Part One, the Spirits
At last, it's 6:30 am pst, and it's time to imbibe.
Alcohol flavor is always inspiried by mood, so, depending on the mood of any given situation, only certain adult beverages will go better with that situation then others. For example, when I sit down to peruse through the chronicles of human thought here on the Raven, it's probably best for me to grab my Kilnq lead crystal 10 oz. old fashioned sipper, drop three chuncks of cold chopped iced into the glass and dress the ice with a bit of McLain & Kyne's Jefferson Reserve Bourbon.
It helps me to remember our Founding Fathers used to discuss very similar topics in their day, often with a beverage in their hand. I think of the Federalist Papers and the disagreements that Tom and John discussed in what could very well be compared to the "Message Forum" of their day. At a smidge over 90 proof, the bite of the caramel oaky vanilla nectar also helps to temper my spirit when the conversations here go awry.
Always a good choice.
Then of course, there is my most favorite all-purpose alcohol of all, the one I was introduced to, Vodka. This distilled spirit is perhaps the purest of all forms of alcohol and can be used for a variety of occasions from mixing with a summery juice to shooting in a bar in Nepal. I like potato vodka myself (See Chopin), especially for most mixings, but if I am going to serve up a James Bond special, it has to be Jean Marc XO. Nothing is smoother, perfect for a bone-dry martini.
roundshort has suggested a nice Mescal, and there are some, but unless it is derived straight from the blue agave, I typically pass. There has been a recent surge in the Tequila market as of late. Lately there are more "varietals" of blue agave out there than can be found on a French countryside. It's trendy, but that is okay. My prefered blue agave spirit is Tenoch; a most excellent shooter, though it should be more cultured neat, with a nice Hoya de Monterrey Excalibur cigar.
These review have been evolved from a long history I have with liquid libations. For several years I ruled the 3 foot piece of oak that separates the men from the boys, and during that time, I tasted, consumed, studied and served the finest spirits the world has to offer. I have seduced my tongue with Johnny Walker Blue, tickled it with a sip of Louis XIV cognac, and celebrated life with a 115 year old scotch. (a memory I would rather not have: the girl I was dating at the time was close friends with the City's DA, and now that that relationship has gone bad, I have to pray I never get brought up on charges, because
he will remember I drank his spirits.)
Perhaps there will be more stories of the affair I have had with the mistress above, but I think it will be best to leave this now, and prepare for a nice description of the beers I endorse, coming in Part Two.
