WHISKEY MADE TO ORDER (FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE)

OK... Every so often a gift comes along that is so supremely wondeful that I'm compelled to put it on a ridiculous wish list that I know I'll never get fulfilled. Don't tell anyone, but I once put a Breitling on my Amazon Wish List. Shhhh.

The other day, I stumbled across the web site Whisk(e)y Your Way, an innovative program for those who truly love whiskey.

I ask all you enthusiasts who love your hooch: Imagine developing your very own brand of whiskey and selecting each and every component that goes into it? The expert distiller at the site guides you through the process of developing the mash bill, the distillation specifics, the type of oak and level of char for your barrel and every other aspect of whiskey creation.

If customers choose, they may participate in preparing the wash, distilling and finally barreling the spirit. As it ages in the cask, buyers will be able to sample it as frequently as they wish, learning how the oak contributes to the finished whiskey.

When the hooch is sufficiently aged, they proof, bottle and label the contents of the barrel. The end result? You take home about 100 bottles of custom crafted, one-of-a-kind whiskey.

Find out the paltry price of the custom-made hooch after the jump...

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THE WHISKEY CHEAT SHEET

OK, guys... We all know that whiskey is a broad term for describing different variations of the spirit. Several regions and countries that make whiskey have their own distilling rules and regulations for the hooch to be considered official.

In the simplest of terms, whiskey is comprised of water, a grain and yeast (if you add hops to those three, you get beer), and is aged in oak casks. The way you manipulate these ingredients accounts for all of the different varieties.



So instead of being like Mikey in "Swingers" (above) and snagging "Any Glen...", check out this nifty cheat sheet that describes the subtle differences between this glorious giggle water.

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HER OTHER CHILDREN (poem)

HER OTHER CHILDREN
After working her shift, she barely
had enough energy to disrobe,
much less play with a toddler.
But it had to be done.

Once the boy was asleep, she'd
sneak downstairs to be with her
other children who waited
patiently for her each evening.

There wasn't a night that went
by that she didn't long for them
and there they were. Loyal.
Her three boys, in waiting.
Proudly.
Standing tall.
Handsome.

Some days Johnnie,
so spiffy in black,
would be the one to help
her through the rough patches
with that ever so cozy essence.

Jim, stoic and strong, said
little but packed a punch.
He usually came through
when she needed to see things
clearer than they appeared.

Ah, but Jack was her old standby,
her first born of sorts and
the one she ran to with the
most comfort and ease.

But by the end of the night,
she'd be drained by them.
They were sometimes too
much all at once, so after
a few hours, she'd wave
them off, until tomorrow.

Walking upstairs, she'd catch
a glimpse of herself in a cracked
hallway mirror and would
turn away before her reflection
angered her.

Little did she know her three
wise men took more of a toll
on her than that little guy
upstairs any day of the week.

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OH NO ... KNOB CREEK SHORTAGE

Fans of Knob Creek bourbon may find their favorite whiskey in short supply this summer as the brand's bottle warehouses near Clermont, Ky., are empty and the next batch of aged whiskey won't be ready until November.

Bourbon experts say the looming shortage is somewhat unusual, although brands such as Knob Creek, which is aged for nine years, are more susceptible because their distillers must predict demand far in advance.

"It's very difficult to forecast out nine-year demand," said Kelly Doss, senior director of U.S. bourbon and whiskey at Beam Global Spirits & Wine, which makes Knob Creek. "We can only sell what we can bottle and ship."

To read the rest of the story, click HERE.

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