I'm one for a pretentious lifestyle*. I'm not even gonna lie about it. I live in a brownstone and my honey is truffle lavender infused. So all things considered, I should truly love Elements of Islay. The packaging is sublime**, it's conceptual and it probably tastes good (yeah I know, I'm judging a book/bottle by it's cover, beat it). But for some reason I can't get into it, it just seems too pretentious.

Whisky Magazine goes full force on the d-bag train by noting Cl1 as having an aroma of "seaweed and driftwood mingling with hay and a briny/rockpool"

I'm sorry, but seriously? seriously...SRSLY?

And that's not even the flavor, which contains "stewed pear", "smokiness", "edible seaweed", "hot sand", and a "brimful of personality"***.

So the seaweed is labeled as edible...but dudes you forgot to say if the brimful of personality was as well.

All in all, Elements of Islay is kinda like these guys****, they look intriguing, but they're better left alone.


*The answer is "No", because those baby shoes are fugly.
**So bad, but even worse is that I get the pun.
***Is this legal? It seems so wrong.
****Read the caption. It's pretty acccurate.

Things under a microscope reminds me of that Arrested Development episode, but this is nothing like that. This is whiskey under the 'scope. Pretty sweet. Looks like a Mcqueen pattern.

via. Kempt

Happy Anniversary to the amazing Jenna and Manik for sticking together for 4 years. Way to be! The couple spent the evening at Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco courtesy of moi, Keebs and Nell. If you aren't as lucky as Jenna and Manik to have such amazing friends that get them such amazing gifts (I actually got Nell this) to such amazing places, I still suggest you check the place out. It's dark, underground and speak-easy like...and they obviously have rye.

PIMMS PLEASE

I'm lounging in my roommates pleather chair (no joke it's the same), it's 329 degrees out, sweat drops are literally racing one another down my leg, it's disgusting right now in the East, and whenever i get up the chair and my butt make this suction thing...anyhow due to all these shitty factors I've been craving a Pimm's Cup (I know, I know it's not Rye, it's Gin based, get over it). Chow has a nice little recipe here. I've also been wanting to make homemade ginger ale, like this guy. Here's a basic one with pictures. Enjoy

Did I not learn anything as a kid? There's certain things that you learn once, and you're suppose to never do again. In my case, it's drinking Ol' Grand Dad. First time I projectile vomited on some lame-o chicks stairs and fell into it. That's one of those things you try to never do again. (FYI I didn't do this again). Then the other day I went to a bar, and they didn't have Canadian Club (yeah...I know we're back together), so what do I do? I go for the O.G.D. The aftermath was an unfortunate shit show.

Just because it's 100 proof, doesn't mean it's 100% your friend

Little Italy

I'm generally not one who enjoys mixed drinks.  I like my whisky straight or on rocks, an order which generally makes the men I'm drinking with a little nervous.  Anything too sweet or fruity is out of the question, Fizz, depending on my mood, may even be pushing it.
However, one day I was lucky enough to be invited to the RHUM RHUM ROOM, where I discovered a cocktail called the "Little Italy"... and I LOVED it!
I suggest all of you rye lovers give it a try - it's a refreshing beverage on a muggy day like today (to all you New Yorkers), and I am now obsessed with Cynar.

(Recipe HERE)

Uh...dream bar? Minus that whole thing of no girls allowed and all.

I'm a Canadian kind of gal. I mean that in actual blood (I'm on the left) and my choice of whiskey. It's also pretty sweet to feel like you're part of a club. That's why I drank Canadian Club (usually with ginger-ale, cause I'm a wussy). I feel like I have a bond with it, you know like we grew-up-on-the-same- block-and-had-a-paper-cup-telephone-line kind of bond? Then one day, C.C. meets a girl, C.C. joins varsity, I go to art school, C.C. gets into pong, I get into Ira Glass and we magically meet at a bar (he's there for hockey and I'm there for karaoke) and it's like nothing ever changed. We even sang "Don't Stop Believing" together, and did that thing where we say "be-weave" instead of "believe". And it's been great ever since...then today I saw C.C. in this ad...

...and I feel like I did when C.C. first ditched me way back in the 90's. I mean C.C. looks good in the ad...actually C.C. looks annoyingly hot in the ad, but I think it's time I find a better whiskey. One that'll never melt the ice, one that's stronger, and one that'll never exploit thier prior sexcapades through mass advertising!

Our "Rye" section is pretty bleak as of yet, so I figured I'd throw in an ol' time favorite to kick it off. It may not be a New "Yawk" deli, but when I'm craving some hot Jewish meat, I pretty much only go to one place...Hershel's East Side Deli in Philadelphia. (I won't even get into the other place...I kid...more like this.) Housed in Reading Terminal Market, Hershel's is a must when it comes to knish dogs, latkes and...

...Ruebens. Case and point is pretty much powned (pure + owned) by this photo courtesy of this Flickr account. Check out the hefty layers of corned beef, and that crispy rye, with the perfect pickle. Damnnnnnn this rueben had got it going on!

Hershel's East Side Deli

Reading Terminal Market

12th & Arch St

Philadelphia, PA