Talisker 10 Year

photoDeep and stormy like the ocean crashing over the rocky shores of its island distillery, Talisker is the only Single Malt Scotch Whisky rugged enough to call the Isle of Skye its home. This is how Talisker describes itself and it and it’s pretty accurate.

While looking for something new to drink I spotted the bottle of Talisker 10 year at my local shop. It ended up sitting on the shelf for about a year or so until recently when I was trying to decide what to drink and I remembered an article I had read. Recently, at the International Wine and Spirit Competition, Talisker 10 year had been rated one of the top 18 bottles of scotch in the world. I decided it was time to open it and see what all the fuss was about.

The look is light to pale gold. With the first breath the nose of this scotch brings to mind the sea, lots of smoke. A second deep breath brings in more smoke and a hint of floral and pepper. It has a fairly light mouth feel and the taste begins with a good mix of sweet to sour flavor with peat and smoke. The finish has been described as medium-long but I tend to think it is more on the short to medium side with the pepper and spices coming in with a hint of honey.

If you like your scotch to fall almost directly in between the light and rich side and high up on the smoke and peat side then this one is for you. I prefer mine on the rocks but it is equally as good neat.

 

Brand: Talisker

 

Website: http://www.malts.com/taliskerwhisky/index.html

 

Bottling: 10 Year

 

Region: Isle of Sky

 

ABV: 45.8%

 

Rating: 8.5/10 Pints

 

Top Notch Service and Quality

Top Notch Service and Quality

Living in South Florida, sunshine and beaches make a perfect back drop for cruising.  Not too many things top the feeling of lighting up a cigar and cruising in my 1974 Chevrolet K5 Blazer, formally known as “Nita.”  During Nita’s restoration, I had a heavy burden weighing on my mind; approximately 225 pounds to be exact.  In order for me to enjoy the splendor of all the natural beauty Florida has to offer, I had to remove the top of the truck.  Made of fiberglass, glass windows, and reinforced steel, lifting this top off the truck can be quite a burden.   If you think it is hard to convince your friends to get off the couch now, try convincing them to get off the couch and help you lift a heavy, awkwardly shaped top off your truck.   To quote a little Donnie Brasco, “Forget about it.”

Truck 1   Truck 3   Truck 2

     Fortunately the sun shines on a dog’s ass and I was blessed with a solution; Www.SoftTopper.com out of Boulder, Co.  Offering aftermarket soft tops for a variety of auto makers, the tough durable material was a perfect substitute for my heavy hard top.  What normally would have taken me about 10 minutes, coordination with friends, a case of beer and potential back injury has been quickly reduced to approximately 2 minutes of hassle free top removal.  The top also adds a little flare to the old girl.  There are three options for cruising with this top on your cruiser.

     Full Top On:                                     Rolled Up:                                      Top Down:

Truck 4   Truck 5   Truck 6

During my purchase the people from Soft Topper were great.  Before I made the purchase I emailed the folks at Soft Topper just to alleviate some of the concerns I had with purchasing the top.   The responses were quick and to the point.  This gave me more confidence in making the purchase from them.  Not to mention the shipping was pretty quick coming from Colorado to Florida.

After having this top installed for the last eight (8) months I can honestly say it has been one of my best purchases for my K5.  I highly recommend considering this canvas top if for nothing less than the convenience of quick top removal.  To top things off, the awesome customer service does not stop after they have your cash.  They are available to help you with any of your top concerns; all you have to do is give them a buzz.  I misplaced a few parts associated with my top.  I called and the folks at Soft Topper sent me replacement parts free of charge!  This is one of those rare cases where the high quality of the service is matched by the high quality of the product.

Gentlemen save your backs, your time and your beer!  Grab yourself a Soft Topper.

Name: Soft Topper                                                      Truck 7

Location: Boulder, Colorado

Cost: $849.00

Website:  WWW.SOFTTOPPER.COM

Rating: 5 pints (Out of 5)

Toilet Talk

Matt Damon

Its 9 a.m., you arrive to work and your morning cup of java is finally starting to kick in.  You prepare for your mandatory 8 hours of mind-numbing meetings, forced awkward coworker interaction, and day dreams of the nonsense you would participate in if only you had won the lottery last Wednesday. Then, your stomach starts to gurgle like a cauldron.  Hoping it is going away, you soon realize this bubbly symptom is a precursor to “business time”.  You make your way to the closest bathroom.  Busting down the door like the ATF, you commandeer a commode and prepare for expeditious removal of the demon. Settling in to the exorcism, you hear the familiar creaking of a door opening when a voice comes blaring through your ear drums.  Thus begins the toilet chatter that you knowingly avoid but fall victim to due to your current housing location.    Taking the time to learn from this jibber jabber, you listen in to hear the top 5 worst phrases commonly spoken while using the john.

 

Number 5: “How’s it hanging?”

 

Gents, you are not Jim Carey, this is not “Liar Liar,” and it most definitely is not 1997!  Needless to say, asking a guy whilst his junk is exposed, “How’s it hanging,” will only land you in the corny category, potentially resulting in lunch breaks being spent in solitary confinement.

 

Number 4: “This is crappy!”

 

In relation to crapper-chatter, when is it ever cool to whisper sweet nothings between stalls? Unless your bathroom is set up like the Marines’ bathroom in Jarhead, keep your teeth touching and stay focused on the prize.  As a man, if you are in a stall, you’re taking a number two.  This phrase makes the victim feel slightly disgusted as they are performing their natural duty.   Did I mention that this phrase will also land you in corny category?

 

Number 3: “Wow. Full House

 

The phrase “Full House” is in no way, shape, or form, a reference to poker or a popular family T.V. show broadcasted in the 90’s.  This is when a violator makes it his mission to put everyone using the bathroom on high alert that all the stalls are flashing “No Vacancy.”  Obviously beaten to his bowl of choice, he is left to exit the bathroom in search of another free seat.  Often spiteful, this phrase reflects the shunned violators’ frustration and slides them into the next category of, “That Guy.”   “That Guy,” usually refers to a person, who continually does things that will annoy and or piss you off to no end. Commonly mistaking himself as funny, “That Guy” is a habitual offender of most things bathroom etiquette.

 

 

Number 2:  “Brr, waters cold.

 

So, you’re feeling like having a pissing match at the urinal? Be prepared for the guy who feels like the only way to win, the only way to assert his dominance, is to proclaim that the temperature of the water is too cool for comfortable urination.  While perpetuating the idea that our heavenly father used just a little more clay when making him, he is in turn attempting to solicit laughter from you based on his assumption of your inferiority.  This phrase, when said during even flow, spirals down a gauntlet of violations including: soliciting engagement at a urinal while sober, attempting junk joke where junk is exposed, and more serious violation, sharing unwanted knowledge of one’s Cyclops.  Besides, if this were his current situation, being that he could somehow know the knowledge of the water through touch, then that would conclude our violator has bathed his lizard in the waterfalls of a porcelain American Standard.  Gross.

 

 

Number 1: “It smells like shit in here”

 

This is possibly the most annoying phrase used when entering a bathroom. This phrase immediately shoots you up the ladder of idiocy to the high position of Captain Obvious. I won’t bombard you with how idiotic or obvious this is because talking about it is already a waste in it-self.  If this person is going to the bathroom, they should be fully aware of the practical day-to-day uses.  As we all know, taking a shit smells like shit.  The unpleasantness of the scent need not be further discussed.  Basking in “Ode de Refuse” is punishment enough.

 

Remember gents, we do not live in the 90’s, being “That Guy” is not that good, and being a captain is cool if you are not obvious.  So, move in silence, free yourself of duty and enjoy the relief.