't one individuals fault is useful in the short term to that individual, but fixing the company is necessary long term.
I made a nice salad for dinner last night with gochujang dressing. I found a copy of The Lord of the Rings that includes a bunch of footnotes that were found in Tolkein's drafts and it's been a pleasure to read so far. I've only ever actually read LOTR all the way through once back in high school. Re-approaching it as an adult makes me almost want to weep with the beauty of it. I finished Leviathan Wakes last week and was severely underwhelmed. I am hesitant to get into book two in the series because it just sits dry on my literary palate. And for more fantasy, I've started the Temeraire series (Napoleon versus the Brits plus dragons) and have really enjoyed it so far. It scratches the same kind of itch as the Inheritance series by Paolini. I loved dragons as a kid, they featured heavily in my make-believe games, and this is a really lovely mix of fantasy, steampunk and stiff-upper-lipped british officers. Makes me want to grow a mustache and wear a monocle. In a few hours I'm gonna go home, do yoga and finish my taxes.
Your continued unconditional support for people on Hubski is encouraging and heartwarming. Thank you.
I’m in a cold and largely empty apartment. It’s getting fuller by the day, so it’s already starting to feel like the home I hoped for. The shower is fucking awesome. Still more stuff to take care of, more stuph to buy. Not that I’m complaining, but it does mean I’m not here as often as I’d like. :)
Nah, it's a rental. Housing market is bonkers right now, and I can (theoretically) get a mortgage that's 40% higher if I wait a year or two. It does not make me feel much different towards it. The only bummer is that the money I throw at it goes to some German holding company and not future-me.
Glad you've found yours, even if a rental. I'm still hanging on the old one. I have zero science on money and savings, but I figure a living space is worth the money if it's quality/cost ratio is good and you find it comfortable.
Just wanted to share a bit of acquired wisdom and a few good wishes on living in one's own place. It's different from a place you rent, i.e. that is not yours but is temporarily acquired.
No whiskey for me for at least a month I'm told and no more snowboarding this season which has me less bummed out than I thought it would. I think it's because while describing my history of concussions to my doctor he pointed out that my first and second concussion happening within days of each other could have killed me. I already knew that because the rugby season after I finished a girl did die and they wrote articles showing the messages she sent her friend after the first one basically saying she thought she had a concussion but wasn't taking it too seriously. It was really creepy like when you read a book and really resonate with a character but in this case it was a dead girl. Anyways, I guess it was validating having the doctor say it. Either way, I'm bummed I can't do some things but I know I'll find something else like I always do and I'm okay with that. I think a lot of the time we align who we are very closely with what we do so I might not have many long term activities to view as part of myself but I have constantly getting back up and I'm content with that. At the start of this season I knew what was holding me back was mental, now it's physical and that's okay. I can accept that and work with that, I've seen what happens to people when they forgo thinking about or getting excited for the future in any meaningful way because they assume it will just get derailed, I've also been that person and I'm happy to be at a point mentally where I'm not as afraid. On another note, I'm thinking of getting progressive lenses. Anybody else here have experience with a pair ? I'm assuming they're better than whipping out reading glasses or moving them up and down constantly.
Hoo, prepare for too much information :) So you have a couple different big categories, and then sub-types within that. For more on how whiskey is made and the types, see here. My personal preference is generally Kentucky bourbon, followed by Irish whiskey. I'm not typically a fan of Tennessee whiskey (with some exceptions) or Scotch. I prefer some combination of bite + sweet, and so tend to avoid the more peaty or smoky flavors common in Scotch. I also don't generally like rye, as they're too bitter for my taste. To my experience, there is a stronger correlation between price and quality with whiskey than with wine. But this isn't 100%; older (and thus more expensive) tends to be smoother, with a potentially more interesting flavor, but you may find you prefer a cheaper kind from one distillery versus something more expensive from another. Pricing is here in Virginia, but we can only get liquor by the bottle from state-run ABC stores (so YMMV). What I'm listing is for a 750mL bottle. That said, this is only true to a certain point, with many of the super-expensive ones not really worth it. There are also a couple different "standard" ways of drinking it. When I first started getting into whiskey, I'd drink it on the rocks (i.e. with ice), but now I prefer it neat (meaning with nothing added). That's sort of in keeping with my palette generally; I'm not a big condiment person, for example, as I want to taste what I'm eating. First, I'm not really willing to go lower than mid-range, which I consider around $40 per bottle. If I want to spend less, I'll buy something that isn't whiskey and mix it. But depending on your area, you may be able to find the same stuff for less. I'm also not going into detail about "tasting notes" or whatever, since I don't really have the vocabulary. I've linked to reviews wherever possible, but as with wine (or anything else you drink, really), it's going to require some experimentation to find what you like. Starting with the Irish, regular ol' Jameson is probably the cheapest thing I'll mention ($30), and is quite good. It's what got me into whiskey, and is a little lighter so is a good introduction. Eagle Rare 10-year, made by Buffalo Trace, is in the same price range and is also quite good, and would make an excellent starter bourbon given the taste-to-price ratio. Next is Makers 46. It's a variation on Makers Mark (and is made by the same company), whereby they take a fully aged barrel of Makers, add a different kind of wood, and then let it age a few more months. It sweetens it a tad, and adds a hint of vanilla. Regular Makers Mark is also good, and is a tad cheaper. (Here in VA, the 46 is around $40, and regular Makers is about $10 less). Also in this range would be Jameson Black Barrel ($40), which is regular Jameson that is then aged further in barrels that were formerly used for stout beer and sherry. At a similar price point ($45), Four Roses Single Barrel is excellent. Their Small Batch is also good (and is only $35), but I prefer the Single Barrel. Buffalo Trace is another great option for a similar price range. Elijah Craig's better stuff can be good (I liked their 12-year, but they've since replaced it with their Small Batch, which I haven't had). Going slightly higher in price point would be Jefferson's Reserve Very Old ($53). It's my new go-to for special occasions, and is for me the best bang for the buck. Next up would be Blanton's, which is starting to get pricey ($60). It is superb, however. Another Irish shows up here: Red Breast 12-year ($62), which is pretty different from the bourbons here (tending towards fruitier and with less bite), but is also very good. They have some other variations (15-year, 21-year, and cask strength) that are more expensive still, but which I haven't ever tried. Still more expensive is Jefferson Ocean. This is $80 for the regular stuff, $100 for cask strength. The conceit is that they literally put the whiskey barrels on a ship and sail that bitch around the world for a few months (the idea being different kinds of air and the rocking of the ship). Honestly, it's not worth it to me. It's definitely smoother than cheaper things, but it's almost getting too smooth for me, to the point that the flavor stops being interesting. I'd much rather have Blanton's or Red Breast at that point. Finally, there are a couple local ones that are worth checking out, although they may not yet be available outside Virginia. Reservoir is made here in Richmond, and is quite pricey ($85). It's tasty, and is slightly unusual in being made from 100% corn. Another is Ironclad, made in Newport News (right where the James River meets the Chesapeake Bay). They only sells theirs in 375mL bottles right now, which run $38 here. Supposedly being so close to the water makes a difference in the taste, but I've never tried. I have had Reservoir, which is quite good. You can have things like Johnny Walker Blue (which is Scotch) or Pappy Van Winkle that are a couple hundred bucks a bottle, too. I'm not willing to go that high for a drink, and to be honestly can't imagine that they're truly 4+ times better than something like Blanton's. I expect there's a (large) extent to which it's just about the prestige factor. Anyway, that is your TMI on whiskey.
One of my favorite things on Hubski is when an expert or enthusiast catches a casual question on a subject and just goes off :D
It hopefully goes without saying that I fall firmly and exclusively into the latter category :)
That is... impressive comprehension of whiskey. Sometimes, I wish I would drink just so I could become well-versed in alcohol. It seems to offer a breadth of experience to people who can appreciate it.
Do you not drink at all? Certainly goes against the stereotype :)
Don't measure me, or anyone, in stereotypes. It's dimunitive and disrespectful to the actual person on the other end. I'm sure you wouldn't be amused to be surprised at when it turns out you speak more than just your native "American". No, I don't drink. I knew from a young age that drugs, smoke or alcohol interest me none. An accidental straight-edge, if you will; a happy coincidence, since Ian McKay, a friend of Henry Rollins' — an icon of mine — made waves that started the straight edge movement. My parents must think me a freak, as they try to get me to drink a glass of something every holiday we spend together. That said, I have two exceptions. First is nootropics: I want to see what mind is capable of, given enhanced conditions. Second: if I ever get my hands on LSD without landing in jail, I'm taking that sucker. There's something about the idea of expanded consciousness that appeals to me. I'm a creative type, and stretching the limits of connections my brain can make appeals to me. I'd have to pick the moment to take it: I know that mood and the state of mind going in matter a lot in the outcome, and the downswing of my anxiety/depression/apathy would kill the opportunity and/or mess me up bad time — but I'm up for the experience.
I'm not sure why you took my statement seriously, as it was not intended as such.Don't measure me, or anyone, in stereotypes. It's dimunitive and disrespectful to the actual person on the other end. I'm sure you wouldn't be amused to be surprised at when it turns out you speak more than just your native "American".
Look. I'd like to think you're a splendid fellow, and you've given me no reason to think otherwise. I'd also like to think you mean no harm when you joke about the laughing stock that my people — and, by extension, me — have been reduced to. You do it in good jest, expecting your company to laugh about it with you. Here, you'd be about 99% correct in your assumption: those around you will laugh at the single-dimension image of a nation with grand history full of human virtue and human error. I won't. Why? Because my people are not a laughing stock. Because I am not a laughing stock. Because I hear the "drunk russhan" line of bullshit so much, it's sickening. I've become a punchline in the eyes of the whole world thanks to your government's propaganda efforts born out of fear and some serious discomfort over "them russhans'" nuclear arsenal. Because your people, in particular, tend to assume the same blissful ignorance as they connect with the world at large and pretend like their images of other nation are what those nations are, and I've seen that too many times to even crack a smile. Because when I tell people I don't drink, they look at me the same funny look and somethink you did: "You don't drink? Well, that does not comform with my stereotype of you" — and then the subtext kicks in: "There must be something wrong with you. No way my perceptions are false". Sure, you don't mean it. It doesn't matter: that's what you're saying anyway. It's woven into your worldview since the day you were born. And you, of all people? God damn.
Your comment is more than a little hypocritical. Saying stereotyping is bad when it's about you because of all the things "my people" (whoever they are) supposedly say and think is, to be generous, contradictory.
Don't give me a "supposedly" in a thread where my non-drinking doesn't conform with your single-line portrait of a Russian. Did you really consider it wise to jab a Russian with "wow, you don't drink, that's a new one"? And then you get surprised when I have something to say about your people (Americans. I'm talking about Americans). Then you see me spell out, in no uncertain terms, how sick and tired I am from that comparison because of how ill-conceived and thoughtlessly consumed it is — and you give me "no u". I've said it before, and I'll say it again, because it's important to reaffirm: I think you're a good person, and from what little I know about you, I have respect for you and your life achievements. Kung fu? Man. I respect a man who takes care of their body. I have nothing against you. I have everything against you shoving that intellectual garbage of a comparison into my face, hoping for me to chuckle back. That image that you've decided to measure me against? Even in a jokular fashion, it isn't simply low-class: it's mental rot that I'm too tired to witness, not simply because it's omnipresent in the Englishsphere, but also because of how lazy it is to consume and reproduce. You strike me as a person who also takes care of their mind. I expect better of you than to humor a Russian with a Russian stereotype. Imagine how fucking stupid it would look for me to go "Yoo kaen koong-foo? Yoo sey yoor not faet? Wot? Yoo know lo, too? Yoo sey yoor not stoopeed?!" (aside, of course, from the best rendition of the Russian accent I've ever seen).
I understand that people are sensitive to different things at different levels. So that this is a sore spot for you I get, and fair enough. I thought you knew me well enough to know that I don't take that kind of stereotyping seriously, and that I'm about as far from nationalistic as one can get. But again, I get that we all have stuff that gets under our skin, and I'm not saying you're wrong for not being amused even if my intentions weren't malevolent. Where you lose any semblance of moral high ground, though, is how you've handled it. You're assuming my motivations while also overgeneralizing about a country, at the same time that you're complaining about overgeneralizations. If you'd just said "hey, this is a sore spot for me, don't joke about it," I would've respected that. That's the grown-up way to deal with a difference in interpretations and/or sensitivities. But I don't respect a temper tantrum or a baseless assumption of bad faith.
Fair enough. I get that I've taken the issue too far, and I see now that I could have handled it differently, including giving you the benefit of the doubt. I apologize for taking the conversation into the territory of pure pathos. You may have noticed: I do that sometimes. Still learning to control all the repressed anger. I'm sorry that you had to experience an undeserved outburst. Thank you for being patient with me.
No worries, and as I said, we all have the stuff that bothers us. And part of any learning process involves missteps :) One of the things that I like about hubski as opposed to a larger community is that we get a chance to have conversations like this. It's precious rare these days.
I've always found that scotch has the largest variation in taste among any variety of whiskey I've delved into. To me, they range from sublime to don't-even-open-that-bottle-while-I'm-in-the-room, with the latter category being the on extreme peaty end of the spectrum. I've had Balvenie 15, but not 21. The 15 is damn good, so I would imagine that the 21 is, as well (although the 15 is aged in oak, so probably not quite the same flavor profile).
I generally don't like them particularly myself, but this one may be worth trying if I ever get the chance. I have had Aberlour, which was pretty tasty, and is about the only scotch I actually liked.
The best scotches I've had are as complex and intensely flavorful as a really good cognac. If you're ever in the mood to drop a few bucks on faith alone, the best liquor or any variety I've ever tasted is Mortlach 16. I have an inch left in a bottle at home that's been there a while, because I'm afraid to finish it. The worst scotches stick to your mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and you burp campfire for like two days. To me, this includes such famous ones as Lagavulin, Talisker, Laphroig, etc. People love them, but I just can't do it. The smoke/peat browbeating you with every sip is just something I can't bring myself to enjoy.
For the latter, yes, that sums it up pretty well. I looked up Mortlach, but unfortunately our ABC stores don't carry it. Also, we apparently have different definitions of "a few bucks" if online prices are to be believed :) (the first google result sells it for like $230 a bottle).
Holy hell. The price has gone up by $100 in the last few years. I was told at the time I bought my bottle that it's one of the whiskys that goes into the Johnnie Walker blends, and the Chinese demand for Johnnie Walker was what was making the price skyrocket (to $130 at that time). Apparently, that trend hasn't abated.
I'd say try it all different ways. The flavor is slightly different, which is the idea, and you may prefer one versus the other. Some water, whether it's a "splash" (and you can order it that way) or ice, will soften the flavor.
My wife and I scheduled our honeymoon around visiting Scottish distilleries and doing whisky tastings. I have an entire bar in my house dedicated to whisky in all its forms. (Bourbon, Single Malt Scotch, Blends, Rye, etc.) Start with Bourbon. It'll help you understand the different flavors you are looking for in a whisk(e)y, and is generally more pleasurable for the uneducated palate. Basil Hayden. Buffalo Trace. Makers 46. Try different things. Take notes. And go to a local whisk(e)y tasting. They are happening ALL THE TIME, because distilling has become huge recently. As you figure out the "color and shape" of the flavors you like, then I can provide more direction.
Buffalo Trace is what I typically recommend to people who want to try bourbon. Elijah Craig and Bulleit are also good (albeit a bit pricier). Four Roses is a blend of whiskeys and has some really complex flavors, if that's what you're after. I don't drink a lot of Irish whiskey but I have a bottle of Bushmills that is quite nice. (Don't ask me about scotch; it's incompatible with a grad student salary.)
Buffalo Trace is good, and I can second the recommendations for Maker's, Four Roses Single Barrel, and Bulleit. I'm partial to Maker's myself but mostly because I can get it at a good price. Make sure and try several if you can! I know the liquor store close to me sells half-fifths of several brands which is less of an investment for something you might not like.
Instead of going on a huge diatribe about whiskeys (which I am wont to do, but won't because of the wealth of information already on here), I'm just going to go ahead and say buy a fifth of 12 year Cardhu. It's a really easy drinking, middle of the road, inexpensive scotch. It's a really good entrance into the good whiskey (or whisky) sphere.
I can recommend many. The question is what you like and what you're willing to spend. It's also worth noting that the two brands you listed are bourbon, which is a particular, protected variety of whiskey. There's also Irish whiskey, Canadian whiskey, Tennessee whiskey (which is pretty much Jack Daniel's and also pretty much bourbon but since it isn't made in Kentucky it can't be), rye whiskey and, opening a can of worms, whisky (which is Scots for "whiskey" which the rest of us call scotch). Personally, I find Buffalo Trace to be chemical. Henry McKenna I haven't had.