By Richard Thomas
One of the problems with being a real whisk(e)y enthusiast is justifying pulling the stopper out of the bottle. People have a pint of beer or a glass of wine with lunch all the time, but if you order a whiskey they look at you like you are a raging alcoholic. Whether it is disapproving stares or some other hurdle, here are plenty of ways to get around those difficulties and get to what you really want to do: drink more whiskey.
1. Ever Seen A Fat Whiskey Drunk? A shot of neat whiskey has zero fat and almost no carbs, two things that cannot be said about beer, wine or cocktails. You can enjoy that guiltless pour knowing it won’t show up on the scales later.
2. Whiskey Creates More Jobs: Making whiskey is a long, intensive process, and that means jobs. Compare it to vodka: you mash it like vodka, you distill it like vodka, you ship and distribute it like vodka, but in between there is this process called aging that uses oak barrels and more warehousing, creating jobs in timbering, coopering and construction. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry for Kentucky, Tennessee, Scotland and Ireland.
Is it any wonder that the Russian economy is in the toilet when they prefer vodka over whiskey? Drink some whiskey and grow the economy, stupid.
3. Whiskey Prevents Cancer: Whiskey has all the health benefits of red wine, only more so, including more of an acid that prevents cancer. Take two drams of scotch and call me in the morning.
4. It Won’t Go Off On The Shelf: A more than half-full bottle of whiskey degrades very slowly, so if you simply put the stopper back in and keep it out of direct sunlight, it will stay good for years. Fear of spoilage is no reason to postpone opening that bottle of rye on the shelf.
5. So Many Whiskeys, So Little Time: Just stop and think about all the whiskeys you know about, but haven’t tried. Then realize that there are hundreds, perhaps even thousands of quality expressions you’ve never even heard of. You have a lot of work to do, so stop procrastinating and drink your whiskey.
