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Hats and Drinks - A Match Made in Heaven

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18,209
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.

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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.

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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.

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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

Call Me a Cab
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2,179
Location
Wakayama, Japan
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.
 
Messages
18,209
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.
 

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,179
Location
Wakayama, Japan
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!
 
Messages
18,209
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

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,179
Location
Wakayama, Japan
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.
 
Messages
18,209
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.
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
Home yesterday afternoon I celebrated a long week with a beer from the back of the beer refrigerator.

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

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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.

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

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

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

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Cheers, Eric -
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
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.


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

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
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.
 

Short Balding Guy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,871
Location
Minnesota, USA
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.

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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.

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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.

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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 -
 
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