So, what are YOU drinking tonight???

[..]

I racked my brain (didn't take long) and came to realize that the bar wench was telling me about another bar in Clayton, Fortify Kitchen and Bar, as I was sending myself the reminder to look up the drink.

That's my story and I'ma sticking to it.

http://www.fortifyclayton.com/fortifymain/

[..]

Helluva night last Friday.

Went to a friends house for a whisky/whiskey/bourbon night.

8 of us ranging in age from 45 to 78.

Highlights

Talisker 18 year
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/talisker/talisker-18-year-old-whiskies/

Lagavulin 16 Year
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/lagavulin/lagavulin-16-year-old-whisky/

Shackelton
https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/feature/shackleton/index.html

Royal Brackla
https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/royal-brackla/royal-brackla-12-year-old-whisky/

Balvenie 16 year
https://www.whisky.com/whisky-database/details/balvenie-triple-cask-1.html

One Sea
https://thewhiskeyjug.com/bourbon-whiskey/jeffersons-ocean-aged-sea-review/

I took a bottle of Zac Brown Gin but we didn't get to the gins.   Left it there for another time.

https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/go/zac-brown-distillery-open-lumpkin-county/

Distillery didn't last long.
C'mon Lottery it's a business just waiting for a new owner.

https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/zac-brown-distillery-lumpkin-county-shutting-down/

Hic, I stayed the night.

Others Lyfted/Uberd or walked.

[Jess from VA]

Nothing like an adult whiskey slumber party.   

(Brings back memories from college where I occasionally woke up wondering where the hell I was this time) (Hey, who threw up in the bathtub?  That was you dude. Oh, sorry.)

[carolinarider09]

It was Saturday night so I have a couple of glasses of 12 year old Glenfiddich.

Many, many years ago I was in college and a local store would sell us students a bottle or two of liquor.

Anyway, we were talking about scotch and he told me the reason it had the color it had was because it was aged in charred oak barrels.  (he said white oak but....).  He said the barrels were turned to ensure the color and taste.  I thought that was a very interesting bit of knowledge (since I remember the conversation some 50 years later).

Fast forward to my Kentucky Bourbon road trip last year.  Visited several distilleries and found out the oak for the barrels was produced locally and they only used the barrels once.  After that usage, the barrels were disassembled and then sent off to various places.  Guess what one of those places are, Scotch distilleries. 

Which is way I have a couple of glasses of Makers Mark during the week and on Saturdays, i take the next step with Scotch. 

[Chrisj CMA]

A couple Sam Adams winter ale in the authorized Sam Adams glass. Makes me happy

[Kidd]

Red  blend wine

[Chrisj CMA]

Red  blend wine

Ripple?

[Kidd]

Red  blend wine

Ripple?

lol , no , smooth red blend , that is what's on the label
Like one of these
https://www.totalwine.com/shop/smooth-red-wine

[Chrisj CMA]

Red  blend wine

Ripple?

lol , no , smooth red blend , that is what's on the label
Like one of these
https://www.totalwine.com/shop/smooth-red-wine

Just pulling yer chain

[pais]

   Rough day at work today. This 56yo body is feeling it. I am sitting here enjoying a Tanqueray and cherry 7-Up. Watching the wife and daughter decorate the tree.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Vodka and coke zero here. Hoping it will dull the excitement of this shingles outbreak on my face and head. 

[..]

Vodka and coke zero here. Hoping it will dull the excitement of this shingles outbreak on my face and head. 

[Jess from VA]

Vodka and coke zero here. Hoping it will dull the excitement of this shingles outbreak on my face and head. 

Oh man, what a present.   

Be careful of the eye Mike. 

[gordonv]

Hoping it will dull the excitement of this shingles outbreak on my face and head.

I didn't catch that until the 2nd reply, shingles.

http://www.drmirkin.com/morehealth/g164.html

What treatment are you taking? Might want to read this. The pain can be permanent.

[baird4444]

https://redneckriviera.com/whiskey/

I tried a bottle last week and thought it was perty smooth. will try
another tomorrow to confirm.....
          - Mike

[Serk]

Slumming it with some Wild Turkey 101...

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Hoping it will dull the excitement of this shingles outbreak on my face and head.

I didn't catch that until the 2nd reply, shingles.

http://www.drmirkin.com/morehealth/g164.html

What treatment are you taking? Might want to read this. The pain can be permanent.

Luckily I went to a doc pretty quickly. Thought I had been bitten by a brown recluse and didn't want to wind up with a big hole in my face. The doc put me on an antiviral drug (valacyclovir) and a 6 day steroid pack which he said was my best chance to avoid long term complications. The pain has decreased since then and the eye seems way better. Haven't had any new blisters form and the ones that were forming seem to have been stopped from progressing. My ear & balance were involved too which has stopped me from even getting out for a short ride while I'm off work. I'm waist deep in helping orchestrate an 8 million dollar expansion at work (mainly the electrical side of it) and really didn't want to be off work but I don't see much choice.

Was pretty intense pain for a while, the worst was feeling as if I had bare nerves hanging down from my upper teeth that were getting cold air blown across them. Might have kicked my ass if I hadn't spent years dealing with a back injury. The back thing can really put pain in perspective. Thankfully the back thing seems to be behind me now, (no pun intended) mainly due to not taking Glimepiride for my sugar now and working on my core at the gym. Anyone with diabetes who takes Glimepiride and has muscle/skeletal pain might want to stop it for a few days and see if that pain improves. Made a huge difference for me.

Vodka and coke are way safer than pain meds I think and more fun too. 

[..]

Slumming it with some Wild Turkey 101...

That rocket fuel knocks me down.

[Jess from VA]

Slumming it with some Wild Turkey 101...

That rocket fuel knocks me down.

Me too.  I burn brightly for a short period, then need a nap for a long period. 

[GARY G]

Just wondered what the various tastes are in our varied group?
From your favorite beer to whatever....what's your flavor?

Will start it off.
Later on tonight I am thinking some Atlantico rum. Rocks glass with about three cubes in the bottom of it and just enough  Atlantico to cover the ice. Great sipping rum!

Sourced form the Dominican Republic (one of my favorite places for molasses based rum) this rum is a blend that goes through at least 3 barreling and aging periods. First they select small batch aged rums and blend them. Second step is to put them in casks (am thinking bourbon casks) for a unspecified period to marry and mellow. Third and final step is to place them in yet another set of barrels in a Solera system to age for upwards of 15 to 25 years.

PAPA you need to got some  help like  AA

[Kidd]

Red  blend wine

Ripple?

lol , no , smooth red blend , that is what's on the label
Like one of these
https://www.totalwine.com/shop/smooth-red-wine





Just pulling yer chain

I did not take you serious  , though it may of seemed like it

Back in the day , boones farm wine , I believe it's still around

[RP#62]

Taylor Fladgate 20 Year Old Tawny Port.   I treat myself for Christmas.

-RP

[Serk]

Just a reminder, while we all go to the Total Wines, Specs, Goody Goody and other big guys, check out the small hole in the wall independent mom and pop places too from time to time. Not only do we go to the big places, everyone goes to the big places. Often times treasures slip through the cracks and languish on the shelves of the little places.

The weather was too nice to own a motorcycle and not ride it today, so I was out riding around, no destination in mind, started to pass a small hole in the wall place I've passed a thousand times before and decided to go check the place out.

Behind the registers, half hidden behind a stack of empty boxes I saw this.... I asked 'em to move the boxes so I could see the price. $119.99

Quick googling to make sure I wasn't mistaken on the price of that bottle and needless to say, it followed me home.

Woot!

[Serk]

Tonight's pour is Kavalan Vinho Barrique.....

Wow, just..... wow..... So rich, so many layers.... chocolates, coffee, salted caramel, every sip reveals new flavors.....

Even beyond my love of the underdog that comes out on top. This whisky was entered into a blind tasting contest in Scotland on Burns night, and beat out many of the world's best scotches.

It's from Taiwan.

And voted by many as the best whisky currently available...

"Best" is a high hurdle, but it's definitely in my top 3, and I've had some good drams... Thumbs up, if you get a chance, give it a whirl, but be prepared for sticker shock, IF you can find it...

(IF I bring a bottle to Taos, would there be any interest in at least a few folks sitting down for a nice tasting?)

[..]

Tonight's pour is Kavalan Vinho Barrique.....

Wow, just..... wow..... So rich, so many layers.... chocolates, coffee, salted caramel, every sip reveals new flavors.....

Even beyond my love of the underdog that comes out on top. This whisky was entered into a blind tasting contest in Scotland on Burns night, and beat out many of the world's best scotches.

It's from Taiwan.

And voted by many as the best whisky currently available...

"Best" is a high hurdle, but it's definitely in my top 3, and I've had some good drams... Thumbs up, if you get a chance, give it a whirl, but be prepared for sticker shock, IF you can find it...

(IF I bring a bottle to Taos, would there be any interest in at least a few folks sitting down for a nice tasting?)

I think you might get a few takers

[Jess from VA]

For $225 we could get 2 1/4 lbs of Mexican; admittedly probably before you were born.   

[Serk]

I think you might get a few takers

Heh, you and me only maybe...

I brought a bottle of Highland Park Valkyrie single malt scotch to Roanoke, and brought it home with me unopened, couldn't get anyone to share it with...

I mean..... single malt scotch.... named Valkyrie..... and I still couldn't find anyone to share it with... 

[Pappy!]

Atlantico Dark rum....on the rocks. Nice stuff!!

[..]

I think you might get a few takers

Heh, you and me only maybe...

I brought a bottle of Highland Park Valkyrie single malt scotch to Roanoke, and brought it home with me unopened, couldn't get anyone to share it with...

I mean..... single malt scotch.... named Valkyrie..... and I still couldn't find anyone to share it with... 

I sit stunned.

[Serk]

Wow.....

Just for comparison, I poured a dram of 2 Gingers Irish Whiskey after the Kavalan...

The 2 Gingers is nice, pleasant.... not bad.... but.... it's like comparing a dumb but pretty blonde to the Mona Lisa.....

Yeah, that Kavalan is incredible.....

Even if it's just me and Britman, I might pick up another bottle to bring with me to share in Taos

For $225 we could get 2 1/4 lbs of Mexican; admittedly probably before you were born.   

Something changed in my from my 20's until my 40's..... I went through a LOT of good smoke in my 20's..... Now, it just makes me nauseous and gives me a headache...

For those that enjoy it it should be available and I'll fight to make that reality everywhere, but not for me, I'd rather have good whisky personally...

(Although these days $225 would get you MAYBE an ounce..... Maybe...)

[Jess from VA]

It wasn't really a preference thing, just a cost comparison.

That Mexican (back in the day) wasn't that good. 

That's why guys bought a pound.   

[DirtyDan]

Bring some to Taos I will be ..... stocked

Dan

[Serk]

Atlantico Dark rum....on the rocks. Nice stuff!!

With a name like Pappy, you mean your daily dram isn't Pappy Van Winkle? 

[Pappy!]

I do like my high end rums! Whisky too though.......

[Serk]

Excellent taste! The Old Grand-Dad bottled in bond has been one of my current favorites as well...

Yesterday we had one of those incredible weather days where you've just gotta get outside, so I had some lovely Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old paired with a Rocky Patel Vintage 2006...



Tonight I will be having pickle juice and water, as I enjoyed the Balvenie a bit too much last night. 

[Jess from VA]

pickle juice and water

I thought I had heard of all the hangover remedies, but that's a new one.

That sounds more like the stuff you drink to throw up right away... before the hangover.   

Like the poor man's Ipecac. 

[..]

Miller Lite and Jose tequila at my local bar. Band playing some southern rock and  country.  Opened with a guitar solo Natinal Anthem . Everybody stood. Good to see.

[Serk]

pickle juice and water

I thought I had heard of all the hangover remedies, but that's a new one.

https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/pickle-juice-is-ultimate-hangover-cure

Pickle juice is great for hangovers, or when you're just hot and have been sweating a lot. Like Gatorade but IMHO even better and no sugar (And tastes WAY better!)

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/science-finally-helps-explain-legendary-pickle-juice-massacre-dallas

It also is the only thing that will ALWAYS shut down a case of the hiccups (For me and several other people I've told this to at least)... Seriously, if you've got a bad case of the hiccups, just go take a sip of pickle juice, a really bad case might require a second sip, and they stop.

We're to the point I buy the big gallon jars of pickles mainly for the juice. (You can buy pickle juice by itself but it's generally more cost effective to buy a big jar of pickles instead.)

[The emperor has no clothes]

pickle juice and water

I thought I had heard of all the hangover remedies, but that's a new one.

https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/pickle-juice-is-ultimate-hangover-cure

Pickle juice is great for hangovers, or when you're just hot and have been sweating a lot. Like Gatorade but IMHO even better and no sugar (And tastes WAY better!)

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/science-finally-helps-explain-legendary-pickle-juice-massacre-dallas

It also is the only thing that will ALWAYS shut down a case of the hiccups (For me and several other people I've told this to at least)... Seriously, if you've got a bad case of the hiccups, just go take a sip of pickle juice, a really bad case might require a second sip, and they stop.

We're to the point I buy the big gallon jars of pickles mainly for the juice. (You can buy pickle juice by itself but it's generally more cost effective to buy a big jar of pickles instead.)

Always worked for Otis 

[scooperhsd]

I've pretty much given up drinking to get drunk - I will rarely have one or two before / with dinner.