Are you finally going to make that trip to Scotland to tour distilleries? Or perhaps tour Kentucky bourbon distilleries? Maybe you’re going to finally open that special bottle of whisky you’ve been letting collect dust on your shelf. Or maybe you vowed to get a bottle from every Islay distillery to drink.
Maybe it’s to drink more whisky. (Or less.) Or cook more with whisky.
What’s your whisky New Year’s resolution for 2009? Do you have one you would like to share?
To continue to fight my way through that Highland Park 25 I opened recently.
That’s one resolution I think I can keep.
Happy New Year to you John, and to everyone else here.
I will try to not buy that much bottles. i will try to not open more bottles until i made more bottle kills.
and yes, that aint gonna happen.. i know that already.- with other words.. 2009 will be a great whisky year aswell
happy new year
I’m going to keep proselytising for Irish whiskey, John. That means writing about it and talking about it even more than I do already.
I’m also going to try to break the back of a book on the subject, should the day job permit.
There are also moves to create an indigenous whiskey club in Dublin, so I suspect I might try to get involved with that in some way too.
But my main resolution, in these recession times, is to buy a little less whiskey and be a little more selective in what I do buy.
There are some very desirable and rare Irish whiskeys out there that have yet to tickle my palate, and even if I only manage to sample a short of each, it’s my intention to taste drams like Dungourney, Willie Napier, Coleraine (the original, not the Bushmills knock-off) and the Dublin-era Red Breast this coming year.
My whiskey resolution is to keep learning about the history of whiskey making, particularly bourbon.
I have an entire shelf of whiskies that were mistakes, or that no longer appeal to me. Given the recession and the economy, my resolution is to drink these up to free up space for future purchases. A question for a possible future post; I know that people’s tastes change with wine, but do they with whisky as well?? I’d be curious to hear some responses to that.
Cheers and Happy New Year to everyone!!!
I am going to make the same resolution I made last year: control the number of open bottles I have on hand.
This year I mean it!!
I resolve to:
1) Organize and display my collection (It’s been sitting in boxes too long).
2) Start drinking those whiskies I know I don’t want to hold on to.
3) Make another trip to Islay and if possible Orkney!
4) Start my own blog… Jim Murray lookout.
Andrew
All good resolutions, guys. I like the idea of controlling the open bottles. But I also like the idea of opening up bottles that have been waiting to be opened. So, the solution so far: drink more whisky (or share them with like-minded individuals).
Somewhat whisky related, but I need to talk to Raymond Davidson about getting a case or two of Glencairn glasses. The Libby brandy snifters are nice but can get a little boring after a while.
Yes, I have a New Years Resolution for whisky, and that is this: When a whisky piques my interest, I will push other financial things aside, come up with the money, and buy it.
Ten years ago, when I was first seriously exploring single malts, I was curious about Royal Lochnagar Special Reserve. Excellent reviews and a cool antiquarian label. I did not buy it at the time because it was retailing for around $100 at a time when $40 was high for good single malt.
Now that I am able to indulge whisky exploration again after a drought of many years, I have sought this whisky out again – only to discover that it is pretty much unavailable in the US now, and the shops that sell it online in the UK are selling it for something like GBP 230….as close to $500 as makes no difference!
Moral: If you see something you want to explore, and you can spend the money without being irresponsible, buy it. Might be your last chance.
Probably not buy any more single malts-have so many,not sure i’ll be able to ever drink them all….WILL buy american ryes and bourbons that strike my fancy…
Michael, I had a very similar experience. During one of my first visits to Scotland (and before Malt Advocate magazine) my wife and I were in Oban at the cheese shop there. And on display was a bottle of Bowmore Bicentenary for 80 pounds. I already purchased some whisky on the trip and pretty much spent my budget for whisky. My wife gave me the “you spent enough money on whisky already” look, so I sadly did not buy it.
Now, looking back, I really wish I had purchased it. It’s fetching a lot more at auction–more than I am willing to spend. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was a great trip and I purchased many cool whiskies–but the Bowmore is still on my mind.
The good news is that I did have the wisdom (luck?) to buy a bottle of Royal Lochnagar Special Reserve when it was still on the market and at a reasonable price, and I am still waiting for the right moment to drink it. Maybe my birthday in June?
Before the spring, I plan to have a whiskey tasting at my house. I’ve been talking about it for years, but his year I have to do it. So many of my friends come over and love to see me like a medival alchemyst pouring shot glasses of what is almost a magical elixir. I have about a dozen friends that are constantly podding me (I’m the only one wise enough to invest in the product in quantity).
Can you imagine the tasting that John could host at his abode? (of course there is the Whiskey Fest).
Definately open the Royal Lochnagar – Of course, with no age statement its hard to know what is actually in it but every bottle I have tasted has been excellent!
My resolution along with my friend Bill is to open and drink the bottles we acquire and share with friends!
Each year I host a pot luck single malt tasting between Christmas and New Years – The rule is that you bring one or two single malts and a side dish – I supply the gumbo and the option to drink any open bottle in my collection.
This year we had about 30 people – mostly regulars from the Dundee Dell – bring exceptional whiskies – 68 Glenfarclas, 30 YO Tomatin and Glenrothes, loads of SMWS bottlings, PC-5, Ardbegs galore –
Anyway, I would suggest as a New Years resolution everyone open up and share!
Barry Jay: Yes, I think it will have to be WhiskyFest. I don’t think my house isn’t big enough for everyone here.
BJ: “Open up and share!” Perhaps the best advice anyone could give.
I think my resolution would simply be to try more whiskies. There are so many out there and it can become easy to stick to the few you know and like.