Simple Living

This is something new.  Coca Cola x Jack Daniels collab.  I read this was first released in 2022 in Mexico and was then made available in Japan this year 2023.  The Japanese version appears to be stronger at 7% and it tastes like a milder version of a regular Jack & Coke.  I would have preferred a stronger mix, not sure why it can’t be higher as there are liquers like Malibu Rum that’s 21%.  But maybe there are rules that don’t allow higher alcohol? Overall?  It’s nice.  I’d likely want to spike it with an extra shot of Jack, but to each their own. Would I buy this again?  Not really.  It’s more a novelty.

Wanted a nice whisky and thought I try a Japanese one while I’m in Tokyo.  Picked up the Chita Whisky at 7-Eleven. It’s a single grain 100% corn and it’s sweet like a bourbon as you’d expect with corn liquor.  Nose is pleasant and it has some mouthfeel.  But when I look at Suntory I think of scotch so it’ll take some getting used to. Still it’s pleasant.  Not sure if I’m ready for a bourbon style from Suntory as I’m partial to Wild Turkey 101.  But it’s good so worth a try. This is definitely worth a try.

My passport expired and needed a rush same day.  I was able to secure an appointment at the Passport Office in El Paso.  Trip in from Dallas was a bit bumpy with turbulence but otherwise this is an okay destination. Passport - Yes Same Day - 6 hours from 7:30 am appointment to 1pm pick up Not much to do in downtown so I stayed near my hotel.  Maybe in a future visit I’ll venture around El Paso.  For now it was focused on getting my passport.  I did have half a day after my passport appointment and looked around a bit.  They were able to get the passport to me same day by 1 pm so in total took about 6 hours from my 7:30 am appointment time.  I got called at 9 am for my interview number and noticed others who were ahead of me all got called at 1 pm as well to get their same day passport. They said they would call me if it finished early which they did.  Otherwise they said to show up at 2 pm.  The El Paso Passport office closes at 3 pm. So if you’re staying at a hotel overnight nearby th

The door has opened for me to the world of Red Wine's and I'm starting to appreciate the nuances and why it can be appealing to enjoy a nice glass of wine. I still have a lot to learn and for now have graduated from $4 Trader Joe's to $13 Malbec's and now venturing into the $40 options.  There is obviously a huge difference between these price points and unfortunately, I haven't found much in the $20-30 range as they all taste about the same as the Malbec. Thus far most $40 wines I've tried have been amazing and I even tried a $90 Cabernet that was just wow, but too pricey to become a habit so I'll settle for $40-50 wines as I still hunt for decent $20-30 choices to curb my budget. My choices at $40-50 all 2019 vintage Caravan Darioush Amici Royal Prince So far the Amici was the best, followed by the Royal Prince.  Caravan was nice too. I'm finding I prefer a more dry taste or those with lower tannin bitterness.  The dryness helps offset for any bitter t

Got my Taco 🌮 fix and decided to enjoy Labor Day by knocking back a frozen Margarita.  It was $12.99 for the Margarita which cost me more than the Taco Plate. I was able to finish it and get pretty buzzed.  Next time, I’ll try the smaller size.

Cant beat the $7 Happy Hour specials at Bottled In Bond in Frisco.  The Old Fashioned is not part of that deal and was acceptable, but I prefer Legacy West's Old Fashioned. Bottled In Bond uses Evan Williams for their Old Fashioned. This place is a nice spot to chill, but parking is limited and can fill up quick due to the Happy Hour specials.  Old Fashioned Rating = 6/10

I’ve tried several places seeking a good Old Fashioned and thus far the best has been at the 2nd floor bar in Legacy Hall in Plano. I’ve had better, but they cost way more than the $11 version they serve here.  They use Old Forrester for their liquor and I found it the perfect balance of sweet without relying on too much sugar or syrup. They also have a brewery here called Unlawful Assembly and they have some delicious dark beers.

Was at an event at the Dallas Star in the Concrete Cowboy and enjoyed a couple drinks.  I’m always on the lookout for a good Old Fashioned and I tried their rendition called a Bold Fashioned that uses Angel Envy Bourbon. It’s quite strong, but balanced and smooth.  Although, my preference is for something a bit sweeter.

I was able to pick up a bottle of Yamazaki 12 year Single Malt Whisky from Suntory.  I remember people used to say this sold for cheap back in the day for the price of Johnnie Walker Black Label sells for today.  I had a chance to taste it over the years and was looking for a bottle for quite some time. I got it as a gift so I’m going to wait for a good day to savor it.    

Not really a true Cuba Libre (Rum N Coke)...lacking the garnish, but not bad either.  The coconut really is evident and you can drink this on the rocks without cola, but a 1 part cola to 2 parts run is not bad either. The Malibu Rum Black was on sale for $10 so I decided to grab it.  I’m partial to dark rums from Bacardi, Malibu is not a bad choice. At same time, I’ve learned Malibu Rum is not really a rum.  It’s more a liqueur with some rum.  It has quite an interesting history and was a rebranded drink previously called Coco Rico.  The inventor of Bailey’s marketed it as Malibu and rescued the brand. Update - 2/14/21 I’ve been enjoying Malibu Rum on the rocks.  It’s very sweet on its own.  The best part, a dram of whisky is much more enticing after imbibing this sweet liqueur. Would I buy this again though?  Probably not.  It's too sweet for my taste.

I sometimes get some interesting gifts and one friend likes to introduce me to new whisky's.  She knows my preference for more peaty malts and surprised me with this box set. The three whisky's: Caol Ila 12 - an Islay and famous for being part of the Johnnie Walker Blend. Clynelish 14 - a Highland and also part of the Johnnie Walker Blend. Talisker 10 - Isle of Skye and another peaty malt. So far I've opened up the Talisker 10 and was pleasantly surprised by both its nose and palate.  It's a decent peaty single malt, not as heavy as an Islay like Laphroig, but certainly close to my next point of reference Johnnie Walker Black. I look forward to sampling them all and learning more about these new malts.  

Replenished stock with some Jameson.  I've acquired a taste for it and find it quite easy to drink.  It's become a staple along with Johnnie Walker Red, Black and Wild Turkey 101.

Lockdown has given me more time to enjoy my past time and so far this year I’ve had: Johnnie Walker Black 1.75L Kirkland Blended Scotch 1.75L Wild Turkey 101 Jim Beam Black Velvet Bacardi White Rum Jameson Balvenie 12 Dalmore 12 Highland Park 12 All my usual suspects and for the final months of 2020, I’d like to try at least one more single malt and a mix of bourbons, blended scotch, another bottom shelf surprise and maybe a gin or vodka. Possible choices: Oban 14 Maker’s Mark Cutty Sark Johnnie Walker Red I'm trying to keep only 3-4 bottles at a time as I generally can consume a full bottle within a month.  The larger 1.75 L help me better pace myself.  At same time, it gets boring drinking the same thing and having some variety in a single malt, a blend and a bourbon make things interesting. I'd also like to add a cognac, rum and other spirits as I get a better understanding and appreciation.