The Whisky Diet: alcohol business

Showing posts with label alcohol business. Show all posts

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Jeremiah Weed -- Music To My Liver

Cheap, popular, and super sweet, Jeremiah Weed bourbon apparently strikes a chord with song-writers. I can't help but wonder if CCR/3DN were similarly inspired:

Jeremiah is a bourbon
Is a good friend of mine
Never understands a single word I say (being a bottle and all)
But we still have a mighty good time

Weight: 209 lbs (10/09)
Weight: 210 lbs (10/02)
Weight: 207 lbs (9/25)
Weight: 206 lbs (9/18)
Weight: 204 lbs (9/11)

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

5 Lowbrow Canadians

Or rather, 5 great bargains for poor slobs like me! I thought I was done with my close-but-far liquor super store, but my 4-year old daughter needing more Hello Kitty lip gloss was somehow an excuse to pay it a visit and buy 8.75 liters of Canada's overcrowded rear end. Canadian whisky is supposed to "possess the aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whisky". In the category that I drink, anyway, that distinctive taste most closely resembles ammonia (presumably from rye), the strength of which helps set one "expression" apart from the other. It's the kind of taste that straddles the border between pleasure and pain, and I suspect that too much of it could make one instantly ill. Personally, I favor Canadian whiskies with less of this Canadian flavor, which are the Canadian Hunter and Northern Lights in this bunch. I don't hate that rye taste, though, so I will still happily imbibe the Canadian Lake, Canadian LTD, and the alluring sounding Canadian Gold. Come to think of it, I have yet to meet a whisky I won't drink.

Weight: 195 lbs

Thursday, July 4, 2013

American Pride (bourbon) -- 184 lbs (-45) [24X]

Did you really think I'd be drinking Irish whiskey on this day? No way--it's American bourbon and beer, baby. I'm not sure if I'm proud to be an American, given that pride is a cardinal sin, but I greatly appreciate my liberties and try to use them whenever possible. I certainly don't take my freedom to drink whiskey for granted. It was illegal for a time and there are many who would love to make it that way again. American Pride is one of the few American brands that weathered Prohibition as medicinal whiskey. The advert that got them through it speaks to me even now:

"If You Use Whiskey at all - American Pride IS WHAT YOU WANT! For Medicinal or Potable Purposes of Any Kind.”

Sadly today, like so many whiskies, it has lost it's historical flavor and is now a cheap bulk bourbon via the wonders of acquisition. But even more have been lost forever, and at least I can afford it.

Happy 4th!

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Finnegan, Kilbeggan, Donovanabevegan -- 185 lbs (-44) [33X]

I may like the taste of Irish whiskey best, but thus far I'm not detecting the same level of variety I've experienced with scotch (even the cheap stuff). And as W. Ross Ashby said, "variety absorbs variety, defines the minimum number of states necessary for a controller to control a system of a given number of states." Lack of self-control explained!

Seriously, Finnegan and Kilbeggan taste exactly the same to me, and rate 3-3-3.5 on my sweetness, strength, and complexity scale of 1-5. There is a clean taste present in these Irish whiskies that makes me feel like I'm in an Irish Spring or Stayfree commercial, and that I also find in the few single malts I have tried. Rather than complicate the scale I'll just say this fresh feeling enhances the complexity. Finnegan and Kilbeggan are both owned by Cooley Distillery, which is owned by Beam, Inc.

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Luck of the Irish Whiskey -- 187 lbs (-42) [42X]

Except for the night I almost killed myself with free Jameson & Bushmills, I haven't had any Irish whiskey on this diet. And I don't have a good reason. Let's be romantic and say I was saving the best for last, because that will be my conclusion as my one-year experiment comes to a close. I can tell you in hindsight, however, that Irish whiskey does not appear to have a bottom-shelf presence--the cheapest Irish whiskey I can buy (Finnegan) is $20 before taxes, and it tastes better than most any scotch, bourbon, or other whisky I have tried. It's no wonder I can't control myself around it.

And I could use a little Irish luck. I need to lose ~7 pounds in 2.5 weeks to meet my one-year goal, and that will be extra challenging with the long American Independence Day weekend coming up. I am not confident that I'll make it, or that I will continue after my birthday, so place your bets now.

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Potter's Blended Scotch Whisky -- 189 lbs (-40) [35X]

Despite the almost over-whelming choice in blended scotch, I've found they fall into a few groups of similar-tasting whiskies (at least in my price range). And while sophisticated reviewers will go on at length about nose, palate, and finish, my simple brain and tongue prefer to classify whiskies along three basic parameters: sweetness, strength, and complexity. On a scale of 1-5, I'd give Potter's Blended Scotch Whisky a 3-2-2 rating, joining one of my favorite groups with honored members Pipers Clan, Old Crofter, and Dewar's. Welcome to the team, Potter's!

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Shochu & Soju -- 187 lbs (-42) [36X]

Amy Stewart's "The Drunken Botanist" continues to inspire me to try new spirits. This week it's Japanese shochu and Korean soju, the latter of which supposedly outsells all other spirits in the world. These liquors come in a wide variety and are distilled primarily from rice, sweet potato and/or buckwheat. Although they can have the same alcohol content as whisky, they tend to come in much lower. That has the advantage of not having to meter out so carefully, but the disadvantage of still qualifying as hard liquor and subject to the same high taxes (at least in WA). My choices ranged between 20-30% ABV:

● EvenStar Shochu Ginger (30%)
-- I'm a big fan of ginger and couldn't resist. It was like ginger beer meets gin, and did not disappoint.
● Satsuma Mura Imo Shochu (25%)
-- To me, this was a drier, cleaner version of the sake wine I've tried in Japanese restaurants.
● Ku Soju Original (20.1%)
-- This is the cheap super-selling stuff, and tasted like sake in sugar water. Not in a bad way.

I thought I'd ruin this post by including one of my favorite, most politically-incorrect and culturally-insensitive comedy sketches, because every time I sip one of these fine beverages, I think of "bingo, bingo, housey, housey":

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Brandy Is Dandy And Quicker -- 189 lbs (-40) [32X]

For someone who finds all hard liquor to be at least a little sweet, as I now do, brandy is my just desserts. Although I haven't had any brandy on this one-year diet until this late month, I am certainly no stranger (remind me to tell you how I pierced my nipple on bag of brandy someday), and Amy Stewart has recently twisted my arm to supplement whisky with all kinds of non-whisky. In particular, she got me very excited about apple and pear brandy, which I hadn't tried, and I have since found to be quite enjoyable, if not a wee bit expensive-- I paid a total of $84.05/L for Clear Creek Pear brandy at Total Wine vs. $13.4/L for plain old Christian Bros at Trader Joe's. Honestly, I don't get why Christian Brothers is a bottom-shelf brandy. It tastes great, clean, and firm, and also mixes well with coffee as one might expect. Bros is always a good deal, but Trader Joe's has somehow managed to sell it at a steal. Buy some quick before they get wise!

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Thursday, May 23, 2013

O Canadian Whisky -- 191 lbs (-38) [9X]

Until I developed a taste for whisky/whiskey, it all tasted pretty much like gasoline. But now it amazes me how different scotch, bourbon, and Canadian whisky are from one another, and how well each holds together as a category despite plenty of variety within. It turns out that national regulations are largely responsible for this cohesion--the UK requires scotch to be made from at least some malted barley, the US requires bourbon to be made from at least 51% corn, and Canadian whisky must "possess the aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whisky". That last one may seem too self-referential at first, but Canadian whisky is historically a blend of two primary components that give it a distinctive, yet mild taste: a very light "base" whisky made primarily from corn, and a heavier "flavoring" whisky high in rye. This general character is found in all of this month's bottom-shelf Canadian whiskies, with only subtle variation between them. R&R is the mildest, if not a tad watery; Black Velvet has a feint pepper kick at the end, which is a bit stronger in the less-sweet Black Velvet Reserve 8y; and Canadian Mist is somewhere in the middle with a well-balanced, hearty flavor. Canadian whisky gets bonus points for mixing well with coffee (like bourbon but unlike scotch) *and* being good straight-up when you want something slightly less sweet than bourbon (but not as good as pricier scotch).

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

2 Bang-for-the-Buck Bourbons -- 188 lbs (-41) [32X]

Old Crow Reserve has the somewhat rare distinction of being a value brand *and* having a rich history. It was supposedly the first sour mash whiskey, and a favorite of Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant (the one entombed, not buried, in Grant's Tomb), and Hunter S. Thompson. Once a top-selling bourbon, Old Crow lost significant market share due to human error, greed, and pride, and today's Old Crow is owned by Jim Beam and produced with a different recipe.

Colonel Lee bourbon has the somewhat unrare indistinction of being one of Sazerac's 30+ bourbon brands. Old Crow is a bit heartier, and it should be, given it is aged an extra year and has a higher ABV. But both taste smooth, clean, and sweet.

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Mixed-Up May -- 189 lbs (-40) [25X]

At the beginning of each month, I stock up on liquor at Total Wine. Usually, it's all about scotch and Evan Williams, but this month, I have several divergent themes going on:

● Cinco de Mayo
I won't post a separate review of it this time around, but I bought a .375 ml bottle of El Jimador Reposado tequila for 5/5 and found it to be far superior to the Zapopan tequila I bought recently. I'm not really a tequila person, but I found this to be quite enjoyable by itself. Perhaps being aged in imported Kentucky white oak barrels makes it a semi-whiskey cross-over, but it certainly gave me pause.

● Scotch is like Pizza
I've never met a pizza I didn't like--even the cardboard-tasting stuff at now-extinct drive-ins was manna to me. In that spirit (pun intended), I continue to scrape bottom in the hopes of finding that next great blended scotch value. Sadly, one of the scotches I bought (Pipers Clan) I've tried before and forgot, but at least I was consistent and still liked it. One of the great things about getting old is getting to have the same first-time experience over and over.

● Bargain Basement Bourbon
It's time to give corn whiskey some love. For one, I'm about to run out of new low-end scotch brands to try. For two, I've been too co-dependent on Evan Williams far too long, and I really should be open to new value brands.

● Canadian Bottom-Shelf
Nothing is easier on the wallet than cheap-ass Canadian whiskey. The biggest problem with scotch, budget-wise, is the import overhead that exists even for the lowest of the low. I've been afraid my whole life to try the equivalent Canadian brands, maybe because it's hard to believe anything of value could be so darn inexpensive, but my new fearless outlook on life enables me to finally chance it.

● Brandies
There is a recurring theme of cheap and cheaper going on here, but I've shelled out quite a bit more for some apple and pear brandy, thanks to some enticing passages in "The Drunken Botanist, a fascinating book about the plant biology behind my favorite liquids.

FWIW, I did buy some Christian Bros to counter the steep cost of pear brandy.

Here's what's on the menu for May:

Product	Volume	Base Price	Spirits Liter Tax	Spirits Sales Tax	Total
Canadian Mist	375ml	$4.79	$1.41	$.98	$7.18 ($19.15/L)
R&R Canadian	750ml	$6.99	$2.83	$1.43	$11.25 ($15.00/L)
Black Velvet	750ml	$7.99	$2.83	$1.64	$12.46 ($16.61/L)
El Jimador Reposado	375ml	$9.49	$1.41	$1.95	$12.85 ($34.27/L)
Christian Bros Brandy	750ml	$9.49	$2.83	$1.95	$14.27 ($19.03/L)
Old Crow Reserve	750ml	$10.99	$2.83	$2.25	$16.07 ($21.43/L)
Pipers Clan Scotch	750ml	$10.99	$2.83	$2.25	$16.07 ($21.43/L)
Highland Breeze	750ml	$11.99	$2.83	$2.46	$17.28 ($23.04/L)
Black Velvet 8yr	750ml	$11.99	$2.83	$2.46	$17.28 ($23.04/L)
Old Bridge Scotch Whisky	750ml	$12.99	$2.83	$2.66	$18.48 ($24.64/L)
Sir Edwards Blended Scotch Whisky	750ml	$12.99	$2.83	$2.66	$18.48 ($24.64/L)
Colonel Lee Bourbon	1.75L	$16.99	$6.60	$3.48	$27.07 ($15.47/L)
Captain Apple Jack	750ml	$17.99	$2.83	$3.69	$24.51 ($32.68/L)
Clear Creek Pear Brandy	375ml	$24.99	$1.41	$5.12	$31.52 ($84.05/L)

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Trader Joe's Highland Single Malt -- 189 lbs (-40) [23X]

After being surprised at how good Trader Joe's Blended Whisky is, I've been anxious to try their single malt. I'd have to say I'm a bit disappointed-- it seems a bit watery and is missing that back-of-the-tongue sweetness I've come to associate with scotch, but it still isn't half-bad. I'd also have to point out that I'm not sure I'm in with the whole single malt value proposition thing. For $23.99 (in WA state, before lots of taxes), I can buy one of two bottom-end single malt brands, or I can buy a wide variety of great blends. More to the point, I prefer the taste of Trader Joe's Blended Whisky, at $9.99 for 33% more volume, to Trader Joe's Highland Single Malt. Yeah, I'll still drink the latter, and enjoy it, but in the back of my mind I'll be thinking "I could be drinking something better and cheaper right now" rather than "I could be drinking something better and much more expensive right now".

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Friday, April 26, 2013

Sazerac's Sir Malcolm -- 183 lbs (-46) [6X]

The most interesting thing about Sir Malcolm (whoever that is) scotch may be the family it is a part of. Starting as a bar around 1870 in New Orleans, the Sazerac Company has acquired a huge number of liquor brands and distilleries, making it one of the top liquor suppliers in the US. It's scotch offerings include top-shelf imports such as Glenfarclas and bottom-shelf rebrands such as Lauder's. Sir Malcolm is, if you know me, one of the latter. Coming in at a price-point just above Lauder's, Sir Malcolm is kind of a baby bear of bottom-shelf blend brands--not too sweet, weak, or funky--this one is just right, if not uninteresting. It does have a slight pepper after-taste that gives it a bit of character.

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Monday, April 22, 2013

Earth Day Whisky (Cromwell's Royal) -- 189 lbs (-40) [21X]

Cromwell's Royal is the first box whisky I've heard of (my wife calls it the "scotch box"). It's perfect for someone trying to maintain an affordable whisky diet and help save the planet. According to the packaging, "Bag in a Box packaging uses 325% less energy to be produced and recycled than glass ... it's also 100% recyclable". Those savings are probably lost considering that it's distilled and aged in Scotland, packaged in France, and then imported to the US, but I still applaud the effort in the hopes that it will inspire other companies to do the same. It tastes good for a bottom-shelf whisky, too-- clean, well-balanced, and a hint of citrus.

[+] What I Consumed Since Last Post ...

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Bankers Club -- 189 lbs (-40) [16X]

This was my bottom-shelf exploration for the month. It tastes pretty much like Clan MacGregor, maybe slightly less sweet and "refined", but same price, same bottle, same shelf. Like most whiskies in this category, there is very little information on the Internet, which makes me even more curious:

What is the demographic? Bankers?

There aren't that many scotch drinkers to begin with, and few of those will admit they drink Bankers Club; I doubt bars would sell it, and yet it still must sell reasonably well. The only clue I could find was a quote on Urban Dictionary, of all places:

Hey, are you going to the party at Alpha Beta tonight?
Nah man, went to one last week and the whole thing was a sausagefest and all they had was natty light and bankers club.

Low class college parties?

The Bankers Club dictionary entry has 2 opposing definitions that are about what I'd expect:

1. The makers of the best and cheapest [whisky] ever known to man
2. A cheap, poor quality brand of [whisky], not something that is meant to be ingested

My own experience boils down to this: I've found that throwing any whisky towards the back of the tongue tastes sweet no matter what the whisky. In that part of my mouth, the lowest quality whisky and the highest quality whisky really don't taste much different, so I might as well save the money when I need to ... as long as I don't let it touch any other part of my mouth.

Introverted, non-discerning scotch addicts on a tight budget?

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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Hamilton's Regional Malts -- 187 lbs (-42) [7X]

I get the impression that serious whisky drinkers don't take this whisky line, well, seriously. And because they're so fun, well, neither do I! After a couple months of exploring blended scotches* that tend to be subtly different from one to the next (a key reason I pair taste), these 4 whiskies are refreshingly distinct from each other**. I also think the idea of an affordable, one-brand introduction to the 4 major Scottish whisky regions is pretty darn clever (granted I don't have much experience with single malts, and I can't afford to acquire it either):

● Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
-- Tasted a bit like ass to me, but in a fun way. "Ass" probably isn't the right adjective, but was the only label I could find for a taste I could not otherwise identify.
● Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
-- Subtly creamy, sweet, and citrusy.
● Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
-- Creamy and slightly smoky, this was the most well-balanced and my favorite of the 4 "expressions". I could see, and afford, drinking this semi-regularly.
● Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
-- Very peaty and smoky. I thought this is what I like most in a scotch, but this perhaps a tad much. Still very enjoyable, though.

* The blended scotches I've tried up to now were composed of grain and single malt whiskies from multiple distilleries. The store where I bought the Hamilton's line categorized them as "vatted scotch", i.e. composed of single malt whiskies from multiple distilleries. Such whiskies, as one might interpret from the latest regulations, are supposed to be labeled "blended malt whisky" on the bottle, but these just say "single malt". So it is not clear to this consumer which to believe.

** To emphasize how different these are from each other, I tried blending them together in every possible equal-part combination, and each was less distinct than any single whisky on its own.

What I consumed Saturday -- 187 lbs (-42) [7X]:
● 4 oz Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
● 4 oz Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
● 4 oz Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
● 4 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● Orange
● Half toasted bagel w/ butter & hummus
● Criss-cut fry
● Slice Papa Murphy's cheese pizza
● Half bag of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● 3 peanut butter & Hershey's Kiss cookies
● Bowl of chilaquiles

What I consumed Friday -- 187 lbs (-42) [6X]:
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Highland Regional Malt
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Speyside Regional Malt
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Lowland Regional Malt
● 4.5 oz Hamilton's Islay Regional Malt
● .4 Nissin Cup Noodles w/ grated cheddar cheese
● Hollowed-out toasted bagel w/ hummus
● Half toasted bagel w/ slice reduced-fat cheddar cheese
● 5 Rold Gold tiny twist pretzels dipped in Jif chocolate silk peanut butter
● Bowl of Campbell's chicken noodle soup
● Several handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● Bowl of lettuce w/ grated cheddar cheese & Newman's Own lite Italian dressing
● 3 slices Papa Murphy's pepperoni pizza & 1 small slice cheese pizza
● 4 pretzel M&M's

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Last of the Big Blended Brands -- 186 lbs (-43) [11X]

This collection of whiskies is probably the last of the affordable, popular blended scotch whiskies I'll be exploring (there are a couple I've missed, Bell's and Black Bottle, which are not sold at my liquor supermart). These 4 scotches are at the pricy end of the lower tier, what I would call bottom-middle-shelf, but I've found none of them to be worth the slightly higher price tag, so I guess that would make me a bottom-shelf person at heart (no surprise here).

● Famous Grouse
-- Supposedly the top-selling whisky in Scotland, this is the work of famous blender William Gloag (would it be top-selling if it had been called "Famous Gloag"?). This is the smoothest of the 4 and tasted strongly of vanilla.
● White Horse
-- I was debating whether to buy this until I read this post (http://www.whisky.com/brands/white_horse_brand.html), which paints an interesting history and calls out the key single malts used in this blend. Of the 4, this was the only peaty one, but not as peaty/smoky as I prefer.
● J & B Scotch
-- Supposedly the top-selling whisky in Europe, I believe J & B Rare was another whisky to be found stocked in my grandfather Poppy's liquor cabinet. I found this similar to Dewar's in being well-rounded and somewhat lacking in distinction, yet somehow a tad classier (as if I know anything about class).
● Johnnie Walker Black
-- The next shelf up from Johnnie Walker Red, I found Johnnie Walker Black label to be similar to J & B Rare, but slightly smoother and complex.

Pair tasting (1 tbsp of one followed by the other) results for these 4 whiskies:

● Famous Grouse -> White Horse: White Horse a tad bitter
● Famous Grouse -> J & B Scotch: J & B Scotch a tad creamy & spicy
● Famous Grouse -> Johnnie Walker Black: Johnnie Walker Black a tad creamy & bitter
● White Horse -> Famous Grouse: Famous Grouse
● White Horse -> J & B Scotch: J & B Scotch a tad creamy, spicy, & bitter
● White Horse -> Johnnie Walker Black: Johnnie Walker Black smooth & clean
● J & B Scotch -> Famous Grouse: Famous Grouse a tad spicy
● J & B Scotch -> White Horse: a tad bolder
● J & B Scotch -> Johnnie Walker Black: no change detected
● Johnnie Walker Black -> Famous Grouse: Famous Grouse semi-sweet vanilla
● Johnnie Walker Black -> White Horse: White Horse a tad smoky
● Johnnie Walker Black -> J & B Scotch: J & B Scotch a tad creamy & semi-sweet

Please note that there are many variables here and I am not being consistent about when I do the pair test, whether I rinse my mouth with water in-between, or what I drink and/or eat between tests. It would require multiple of the same tests to factor these variables out, and just for my palate, so please take with a grain of salt.

What I consumed Saturday -- 186 lbs (-43) [11X]:
(pigged out this weekend)
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Half big chocolate chip cookie
● 5 slices bacon
● Cow Pals cheddar/mozzarella cheese twist
● 3 oz Famous Grouse
● 3 oz White Horse
● 3 oz J & B Scotch
● 3 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● Order Jade Dragon ginger pork
● 30-40 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips
● 2 fortune cookies

What I consumed Friday -- 184 lbs (-45) [6X]:
● 3 oz Famous Grouse
● 4.25 oz Underwood Roast Beef spread w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 4 oz White Horse
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Tiny Smoked Oysters w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 2 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● 2 oz J & B Scotch
● Big bowl of potato chowder w/ Tabasco
● Half slice Top Pot Doughnuts squash/pumpkin loaf
● 4 oz Ballantine's
● 10 Pepperidge Farm water crackers w/ 3 slices of cheddar cheese
● Small chocolate chip cookie
● 2 sugar cookies

What I consumed Thursday -- 182 lbs (-47) [2X]:
(voided system)
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 3.75 oz Bumblebee Sardines in mustard sauce
● 1.76 oz Chocolate peanut butter Balance bar
● 4 oz J & B Scotch
● 7 oz Johnnie Walker Black
● Spaghetti w/ sauce, 3 turkey meatballs, grated parmesan, & slice of garlic bread
● Bite of Top Pot Doughnuts cinnamon sugar blueberry
● Third of Top Pot Doughnuts apple fritter

What I consumed Wednesday -- 183 lbs (-46):
● 7.5 oz Dewar's
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 12 oz Bud Light Lime
● 5 oz J & B Scotch
● Big bowl of potato chowder w/ Tabasco
● Half slice Top Pot Doughnuts squash/pumpkin loaf
● Bites of Top Pot Doughnuts cinnamon sugar blueberry & raspberry chocolate donuts
● Third of Top Pot Doughnuts apple fritter

What I consumed Tuesday -- 184 lbs (-45) [5X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 4.5 oz pouch StarKist Tuna Creations (Hickory Smoked)
● 4 oz Dewar's
● 6 oz White Horse
● 10 Pepperidge Farm water crackers w/ 2 slices of swiss, 2 slices of cheddar cheese, & .33 cheddar/mozzarella string cheese
● Big bowl of potato chowder w/ Tabasco
● About a dozen handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● Half piece of carrot bread

What I consumed Monday -- 185 lbs (-44) [6X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 4 oz Dewar's
● Small Steamer's blackened salmon Caesar salad
● Small plate of Qdoba cubed beef & chicken w/ beans & salsa
● 6 oz Famous Grouse
● Bowl of potato chowder
● About a dozen handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● Half piece of carrot bread

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [10X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 10.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 4 slices Papa John's cheese pizza w/ bbq pulled pork
● 4 pretzel M&M's
● .33 Kraft cheddar/mozzarella string cheese
● About a dozen handfuls of Snyder's buffalo wing pretzels
● 3 pieces bacon & slice of french toast
● Coffee w/ 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The 12 Whiskies of Christmas -- 186 lbs (-43) [9X]

AFAIK, these whiskies have nothing to do with Christmas, other than there are 12 of them--well, were 12, as I've already opened 4 of those, rather than waiting until December 25th when the 1st of the 12 days of Christmas begins. I am not completely off the mark, though, as Christmas pervades the month of December, as evidenced by most commercial Advent calendars, which begin on December 1 regardless of when Advent actually begins. And while a whisky advent calendar with 24 little bottles would have been more appropriate than 12 750 ml ones, the latter was a better value for this year's budget. The first 4 whiskies I dove into quickly confirmed this, as they have provided much holiday cheer despite their bottom-shelf status:

● Monarch of the Glen 3yr
-- This is the least aged of the Monarch of the Glen offerings. I think the 8yr has been my favorite Monarch thus far, but this is only a tad less smooth.
● Old Crofter Scotch
-- I read a review that claimed this was comparable to Dewar's White Label, so I thought I'd see for myself. Indeed, in back-to-back tastings of these 4 whiskies (see below), I had the hardest time telling the difference between Old Crofter and Dewar's.
● Ballantine's
-- This is supposedly the second largest selling scotch world-wide, after Johnnie Walker, and far more affordable. This is my favorite of the 4. It has a creamy taste like Teacher's, but not Teacher's earthy flavor. Like a number of the scotch blends I've tried, Ballantine's started from a wine and spirits merchant experimenting with blending during the mid- to late-1800's.
● Dewar's
-- Another well-known, affordable brand sprung from nineteenth century blending alchemy. I found Dewar's (and Old Crofter) to be very solid and drinkable, but indistinctive.

For the 12 Whiskies of Christmas, I am doing a full combination of tasting pairings in groups of 4. Here are my results for this round:

● Monarch -> Dewar's: Dewar's slightly stronger & bitter
● Monarch -> Old Crofter: Old Crofter slightly less smooth, but close to same
● Monarch -> Ballantine's: Ballantine's creamier
● Old Crofter -> Monarch: Monarch slightly bitterer
● Old Crofter -> Ballantine's: Ballantine's more creamy & sweet
● Old Crofter -> Dewar's: about the same
● Ballantine's -> Monarch: Monarch slightly more bitter; took on a fraction of Ballantine's creaminess
● Ballantine's -> Old Crofter: Old Crofter took on a fraction of Ballantine's creaminess & sweetness
● Ballantine's -> Dewar's: Dewar's took on a fraction of Ballantine's creaminess & sweetness
● Dewar's -> Monarch: Monarch slightly stronger
● Dewar's -> Old Crofter: Old Crofter faintly bitterer, but pretty much the same
● Dewar's -> Ballantine's: Ballantine's slightly spicier

Most interesting above is the influence Ballantine's had over all the other whiskies.

What I consumed Saturday -- 186 lbs (-43) [9X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 10.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● .35 order Jade Dragon ginger beef w/ white rice
● 3 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese w/ 6 Pepperidge Farm sesame seed crackers
● 2 coffee w/ 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 4 slices Papa John's cheese pizza w/ Jade Dragon ginger beef
● 10 cheddar cheese cubes w/ 5 Pepperidge Farm sesame seed crackers
● ~2 oz dark chocolate & sea salt kettle corn

What I consumed Friday -- 186 lbs (-43) [8X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Smoked Mussels w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 5 oz Dewar's
● Slice Garlic Jim's cheese pizza
● 2.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 2.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● .4 order Jade Dragon ginger beef w/ white rice
● Several big forkfuls bbq pulled-pork
● 20-40 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips
● 3 slices swiss cheese w/ 1 turkey meatball & 5 Pepperidge Farm sesame seed crackers

What I consumed Thursday -- 184 lbs (-45) [4X]:
● Coffee w/ 1 tsp fiber & 24 g Syntrax Matrix Chocolate protein powder
● 2 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 2 oz Ballantine's
● 4 oz Dewar's
● Mystery brownie
● Mediterranean chicken w/ rice, hummus, and some weird mashed garlic stuff
● 12 oz Bud Light Lime
● 1.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● Bowl of lettuce w/ Newman's Own lite Italian dressing

What I consumed Wednesday -- 185 lbs (-44) [5X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber & 1.5 oz Ballantine's
● 3.66 oz Napoleon Smoked Baby Clams w/ 3 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 50 oz Bud Light
● Tortilla chips, bean dip, and salsa
● 1 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 1 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● .5 oz Ballantine's
● .5 oz Dewar's
● Bbq pulled-pork sandwich on hamburger bun
● Bbq pulled-pork sandwich on 2 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese

What I consumed Tuesday -- 184 lbs (-45) [3X]:
● 1 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 3 oz Ballantine's
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 1.76 oz Chocolate peanut butter Balance bar
● 4 oz Dewar's
● 1 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● KFC Doublicious sandwich
● 20 Sponge Bob Squarepants Cheese Nips

What I consumed Monday -- 185 lbs (-44) [4X]:
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● McDonald's pancake (.8) w/ sausage
● 2 Walkers Highland Oatcakes crackers
● 4 oz Dewar's
● 12 oz Budweiser Select
● 1 oz Ballantine's
● 4 plates taco-seasoned ground beef w/ lettuce, grated cheddar, pico de gallo, and tortilla strips
● 1.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 1.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch

What I consumed Sunday -- 186 lbs (-43) [7X]:
● Trader Joes No Iron Multivitamin
● Coffee w/ 2 tsp fiber
● 2.5 oz Monarch of the Glen 3yr
● 2.5 oz Old Crofter Scotch
● 2.5 oz Ballantine's
● 1.5 oz Dewar's
● 6 Safeway beef, cheese, and jalapeno appetizers
● 11 Snyder's peanut butter pretzel sandwiches
● Bag frozen broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots w/ sliced cajun turkey & 2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese
● .6 Fosters Farm corn dog w/ some corn bread removed

Monday, July 30, 2012

Total Wine -- 218 lbs (-11)

Finally made it to Total Wine & More in Bellevue and giddily stocked up on spirit for the month at awesome prices.

What I consumed yesterday:
• 2.5 oz Nissin Cup Noodles Spicy Chile Chicken w/ 1 tbs fiber, 2 tbsp whiskey, & no noodles
• 2 12 oz Budweiser Select w/ 2 tbsp whiskey
• Jade Dragon pork roll w/ dipping sauce
• Black coffee w/ 3 tbsp whiskey
• 2 Matador margaritas
• Matador Sopa de Aguacate
• 16oz Dos XX Amber