The Most Important Thing You Can Know About Bourbon
If asked “what is the most important thing you can know about Bourbon”? what would your answer be?
Where can I find Pappy at retail?
What’s the best value in Bourbon?
What’s the next whiskey to go crazy on the secondary market? (Hint: It’s probably the next special gift shop release at Spirits of French Lick. Half empty bottles of Unpretentious missing the cork are fetching five figures on the dark web). #WinkEmoji
Who is the best distiller?
Where did all of this sourced whiskey come from?
Is Blanton’s on the shelf at Buffalo Trace today?
None of these are the most important thing to know. Their collective importance doesn’t come close to being as important as “the most important thing you can know about Bourbon”.
The most important thing you can know about Bourbon…is you.
In this “hunting season” remember: who you are is not defined by the size of your whiskey collection. Your value as a person does not rise and fall at the snatching-up or the missing-out-on the latest unicorn bottle of over-priced Bourbon. Know who you are…and who you are is far greater than Bourbon.
Don’t get me wrong. I like getting my hands on a good allocated bottle of whiskey. And I love the Bourbon community (on the whole) and have made some great friends that I would not otherwise have if not for Bourbon. But that bottle of liquor is not forever and those friends are far more valuable to me than what they can do for me in the Bourbon world.
Another reason “you” is the most important thing you can know about Bourbon is we need to know ourselves so that we can know our limits. How much to drink for you is “too much to drink”? What does moderation look like for you? Do you have the discipline to stop (definitely before you put yourself in a driver’s seat)? Do you have the type of relationships that your friends will help you stop when you can’t stop yourself?
For some it isn’t how much is too much, but it is “should you drink at all?”. I had lunch with a friend recently and he told me how much he liked reading my articles. And I told him how smart and discerning he must be (#WinkEmoji ). He said “I really enjoy reading about the Bourbon that you’re describing, but I know I can’t try any of it. I know how to say ‘no’. I just don’t know how to say ‘stop’”. This man knows himself.
One last thing in this Matt Foley-esque motivational blog post: know who you are in how you handle the holidays. The holiday season is awesome and festive for so many, but it can be a struggle, too. Even in non-sucky years, some people fight loneliness and depression in November and December. 2020 and its lockdowns and fear porn and travel restrictions and all around Grinchy-ness could make this year even more difficult. This is temporary. It will pass. Coping through Bourbon (or rye or scotch or beer or – Heaven forbid – White Claw) is not a great idea. It is not who any of us were created to be or who any of us have to be. If we are struggling with loneliness or depression we are NOT alone. We may feel as if we are the only one dealing with whatever our problem may be, but we are not. More people than we can imagine fight the same battles we are fighting. And this year of all years, people are more than willing to talk and lend an ear and help one another through. If you need to talk to somebody, you can connect with me through my twitter DMs or by e-mail at kevin7673@hotmail.com. If you or a loved one needs the help of someone beside your friendly neighborhood blogger, professionals can be reached at the Suicide Prevention Hotline (800-273-8255). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) number is 1-800-662-HELP.
I hope you and yours have a safe, happy and blessed holiday season.We have so much for which to be thankful, such as not living in a van down by the river.
