OK, so I never watched Lost. I don’t understand any of the banter that happened on my own blog site today. But I do understand that Hurley the lovable jerry curled pudgy dude spend 6 or 7 years on a desert island and never lost an ounce. My kids used to joke that he found a portal to McDonald’s and never told the rest about it. What really struck me was how totally into this show people are ( my brother included). They also seem to be quite sensitive about their guilty addiction. I was summarily panned last week when I said the show and its premise was stupid. Jeez People, lighten up, it’s just a stupid TV show. Its not like its M*A*S*H or something. So while my brother and the rest of the Lost Boys (and Girls) were all atwitter about the series finale of this confusing, and not just a little unbelievable show, I watched a rousing episode of King of the Hill and a couple of episodes of Chopped. Not life changing, but mindless entertainment that served me well. You know what else? I don’t watch PBS, I don’t listen to NPR, and I could give a damn about Shakespere. Yeah, I’ve read it, I even understand it, I just think its stupid.
So with that off of my chest I did have an absolutely wonderful drink as I was watching my episodes of Chopped. Now most people are familiar with Wild Turkey Bourbon, its 101 proof and smoky goodness, but there is another 101 proof drink that the folks over at Wild Turkey make and it is their version of Rye. A very well grounded, salt of the earth type drink that is what it is and doesn’t try to pretend its anything else…
Wild Turkey Rye is their version of this very traditional drink. The History of Rye is very interesting and I have already discussed it here. It is perhaps the most traditional of American spirits and its wonderful earthiness is experiencing somewhat of a resurgence nation wide.
The pour on this Rye Whiskey is a deep amber with telltale shades of brown that indicate its earthy qualities within. With a swirl around the glass it is a little bit leggy, but not overly so, and the mouthfeel reflects this. Medium bodied and not overly oily in viscosity this drink goes down smooth and has a big but relatively clean finish.
Neat
This rye drinks neat, but it really doesn’t open up without cooling and a little water. That said, neat this whiskey almost tastes like bourbon with a lot of the earthiness of the rye masked by the flavor of the corn in the mash and the alcohol. Not a bad flavor at all, but not totally rye flavor either. It has a very high spice and a big finish, but as I said before it is a clean finish that doesn’t linger on the palate, but does in the chest like you would expect of a 101 proof rye.
On The Rocks
Cooling this whiskey brings out the full bouquet of flavor with the earthy goodness of the rye grain and a floral quality all its own. It is unlike any other rye I have had and was quite a pleasurable experience.
With a Splash
Big and earthy this Rye holds up to water great. It cuts the proof a little and really begins to concentrate those floral qualities. This is a wonderful drink and one I highly recommend. At about $21 for a fifth it is quite affordable too. Next time you are out if you see this rye give it a go, you will not be disappointed.
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
Sounds like a good whiskey, Don. And Lost isn’t a “guilty addiction,” it’s just a very good TV show. You’re right that it’s not M*A*S*H or your beloved BJ and the Bear. It’s a different kind of thing that people who listen to NPR like. 🙂
It is a guilty addiction. We had two people “come out” on the blog last week as Lost watchers. If it wasn’t a “guilty Addiction” there would be no reason to come clean about watching it. It wasn’t until they felt comfortable that they were in like company that they began to banter like magpies. On my way home tonight I’m gonna listen to ESPN and then go home and clean my guns and count my ammo.
They didn’t “come out” as much as shared their plans to watch the finale. No guilt about it, no coming clean. You’re a little intense about this whole Lost thing, Don. It’s not like it competes directly with Man Vs. Food! Talk about a guilty pleasure…
There is nothing guilty about being intrigued by a guy that stuffs his gullet with so much grease and spice. That guy can pack it away!
True, true. You got me there, Don. Compelling stuff indeed.
It is compelling! You never know who will win. Man or Food?
Yes, and the religious undertones and dynamic plot turns keep you on the edge of your seat. Oh wait…
I’ve seen him pray before, and you never know about the potential for Anal Leakage! YOW!
Ha ha! You win this time, Don! I’d hate to be that guy’s toilet!
Don – how smart you were not to waste 122.5 +/- hours watching what ended up being a HUGE disappointment. I was so angry it took me an hour to calm down and fall asleep.
Don’t get me wrong it was a great show up until the last 10 or so minutes but I had hoped Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse would have kept their end of the bargain and not lied to us season after season denying they were dead or in some sort of purgatory which is basically what happened. They promised to answer my questions and they didn’t, after this final season I have more questions than ever. Those last few minutes makes me wish I had never defended Lost. J.J Abrams has “lost” a fan… I will never devote my time to another one of his t.v. shows.
I never followed the show outside of watching it, and always assumed they were in purgatory. You can imagine why I found the finale satisfying. But if I went into it with expectations that everyone wasn’t already dead, I imagine the finale would be maddening. I’d feel cheated, too.
Now you can boycott Fringe, which kinda sucks anyway.
Thank You. 🙂
Love the new pix…you guys look very Hollywood. You look like you should be hosting your own show on the Food Network about beer & whiskey.
Don – this weekend I plan to do my first bourbon shopping and Wild Turkey is definitely on the list.
Rob, You can’t go wrong with Wild Turkey. It is a very well made bourbon and it is very affordable. You won’t get some of the craftiness that you get from small batch bourbons, but it is very solid and the high proof brings out a lot of flavor from the barrel and spiciness that gives that great burn and finish on the palate and in the chest. It is a good one for sure. I like the pics too. I think it is nice to put a face with all these words back and forth.
I love your idea for a TV show, Rob. A lot. 😉 I think that’d be a lot of fun and help spread the word about all the great drinks out there.
I’ll have to put a pic of myself in my profile – if I can figure out how to do it.
BTW – I did get to try Rogues Dead Guy whiskey last weekend; it was very smooth, no bite and a nice sweetness which I’m guessing was from the malts used for their Dead Guy Ale.
Interesting Rob, because I had heard it was rather harsh, due to the fact it is only aged for one month. I’d like to give it a try too, but in these parts a bottle sells for about $55. That is a little rich for me. Still I wouldn’t mind having it in a bar somewhere.
I did have a few drinks in me before I tasted it so it could have been acid and it would have tasted good, ya know what I mean? It is steep, price-wise; I’m sure I would never buy it as there are so many less-expensive options.
go to gravatar.com and see if you can link it up with your Yahoo account, Rob. Mine is linked to my gmail, and my stupid picture seems to appear everywhere.
Thanks!
I see you now, Rob. Cool!