What ideas have emerged to help you get through quarantineSZN? Besides virtual Catan, I've been trading some whiskey. I wish I had more people to do this with, but for now I only have the one friend in Maryland who shares the hobby.
It started when he acquired a bunch of mini (2oz) bottles and brought me four Bourbons. They were:
1792 Full Proof (125 proof)
Weller Special Reserve (90 proof)
Old Ezra 7 (117 proof)
Woodford Double Oaked (90.4 proof)
After trying a contactless drop off I made him come in briefly. This was a trade and he wasn't going to leave empty handed. I gave:
Yellow Spot 12 (92 proof) -> The next step up from Green Spot, Irish
Clynelish 14 (92 proof) -> A waxy Highland Scotch
Glendronach 15 (92 proof) -> A sherry-bomb Highland Scotch
Lagavulin 16 (86 proof) -> A rich and peaty Islay Scotch
The Yellow Spot and Glendronach both go for ~$100 and the other two ~$70-80 these days. I knew the prices didn't exactly match what I was receiving, but they're comparable bottles considering the different markets. The Weller, Ezra and 1792 Full Proof are all challenging bottles to find, with scarcity the name of the game in Bourbon, and I can't spend much time hunting. Of mine, only the Glendronach can be tough as a limited release.
After a few weeks, I've finally sampled the four Bourbons. The Old Ezra 7 had a nice high proof and good profile and I'd be interested in buying it if I saw it. The wheated Weller Special Reserve was fine, good even, but with an especially crazy market and super inflated prices it isn't worth the trouble. The Woodford Reserve Double Oaked went down really easy and can be found without issue. I'll think of it as a poor man's Blanton's. The 1792 Full Proof, however, rose above the rest. As I've said before, I'm a fan of high proof Bourbon so this isn't a shock. Surprisingly smooth, it barely burns in your throat and yet leaves a pleasant tingle in your mouth. Amazing and dangerous at its ABV.
Meanwhile I'd decided we should swap a whole bottle. I have more knowledge of Scotch and Irish whiskies and he American. I really don't know many Ryes. As the two of us continue to discuss whiskies we like, I've learned his soft spot for Port maturation. There's only one Scotch I know that does this (though I'm sure they're others) so I picked it up.
We met up again. I handed him a bottle of Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban. He handed me a bottle of Michter's Single Barrel Straight Rye. I've very happy with the trade. Apparently he loves the Scotch, and I got a bottle I otherwise never would've chosen.
We also swapped one more mini each. I gave Dalwhinnie Winter's Frost (GoT House Stark) and received A Midwinter's Night Dram. I had requested we try MWND, my friends favorite whiskey, the next time we actually get together but who knows when that'll be. It's straight rye, finished in Port barrels, and is a relatively premium, and highly sought, bottle from High West. It's about twice as expensive as the other whiskies I'd received and naturally I'm excited to try it sometime soon. Maybe write it up too?
Doing this works so well because I now have several empty mini bottles. We can keep swapping and trying new whiskies. For that I can thank the #VID.
Joe out.
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