Hats and Drinks - A Match Made in Heaven

[Fourman110]

Through an odd set of circumstances my bride and I ended at a higher end Mexican restaurant where she tried a froo-froo drink with Mezcal. Admittedly, it's been a long time since I've last had it and my tastes have changed significantly since then, but man o man a chivis, I've been missing out. We picked up a bottle of Ilegal Joven....very nice.


I've seen a number of posts on this forum with this smokey potion. Any suggestions for a moderately priced bottle (say $25-$40)?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Through an odd set of circumstances my bride and I ended at a higher end Mexican restaurant where she tried a froo-froo drink with Mezcal. Admittedly, it's been a long time since I've last had it and my tastes have changed significantly since then, but man o man a chivis, I've been missing out. We picked up a bottle of Ilegal Joven....very nice.


I've seen a number of posts on this forum with this smokey potion. Any suggestions for a moderately priced bottle (say $25-$40)?

I never got back to it after one bottle of Del Maguey but here are the Mezcals I had on my short list along with retail pricing at that time. My list was put together from ratings on drinking them neat. Your list may vary.

Mezcal Vego Ensamble Jarquin ($70)
Mezcal Vego Ensamble En Baro 7 ($75)
Alipus San Luis Mezcal ($45)
Alipus San Andes Mezcal ($48)
Alipus San Juan Mezcal ($48)
Sombra Mezcal Joven ($35)
Casamigos Mezcal ($61)

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Yesterday was National Beer Day. Appropriately I imbibed a Founders Porter and later a Summit Brewing Hazy IPA. When my wife got home we watched the light snow fall while sipping a small bit of Red Breast whiskey. Red Breast was one of my first whiskeys and it remains a favorite.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

NBD yesterday evening.

Don't know if I could still book this close or not.

 

[The Shoe]

Celebrating 25 years of marriage with…
beer

A Hotate Belt Hazy IPA for Etsuko and a Lush IPA for me.

Wearing my Hornskov Mogul.

 

[The Shoe]

Etsuko wore her Akubra Leisure Time.

We followed up with a Czech style Pilsner with German hops…

I’d be hard pressed to explain the character the German hops give to the beer, but it tasted pretty good.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Celebrating 25 years of marriage with…
beer
View attachment 417411
A Hotate Belt Hazy IPA for Etsuko and a Lush IPA for me. View attachment 417412
Wearing my Hornskov Mogul. View attachment 417414 View attachment 417415 View attachment 417416 View attachment 417417 View attachment 417419

Congratulations on the 25 yrs!

I really like the Valle Sagrado pint glass. It would be a good one in a collection. Great pics & I enjoy looking at the product placement, etc in the background.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Recently added to my Whiskey glass collection is a pair of fluted glasses from Bourbon Supreme Rare Old Whiskey. On the opposite side of ea glass it identifies The American Distilling Co which was in Pekin, IL. In 1954 the distillery had a massive explosion & stood in ruins for many yrs, before being rebuilt & having several owners since. It is owned by Jack Daniel's Distillery today. The point being The American Distilling Co has not existed since 1954.

 

[The Shoe]

Congratulations on the 25 yrs!

I really like the Valle Sagrado pint glass. It would be a good one in a collection. Great pics & I enjoy looking at the product placement, etc in the background.

Thanks HJ.
This place really has a remarkable selection of beer…

But the prices are really over the top. I don’t think I’ll ever pay ¥2400 ($US20) for a can of beer. The tap beers were within our price range (just) for a special occasion.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

This place really has a remarkable selection of beer…

It would be interesting to know what the ABV is on some of those @ $20. Could that be some of the justification for the price? Microbrews >12% ABV here in the US can run >$12.

 

[Scooterz]

NBD yesterday evening.

View attachment 417398

View attachment 417397


View attachment 417399

Don't know if I could still book this close or not.

View attachment 417396

Once I go over the lack of smoke and peat I had expected from an Islay, I have grown to really enjoy the Classic Laddie.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Once I go over the lack of smoke and peat I had expected from an Islay, I have grown to really enjoy the Classic Laddie.

Good @ 100 proof! I like a little high octane burn.

 

[Scooterz]

Well I spent the week in Asheville, NC and fell off the beer wagon trying several local beers. Liked them all. The ones I can remember are

Highland Brewing Gaelic Ale. A red ale.
Hi-Wire Brewing Bed of Nails. An english brown ale.
Wicked Weed Pernicous. An IPA that seems like a west coast style.
My favorite was Boojum's Blueberry Coffee Porter. I may find myself hunting for those last two locally but not sure if I will have any luck.

Tonight is Rouge Dead Guy Ale with my Gannon.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Stetson Royal Playboy

I think I'll just stay here & drink.

 

[Blare]

Founders Breakfast Stout and FitzGerald Boston Special

 

[The Shoe]

It would be interesting to know what the ABV is on some of those @ $20. Could that be some of the justification for the price? Microbrews >12% ABV here in the US can run >$12.

There was a wide range, some well over 12% but some well under. I guess it’s import fees. Although they ship all over Japan, I’d say he’s importing relatively small quantities from all over the world..

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Saturday evening I enjoyed a Omni Hazy IPA.

Later I sat and did some reading while opening and sipping a new bottle of Dalmore.

Sunday, after work, I sipped a Surley IPA.

Mid afternoon I headed over to Ace Spirits.

The below collage only showcases some of the whiskey selection they have. Fun to browse and see the stock they carry. The younger salesman said that they frequently buy small overruns or return stock from other liquor stores. The new owner, around a year, is more devoted to the unique and large variety in whiskeys. We discussed how Minnesota laws are very restrictive in regards to shipping. He said that they were investagating holding inventory in the District of Columbia as shipping restrictions are nearly zero. Good to now about the state of whiskey sales in my state.

I picked up 2 separate boxes of whiskey. Replacements of Laphroig Quarter Cask, Hibiki, Arberlour Cask Annum and Wee Beastie were out in the car and I remembered to grab a phone shot. The second box had 2 Ardberg 10's, 2 Ardbeg Urgadall, a Glenlivet Caribbean and a couple cartons of Surley beer. I had paid in advance for some and shopped others yesterday. It is a lot, but I do not seem to make time to get around to visiting this liquor store.

Last night my brother-in-law, neighbor and family sampled the rest of my opened Wee Beastie.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Hurricane Jack]

With this view I could sit & drink Laphroaig all afternoon.

 

[crawlinkingsnake]

Yesterday was National Beer Day. Appropriately I imbibed a Founders Porter and later a Summit Brewing Hazy IPA. When my wife got home we watched the light snow fall while sipping a small bit of Red Breast whiskey. Red Breast was one of my first whiskeys and it remains a favorite.

Cheers, Eric -

Hmmmmm yes! Red Breast great choice and you've reminded me, my home supple has run out. Time to head out for more.

 

[The Shoe]

I’m a day or two behind, but here we go.
On the second day of our celebrations, we went to a jazz bar. We went to the same bar several years ago and really enjoyed it, so were pleased it was still operating despite the Covid which has been a real killer for the hospitality industry.
Their selection of whiskies was extensive - the best I’ve seen - and the owner/bartender’s knowledge was impressive.
A great selection of Ardbegs, for example (We didn’t try any of them).

We started with Bottler’s single cask Kilchoman. I had the bourbon cask. Not confident of my memory here, but I think the bourbon cask was around 60% and the sherry 58ish.

Everything you’d expect from an Islay, but with the added punch of the cask strength. They were certainly noticeably different from each other, but two or three days on, I’d be hard pressed to explain that difference.
When the bartender heard my distant Glen Moray connections, he brought out his bottler’s cask strength ones.

When I asked him the price of the 1989, he said “this one’s on the house“ and poured us a glass for our anniversary.

This was, surprisingly the highlight for me (though Etsuko’s vote went to the Kilchoman). The fruit (peaches & apricots?) hit right up front before the punch of the cask strength (again around 58%, I believe) came through.

We finished the evening with a couple of oddities, me a cask strength bottle from Caol Ila by way of Singapore (at a measly 50.8%)…

…and Etsuko, a North Star cask strength from an undisclosed Islay distillery (that the bartender suspects is Laphroaig).

All in all, an excellent evening’s entertainment. We went back to the hotel feeling great!