Gaudete!

Happy 3rd week of Advent! We’re on the home stretch now!

I have recently become a fan of Scotch. I never thought I’d write a sentence like that before. But I did write it. And it’s true.

For Andy’s birthday this year, my mum gifted him a Scotch tasting event at a local liquor store. Since Darryl (the Scotch-loving friend) wasn’t in town, Andy invited me along. Now, before this event, I could say that I might have been able to tolerate it, but I definitely didn’t enjoy Scotch. However, I was open to learning more about it and changing my opinion if the circumstances warranted it.

To back up a bit, I have learned to drink hard liquors. Indeed, I was taught/encouraged by my Grandad (who passed away this summer). That man had a collection of liquors in his cupboard that would rival many, so he encouraged me to try his Benedictine and Brandy (commonly called B&B). That, my friends, is a fun introduction to the harder stuff. From there I found I could enjoy even a rum without a mixer, and a few other things. So this was my background going into the Scotch tasting. But Scotch, dearest people, is not so fun and flamboyant as B&B or even as rum can be. I’d say that compared to Mardi Gras, Scotch is more like Lent. But don’t go deep with that analogy, cause I’m sure it’ll break apart somewhere.

So, we went to the Scotch tasting. 7 different Scotchs from two different distilleries. We started with the Glenmorangie, from the Highland part of Scotland. Then we had the Ardbeg, from the small island in the south west called Islay. Mostly what I learned was this: Highland can be sophisticated and elegant. Ardbeg is more like the dirt floor of a pub from over a century ago. Andy likes the dirt, I like the elegant.

The man who gave the tasting is from the Ardbeg distillary, one of the few whose family had been a part of it for over 20 (50?) years. He gave a ton of history about Scotch and particularly about the island of Islay, which apparently is a God-forsaken island in which Scotch is its only redemptive feature.

It was a fun date we had. I learned a lot about Scotch that I never would have sought out to know on my own. And then we came home and I tried some of Andy’s that he has here. And I mostly enjoyed it. Then the Glenlivet Scotch went on sale, so we bought it, and I tasted it, and I liked it. And then. AND THEN. I saw that J&D made a Scotch & Bacon soap. Everything in my world went *click*. Angels. They started their singing. The dark bulb above my head, a light came out of it.

Scotch and bacon.

Scotch.

And.

Bacon.

Therefore, in spirit of such awesomeness, we are going to have a party in celebration of Scotch and bacon before Christmas with a few close friends. One friend has not started her journey into Scotch tasting, so she will be taking her maiden voyage with us and our four Scotchs (that we own between the rest of us).

This, dear people, is how I get through the tough times of parenting three little ones. The little jems in life that turn into awesome parties and make mighty good memories in and amidst the day-to-day. This is what contributes to Gaudete in life!