Springtime In The Smokies - Meet Report - Page 2

montypython · #16 04-28-2001, 09:57 AM

I'm finally able to post to the board

Since we got back from the Smoky's meet I've been away on business and for some reason when I tried to post using my laptop I got an "insufficient storage" message. Oh Well.
Anyway we arrived back home at about 5:00pm Monday after a leisurely drive back. Sorry we missed you all for breakfast but we got an early start and drove via Nashville and then spent some time in the Land Between the Lakes just south of Paducah. It was interesting to see what you colonials have to do to control the rivers.
We spent Sunday night somewhere between Paducah and Mount Vernon before driving home on Monday.
By the way, the CLEAR winner of the whisky taste off was Talisker, although I might be accused of being a touch biased.
Thanks to everyone for making it a great weekend, especially to Bill and Abbie for taking the time to organize the meet and for the hospitality on Friday evening.

Total miles driven - 1,787
Best gas mileage - 27.1
Worst gas mileage - 22.82
Overall gas mileage - 25.57

Cost of gas to Tennessee and back - $125.88
A bottle of Talisker to kick Jack's and Blanton's butt - $38
Oil change with Mobil 1 after the trip - $30.50
A weekend with fellow SVX'ers - Priceless

svxxx26 · #17 04-28-2001, 10:21 AM

Colin, it was great meeting you and your wife. You guys have a very beautiful SVX also.

It was nice to have someone around that could appreciate our vanity plate, too!

Aredubjay · #18 04-28-2001, 01:16 PM

<<A bottle of Talisker to kick Jack's and Blanton's butt >>

Ahem! Only if you like the taste of seaweed. Seaweed! Can you believe it?!?!?! Seaweed!

"Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam! I don't like spam!!!"

svxistentialist · #19 04-28-2001, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aredubjay
<<A bottle of Talisker to kick Jack's and Blanton's butt >>

Ahem! Only if you like the taste of seaweed. Seaweed! Can you believe it?!?!?! Seaweed!

Randy
Laphraoig is the king of the seaweed/iodine genre, not Talisker, but these west coast[of Scotland!] whiskies have serious medicine in their water.
Stick with Lagavulin, it doesn't get any better.

Tell me about Blanton's. Who makes it? Is it a product of a big distillery group? Is it as good as Jim Beam? I am intrigued.

Joe

PS: Customs control allowing, mail me a bottle, I will send you a bottle of Powers Special Reserve 12 years old. Can do??

svxter · #20 04-28-2001, 06:52 PM

Gee, Joe, since we tasted both Laphraoig and Taliskers, I guess we shouldn't have to worry about goiter for a bit, since we've gotten our dose of iodine

. You know, of course, that this means everyone will expect to see a certain Irishman, Lagavulin in hand, at the 10th anniversary meet.

Colin - glad to know you & Irene are home safely. It was a real pleasure to meet you, and all the other SVX folks. I'm surely looking forward to the next time.

PS. Thanks for the pictures, and the Spam song. Priceless, indeed.

Aredubjay · #21 04-28-2001, 08:32 PM

Joe,
Below, is the link to Blanton's website -- much more info than you wanted to know, I'm sure.

I find Blanton's to be far superior to Beam, though I've never had the "small batch" Beam, so, I wouldn't be comparing "apples to apples."

I am partial to the Wild Turkey line of products, though, I also find Blantons, as a "sippin' whiskey" to be superior to the Turkey products, including their "Rare Breed" which is their single barrell offering.

http://www.blantonsbourbon.com/home_page.htm

svxistentialist · #22 04-29-2001, 04:45 AM

Thanks Randy

I am checking this out.

Joe

#23 04-29-2001, 03:08 PM

Here is the final cut I ended up with after editing 30 minutes of video:

http://homepage.mac.com/johnrowe/

I hope you enjoy it.

-John

immortal_suby · #24 04-29-2001, 06:43 PM

John,
That was awesome.
I want more!!

Thanks again for the CD - I hope you put the movie on the next one.

Aredubjay · #25 04-29-2001, 07:59 PM

John, if you'll excuse my EXTREME candor, that just kicks ever-lovin' ass!!! And I'm not a Willie Nelson fan, by any means, but . . . dang, I don't know if you could've found a better cut of music! Kudos and many thanks. Since I decided not to go back to the Yahoo club, I couldn't remember if I listed you when talking about people when I returned. It's been bothering me. If I left you out, my deepest apologies. It's just that you were so darned quiet

. The video, however is thunderous. Thanks again. Excellent!!!

svxistentialist · #26 04-30-2001, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by svxter
Gee, Joe, since we tasted both Laphraoig and Taliskers, I guess we shouldn't have to worry about goiter for a bit, since we've gotten our dose of iodine . You know, of course, that this means everyone will expect to see a certain Irishman, Lagavulin in hand, at the 10th anniversary meet.

Colin - glad to know you & Irene are home safely. It was a real pleasure to meet you, and all the other SVX folks. I'm surely looking forward to the next time.

PS. Thanks for the pictures, and the Spam song. Priceless, indeed.

Bill

I wouln't expect any of you multi-posting individuals to succomb to rusting of the voicebox or any other speech related ailments, but keep takin' the medicine, with or without the iodine.

Yeah, and if I can make the meet, you can count on the bottle.

Joe

jscorse · #27 04-30-2001, 11:16 AM

John,
What format is that in? I get only up to the People part then it stops! Wow! Wow! Wow I love what I see. We need this to advertise the meets!!!! I'd like to be able to see the whole thing. Quicktime seems to be having problems on my machine.

I love what I see so far. Can you post this on your SVX site as a standalone file?

- Jeff

svxter · #28 04-30-2001, 02:39 PM

John

I'm speechless ( a rare condition for me

). The video is absolutely fantastic. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

svxistentialist · #29 05-17-2001, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aredubjay
Joe,
Below, is the link to Blanton's website -- much more info than you wanted to know, I'm sure.

I find Blanton's to be far superior to Beam, though I've never had the "small batch" Beam, so, I wouldn't be comparing "apples to apples."

I am partial to the Wild Turkey line of products, though, I also find Blantons, as a "sippin' whiskey" to be superior to the Turkey products, including their "Rare Breed" which is their single barrell offering.

http://www.blantonsbourbon.com/home_page.htm

Randy,
Just got a reply from the UK distributor, the email address on their site was wrong, I had to Google to get the proper one. I can not believe the price he quotes. See below:

<<However, in the mean time if you want to have Blanton's, I might be able to arrange you a delivery for you in Ireland. The minimum order is 6 bottles due to the transportation costs involved.

Blanton's has two qualities, the Original which is GB£55 a bottle and the Gold which is GB£75 a bottle. I send you attached the picture of both.

The Gold is 51.5% alcohol, but fantastic and with a bit of water it has incredible bouquet. Almost cognac like. Connoisseurs prefer the Gold. The Original, 46.5% alcohol, is a very nice, less refined, more wood and power, and more Bourbon like.>>

These prices are seriously expensive. The Original translates to over £70 Irish, which is approx $79. The Gold comes to £96 Irish, which converts to about $108. While I appreciate it is probably a premium product, I would be expecting a price about half this or less. Is it this price in Kentucky, or has sombody got their marketing wires crossed?

Joe

Aredubjay · #30 05-17-2001, 01:58 PM

Joe, I paid approximately 52.00 USD for the bottle I took with me to Tennessee. It was not the "Gold." It can be had for less (35-40 USD from some of the online vendors). So, I suppose prices, with transport and such are in line.

By the same token, I am sometimes surprised at the price of Scotch, here. Though the Taliskers seemed reasonable at (I believe) around 35.00, according to Colin, I shiver at paying around that price for something called "Sheep Dip." Some of the "rarer" Scotches reach the 150.00 range . . . and up.

I'm sure that much of Blanton's cost is tied up in its extravagant packaging. One opens the box to find an embroidered brown velvet bag with gold draw chords. From out of the bag sprouts the custom stopper: a sculptured jockey atop a thoroughbred in full run. The base of the stopper is sealed onto the neck of the bottle with gold sealing wax from which two small gold tabs protrude for easy removal of the wax. Peel off the bag and find a faceted orb of a bottle. The label is simplistic: script type on parchment. But, what makes the label unique are the blanks. There are blanks for "dump date" "proof" when "dumped" and others. These blanks are filled in by hand with a brown ink "flair" pen and signed by the master distiller who did the "dumping." All in all, the packaging is as beautiful as the flavor of the bourbon.

Now, if you'll excuse me, after that description, I'm going to need a julip.