So last week, I had a busier week than normal; 

• For the first time in a while, I was able to join all of the good people at Maxwell’s for the “Wednesday Wind Down” Puff-Sip-Chat (P-S-C) session. I was able to enjoy a nice Baccarat Churchill paired with Woodford Double Oaked Whiskey and spent a lot of time chatting about how well StickMen is going and how appreciative we are of the support we’ve received and making some awesome business connections. Thank you all!

• We completed our 3rd P-S-C video session with the owners of The Patio (Keith, Gary and George). You can expect the video to be out VERY soon! It will be our best yet!
• Had a great business lunch exploring some possible endeavors in the Tech space (my life before StickMen) and guess what? Once the lunch was over, we had some extra time on our hands that led to another unexpected afternoon Puff–Sip-Chat session.
• Had a date night with Mrs. at the Cobb Energy Center to see jazz vocalist Gregory Porter and he absolutely killed it! This man has one of the smoothest voices that I have ever heard. 
• Then I had a great meet n’ greet PSC with the Havana Cigar Bar owners Rafa and Heather. They introduced me to some excellent puffs that I will talk about in later editions.
• Finally, I closed out the week by completing the writing of this post! 

Hopefully, you read last week’s “Puff” Edition in which we discussed what the “Puff” was all about. This week, we will take a brief journey into what the “Sip” means to us. Just like the Puff edition, I plan to keep things in very simple StickMen terms. Remember, we only know enough to be dangerous. We listen to the real experts and then put our own twist to it because we don’t like to think too hard about things! PSC is about enjoyment and relaxation; we’re not taking you back to your school days.

So here we go, following a similar format to last week, this week:

• Popular Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey brands we like
• StickMen’s Favorites – We’ll be updating this regularly because we are always trying new shit! The Wednesday Wind Down that already mentioned has evolved (or maybe evolved) into a whiskey tasting event!

The Spirits We Like

First off, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list. This is just what StickMen likes. The world of whiskey is a diverse one and not necessarily “just” whiskey. That’s where we will start… the categories of spirits that my team and I drink mostly. We mostly stick (no pun intended) to Bourbons and Scotches.

If I had written this article one year ago, I would lead with the Scotches that I love but I must say that nearly everywhere we go, everyone is on a serious Bourbon kick these days! Bourbons have a very diverse price point as well. You can’t however, always associate price with quality as there are some great tasting, low-cost brands out there. Be open to trying a variety and you’ll stumble across some unexpected greats. I’m going to talk about the bourbons that I see on the regular basis at various shops and will finish with a few of my favorite Scotches.

Let’s start with

The Affordables (Under $60)

What I drink on the regular! I am by no means a whiskey snob. I just drink what tastes good and I find that there are many $40 bottles that taste really good and are great for the budget.

Sazerac Straight Rye Whisky – Great taste with an even better price! The problem… So damned hard to find! It’s a New Orleans Original that symbolizes the tradition and history of New Orleans. It dates back to the 1800’s, around the time when saloons, veiled as Coffee Houses, began lining the streets of New Orleans. It was at the Sazerac Coffee House on Royal Street where local patrons were served toddies made with Rye Whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters. The libation became known as the “Sazerac” and America’s first branded cocktail was born. Many people say this is the whiskey that started it all!

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked – It’s incredibly dark and roasted yet not harsh or bitter. It’s like a 70% cocoa milk chocolate bar mixed with coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, maraschino cherries, and vanilla. A refined sipping bourbon that you can enjoy neat.

Four Roses Single Barrel – Four Roses Single Barrel is one of the most slept on bourbons at your local liquor store (great price (usually well under $50). It’s made from a rye-heavy mash, very spicy and has notes of cocoa and nutmeg. As its name suggests, every one of the 750 ml bottles that make up each bottle is sourced from a single barrel.

Eagle Rare Bourbon Whiskey – Buffalo Trace’s Eagle Rare is aged ten years and extremely good for the price. Complex, fruity, but not overly so, with baking spices and leathery oakiness. 

Uncle Nearest 1856 Whiskey – With this, I recommend starting with a history lesson on my man Nearest Green. Finished? Ok, read on… The nose is classic Tennessee whiskey: toasted grain and fresh vanilla bean with distinct notes of wood ash and maple syrup. There’s also a unique toasted pecan note that gets stronger as the whiskey opens up. It’s soft on the palate with a generous, peppery heat. This past Christmas, I blew through 3 of these in 6 days! And yes, I did have help! I’m not an alcoholic!

Special Occasions Only ($60 – $100)

I don’t delve into this category often; I only researched for a friend!

Colonel E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Straight – The brand is owned by prolific distiller Buffalo Trace. Very subtle, but also complex as there’s a lot to pick apart in there. You can have this neat or with just a few drops of water and you’ll be in heaven. One of my favorites from the moment I tried it which for me was during this past holiday season. It’s not an everyday sip due to the price point but its very hard to pass this up when I see it.

Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey – Credited as the first producer of modern, single-barrel bourbon. Has a generous nose rich in cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, and refined floral notes. On the palate, there are sweet peaches and dried apricots with a touch of maple syrup and molasses.

Life’s BIG Moments (Over $100)

For me personally, this is the “hearsay” category. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to sip in this category! I’m sure that some of our bigger budget readers can educate me a bit further as to what people are buying in this category.

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Revival Oloroso Sherry Finish Bourbon – One of the Best Bourbons of last year. This bourbon is finished in 20-year-old oloroso sherry casks hand-picked by master distiller Eddie Russell. The resulting sip is a bold and unique, with aromas of dried fruits, citrus, and nuts, and creamy, fruity flavors. 

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Kentucky Straight – Named after one-time Buffalo Trace master distiller Elmer T. Lee, this is a rich, well-balanced single-barrel bourbon. The nose is sweet, with brown sugar and maple syrup aromas, while orange peel, marzipan, and honey define the palate. Charred, spicy oak lingers on the finish. 

W. L. Weller Bourbon 12 Year  – This bourbon is part of the “wheated” family, a category that favors wheat over rye as the secondary ingredient in the spirit’s mash bill. Easygoing and well balanced, with a hint of almond and candied corn, and flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasty oak. 

StickMan #1’s Favorite Scotches

Like Bourbon, the Scotch world is pretty diverse but where I am concerned, I am always game to try a new Scotch that someone may introduce me to but I have a very small rotation of my personal favorites that I will list today. I’m sure the true Scotch Connoisseurs will say that I need to get out more. My answer to that would be to say, oh well, this works for me!

Glenlivet 12 Double Oaked – Soft, smooth balance of sweet summer fruits and the floral notes of spring flowers. Love the price of this Scotch. I believe that it’s one of the best values for any Scotch drinker on a budget.

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old – It’s a perfect entry whisky — great for both selfless gifting and solo guzzling, especially for fans of orchard-fresh pears and apples, oatmeal raisin cookies, warm fruit cobbler, and whipped butterscotch mousse. So yeah, basically everyone.

Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old – Smooth, nutty malt with ripe lemons, peaches and pears, subtle nutmeg spice, cooling ginger and mint, and acacia honey, all sliding into a silky coconut and vanilla ice cream finish. I’ve even heard this referred to as “dessert in a glass”.

Glenmorangie 14 Year Single Malt in Port Cask – A voluptuously silky spirit, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban is aged first in bourbon casks for smooth, fruity notes. We then finish this single malt whisky in ruby port casks to create velvety depth. Our Quinta Ruban port cask finish brings chocolate boldness to Glenmorangie’s renowned smooth style. Source – whiskeyapostle.com

Glenfiddich 15 Year Solera Reserve Single Malt – MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE SCOTCH. Rich, rounded flavors with lots of honey, vanilla and baking spice notes. The palate is creamy, with a mouth-filling texture and smoky finish.

I don’t drink it all of time simply because I like to mix things up a bit by trying different things, save a few bucks (I’m cheap and don’t always want to spend $60) and finally, to allow myself some time to miss my favorite. It tastes even better when I haven’t had it in a while. I know that sounds crazy but it’s just me.

Lagavulin 16 Year Scotch – When I am in the mood for some peatiness, this is my go to Scotch. I’ll admit that I did not like it at first but I stuck with it and my palate evolved to the point that this has become one of my favorite scotches to drink. One of the great classics from Islay. Remarkably balanced, with very dry and assertive flavors offset by the sweetness of Sherry oak. Complex, full-bodied, smoky, peaty tastes combine with a salty tang of the sea in this elegant yet powerful Single Malt.

If you are new to drinking scotch I would not recommend Lagavulin; I would recommend something a bit milder, less peaty. Based on your budget I would suggest my favorite, Glenfiddich 15  mentioned above (about $60) or if you want to go a little easier on the budget, might look at something like a bottle of Glenlivet 12 Double Oaked single malt or Glenfiddich 12, both of which you can get about for about $35. Also, before some slam me for it, I didn’t talk about any blended scotches because I haven’t had any for some time. Having said that, I will have an expert guest blogger in the future who will break down the Scotch game in its entirety.

Other Spirits to Consider

Cognacs, Armagnacs – Really becoming a favorite after dinner spirit of mine), Red Wine, The Whites (Gin and Vodka), Rum, Tequila and Beer. Here’s a quick blip on how I view each of these:

Irish Whiskeys – I’m a complete newbie when it comes to Irish Whiskey. I’ve recently been introduced to Red Breast and really liked it a lot so let say this category of whiskey is completely greenfield for me personally and I will write about it as I learn more. In the meantime, all I really know is Tullamore D.E.W. Original to get a good bang for the buck (Approximately $35) and the aforementioned Red Breast when you want to splurge a little (Approximately $80).

Cognac – A type of brandy that is produced by twice distilling white wines produced in the French region of Cognac. Very sweet and great after dinner.

Armagnac – Similar to Cognac but in my opinion has a taste that is more reminiscent of Bourbon in that it’s not nearly as sweet as Cognac can often be. Made in the French region of Armagnac.

Red Wine – You can never go wrong with a good bottle of Cabernet or your favorite red wine of choice. Wine is what I turn to when I simply want to relax with a good cigar on a cool evening. I’m usually by myself on my deck starting off into the woods. Red Wine and a Perdomo Fresco is my “me time”.

The Whites – These are the Gins and Vodkas of the world. In my experience, they simply do not pair well with any cigar overall with one exception that I have found; Jean Marc XO Vodka is a great sipping vodka can actually can go well with a cigar but I mostly see these as cocktail spirits (for which, I am sometimes in the mood) but I also can understand that on a hot summer day you simply want something cold to drink. In that case, I will go with a Gin and Soda on the rocks with a big twist of lime. Not the best with a cigar but it will do. For the StickMen and Women who love and cherish their Gins and Vodkas, I will say DO YOU! The lifestyle is about personal enjoyment and that is a very subjective thing.

Rum – I’m not talking about your run of the mill rum that you would use to fuel your Rum N’ Coke passion. I’m talking about a nice sipping Rum. The smooth sweetness of some of the high end Rums make them great to sip after a good meal or on the rocks for a hot day. I would rather do this with my stick before I go with the Whites. My favorite is a Haitian Rum named Barbancourt; really smooth and worth a try.

Tequila – I don’t really do Tequila – Can someone write this section for me? Email communications@stickmen.blog and let’s talk! I’m serious!

Beer – Beer works! Many StickMen prefer a dark, heavy beer for their Puff session but I prefer light beers in general and for cigars, I haven’t found a bad one unless you like the super fruity, sweet wine cooler type beers. These quench thirst but not necessarily good to sip with a stick. Overall, if you’re a beer person… grab your favorite beer, grab your favorite stick and get your Puff-Sip-Chat on!

As you can see, there are so many good “Sips” and I understand that everyone does not share my taste buds so by all means do your thing and please educate me! I love learning about what others are doing! My goal today was not to be an expert on Whiskeys… It was just to talk about what The StickMen like. In future editions, we will have some guests join us ho can do just that for those who like to go deep on a subject. For now, what’s your Puff-Sip-Chat? 

Also, tell The StickMen Blog what you like, don’t like and suggestions on what you might want to hear about when it pertains to everyday cigar bar scene. Email me at communications@stickmen.blog.

Thanks for reading the “The Sip” Edition! Next week, we’ll wrap up with the “Chat” Edition and then I hope we will have successfully laid the foundation for our Puff-Sip-Chat-Repeat mantra!

 

StickMan #1 …..OUT!