I am, like, almost totally done with this holiday shopping business.
I wrapped and shipped gifts to all our family and faraway friends this weekend and then did a good amount of online shopping for Bubba and Jada (she likes to support the Wild Animal Sanctuary, don't you know) and then I rested with a cocktail to bask in the glow of my holiday accomplishments.
Except I could barely bask!
A crucial gift has not been purchased and its absence could disrupt the careful balance of our household.
Specifically, I went to the bar (the one in our house) for my gin for my cocktail for my basking - you remember - and LO - the bottle ran dry.
Seriously - I panicked a little bit. The 10 was now empty.
Thankfully I still had about a quarter bottle of Sapphire to tide me over. PHEW. But guess who did not have any booze over which to tide him? (I'm sure that didn't make sense. Not even grammatically.)
Bubba.
He has drunk himself straight outta bourbon. Woe his poor soul. No more Cocktail Time for Bubba until Christmas. er...Hanukkah...er...HanuMas.
Because, at our house, the holiday traditions are a little skewed and we swap out stocking standbys like oranges and coal for big glass bottles of our favorite moonshine and call it HanuMas. And you know that HanuMas is nearly here when - sonofabitch - the bar is empty.
For Bubba, it's bourbon or whiskey and for me it's gin. And I haven't yet bought the Bourbon to End All Bourbon to make my beloved's HanuMas memorable and joyous. FRIGHT!
And so, I look to you all for suggestions of fabulous Bourbon with which I might properly stuff this man's stocking. Please keep in mind that we don't really do the formal gift thing between the two of us, so these stockings are pretty important. And since the liquor takes up most of the stocking, the choosing of the best liquor is PARAMOUNT.
And since I don't drink bourbon or whiskey (Um, barf. Thank you, college.) I hope that you do. And I hope you have found something lovely that you'll suggest. Some previous hits have been, for your suggesting reference; Woodford Reserve, 1792 and Knob Creek. And, of course the obligatory Jameson.
And now you know when it's beginning to look a lot like HanuMas in our house, because that is when the bar runs dry and panic ensues.
We are so CUH-lassy.
This Kentucky knitter recommends Makers Mark (they have a reserve now) or Four Roses small batch bourbon.
ReplyDeleteIf we'd known we would have gin'd and bourbon'd instead of wined this weekend....
ReplyDeleteA friend who is a long-time bourbon fan loves "Basil Hayden's" a small batch bourbon (smallbatch.com) from Jim Beam. (Don't let the Jim Beam name put you off. I tried this once and it was like drinking hot velvet.)
I really hope this doesn't mean this one bottle is supposed to last you all year. Because that would just be cruel.
ReplyDeleteP.S. My word verification is "weedish." I think Blogger is making remarks about the state of my garden. BITCH.
Oh sweetie, If you want to truely impress the man, go Crown Royal, its not cheap but man does it go down smooth...Like Buttah
ReplyDeleteEnjoy HanuMas!
My hubby swears by McCallans (single malt scotch). I did like it, until I had too much. And I wish I could blame college.
ReplyDeleteI prefer my whiskey as whisky (that is, scotch), however, may I suggest:
ReplyDeleteCheapish option - Buffalo Trace (the only bourbon I really like myself)
Slightly more expensive (I think) - McCarthy's (bourbon)
A bit more out of the ordinary - Glenmorangie Astar (it's single malt scotch, but matured in a way which should make it appeal to bourbon-fans)
Seconding the Crown Royal suggestion here, although it is a blended Canadian whiskey, not bourbon (p.s. they have handle bottles at Costco if you want to go BIG - literally). Hub is an avid CR proponent. Or Wild Turkey 101, which is Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. But make sure it's the 101. Seriously.
ReplyDeletecrgilvr- Oh nice! That's the other standby - Maker's. But I didn't know they had a small batch. I'll look for it. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteDecca - Hey, we like wine, too! We need a variety of picklings. I'll look into this Basil Hayden's business, but I'll warn you, we came home with something that looked new and interesting only to find out that it was a Wild Turkey variety or something. And he wouldn't drink it after that. I cooked with the rest.
Kristin - Um, no. That'd be ridiculous. But, when we get to the end of the year, we save ourselves for the Holiday Booze as though we only had one bottle all year. We are such fakers.
Sandiana - Really? Of all things...I wish I drank the stuff so I could experience this buttery velvetyness.
Michelle - Well, that is a fine recco. I'll check it out. Thank you! And then I will not try any lest I end up back where I started.
Mirthful - FANCY! I like all these options. And I'm glad I finally learned the diff between whiskY and whiskEY so that I could properly construct this post. Thanks for the ideas - we like out of the ordinary around here.
SCMTgirl - I don't think the handle would fit in the stocking...;)
You're SO funny Finny! I'm afraid I'm of little help, being inexperienced with these sorts of things. I do know that like Michelle, my hubby likes McCallans a lot -- although it could be the sentimental attachment -- when we were in Scotland a HOT Irishman bought him a wee dram of McCallans, his first. And we toured THE (you mustn't forget the THE) Glenfidditch distillery, although I don't know where it ranks on the scale of fine-ness.
ReplyDeleteHi Finny. I found your blog through digthischick. I think you got a lot of good suggestions, but as my hubby and me (as we stumble toward chrismahkuh or hanumas or festivus or whatever we figure out)like scotch and bourbon, I will add that good old Johnnie Walker, preferably Black Label, is pretty drinkable scotch. And I second the Maker's Mark. I used to dislike it, but then I was introduced to the Manhattan and was a convert. If only the Macabees had had it. . .
ReplyDeleteI love me some Maker's Mark. But I'm a bourbon girl.
ReplyDelete