Today's Shoes

Gravati cap-toe double monkstraps in forest green suede (Gravati calls it moon suede because of the spots that are all over it) with a storm welt and a rubber lug sole (15847, 671 last). Would you believe me if I told you that these were actually fairly conservative shoes? No? Well, you should. In any event, one of the features of these shoes is the treatment that Gravati has given the seams. Instead of just having raw edges of suede, they have added a thin strip of piping in a forest green calf at every seam. It's very subtle, but it's an example of why Gravati is such an excellent shoemaker.

Last Night's Tipple

At this point, it's really not a good idea for me to go to the liquor store with the intent of just browsing and picking up something interesting. I'm running out of space to store bottles of whisk(e)y. I suppose that I could drink more and so go through bottles faster, but this doesn't seem like a particularly healthy alternative. So I've started to try to impose more buying discipline; to wit, I try to go to the liquor store looking for something in particular. If it's there, I buy it. If it isn't, then I buy nothing. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way, but the flesh is weak. Anyway, I went to Spec's on Saturday looking for the long-awaited Russell's Reserve Rye or one of the members of the recently-released 2007 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Alas, there was no BTAC; but there was some Russell's Reserve Rye.

You will recall that Russell's Reserve Bourbon started out as something of tribute to Jimmy Russell, Wild Turkey's long-time master distiller. The marketing folks got a hold of it, gussied up the packaging, and morphed it into a sort of secondary label for Wild Turkey, one whose primary audience is composed of yuppies who might otherwise consume Maker's Mark. Whatever -- the Bourbon is good, so who cares about the brand image? I would prefer it if it were still at 101 proof, but I'll still buy it. Noticing the rye revival and the success of such premium rye bottlings as Baby Sazerac and Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, Austin Nichols apparently decided to expand the Russell's Reserve brand by introducing Russell's Reserve Rye. Like Russell's Reserve Bourbon, it's bottled at 90 proof, although it is only 6 years old (just like Baby Sazerac) where the Bourbon is 10 years old. It's priced at a bit under $25 a fifth, also just like Baby Sazerac. Guess which rye Austin Nichols envisioned this one primarily competing with?

The regular Wild Turkey rye bottling is racy and spicy. It screams out, "I am a rye whiskey," and only after sitting in the glass for a while do I notice the vanilla and caramel notes that aging in (heavily-toasted) charred oak barrels produce. Those notes are much more evident in Russell's Reserve Rye, probably because it's aged two years more than the standard bottling. At the same time, there is no doubt that it's a rye, and, furthermore, that it's a Wild Turkey rye. I can't really describe it, but Wild Turkey Rye is distinctive in a way that no other whiskey I've had is distinctive. Russell's Reserve Rye shares that distinction. Very good whiskey, and a very good value.

(Yes, I know that the picture above is of the Russell's Reserve Bourbon, not the rye. I couldn't find a picture of the rye, but the packaging looks almost identical to the Bourbon.)

Bad Accents in Film

American Gangster, which opened this weekend, appears from the trailers that I have seen to have a decent chance of being interesting and entertaining; and Russell Crowe may turn in a very good performance. But I don't think that accents are his forte. Him doing a New York accent is almost as bad as Kevin Costner doing a British accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Today's Shoes

Alden long wing bluchers in Color #8 shell cordovan with reverse welting and double leather soles (model 975, Barrie last). Alas, there can be no doubt now: they are too big in the heel.

Last Night's Tipple

Ben evidently decided that the bottle of Old Forester 86 that he bought and hated was just too vile to remain in his presence any longer, so he brought it with him to Houston this weekend and unloaded it on me. He also gave me a barely-tasted bottle of 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, which he also thinks is execrable. I happen to love that Bourbon, so Ben's taste in spirits is already somewhat suspect in my book. I wanted to determine if he is fully or only partially cracked, though, and so I had a pour of the Old Forester 86.

It's very interesting on the nose: I pick up cocoa, black walnuts, and mushrooms; and the fact that I do is unusual. I'm not one of those tasters who can smell and taste every food product under the sun in a glass of wine or whisk(e)y. Most of what I detect are the elements that hit me over the head. Atomic Fireballs in a rye-heavy Bourbon is about as exotic as I tend to get. In any event, while I could smell cocoa, black walnuts, and mushrooms in the Old Forester, they were muted. It reminded me of a Canadian Whisky in that respect. On the palate, it was a bit green-tasting and thin. I didn't think that it was the best Bourbon that I've ever tasted, but it certainly isn't vile. I think that 100 proof version would be better. Ben is only three quarters cracked.

Today's Shoes

Vass wingtip bluchers in Color #8 shell cordovan with double leather soles (Banana last). Vass shoes are supremely comfortable, and I'm not entirely sure what accounts for it. Obviously, their lasts fit my feet very well, particularly in the heel, which is where I have most of my trouble with my shoes. They also have non-trivial amounts of arch support, which also helps. I'm not sure if there are other construction features that enhance comfort -- so far as I know, the manner of construction is the same as any other welted footwear (except that these are hand-welted instead of machine-welted). Whatever the reasons for their comfort, I know that any time I have to be on my feet for a substantial portion of the day, I will wear some of my Vass shoes.

Last Night's Tipple

Just as more Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye and Pappy Van Winkle 20 year old has recently come on the market in Houston, so too has more Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon shown up in the various liquor stores that I frequent. It's about $42 a fifth; and although it's not nearly as rare as the rye or the Pappy 20, it will likely be gone for several months when it sells out. So the obvious question presented itself: should I buy more so that I will have some in the bunker when my current bottle runs out? There is no denying the fact that this is an outstanding Bourbon and one of the finest exemplars of the wheated style of Bourbon available. It's also $42 a fifth. It's just not a good value to me, despite its quality. Had it been the Pappy 15, I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat. That's one of the most sublime spirits that I have ever had, and it's only $3 more a fifth than this. But while this is good, it is certainly not sublime; and I have too much Bourbon to spend that kind of money and use up more space on something that I don't feel strongly about. Anyway, my current bottle is now almost gone, and I really have nothing new to write about the way it tastes.

The Iniquity of Today's Youth

When Big E arrived back home Wednesday night after Trick Or Treating and was sorting his haul, I asked him for a packet of Smarties because Smarties, as everyone knows, are the world's perfect Halloween candy. "What are Smarties?" he asked. I pointed them out to him; and he said, "Here, take them all. I don't like them anyway." Can you believe it? A child so depraved that not only does he not know what Smarties are but also doesn't like them? Mamacita, what have you done to this boy?

Today's Shoes

Day

Vass three-eyelet side-lace shoes in burgundy calf with single leather soles (P2 last). Vass calls this model the Hunter's Goyser, which should give you an indication about how they see this shoe made up: on the Budapest last in Scotch-grain calf with a reverse welt. I was going for more of a city shoe and something to emulate a side-lace Cleverley bespoke model that I've seen. To be honest, it didn't really work. It's a nice enough shoe, but I'd probably have to go with Cleverley or Tony Gaziano really to get the look I'm looking for.

Evening

Gravati Chelsea boot in tobacco suede with single leather soles (16366, 655 last).

Last Night's Tipple

After my Atomic Fireball experience with Bulleit two nights ago, I decided to see whether I could get the same sort of character after a straight rye. Bulleit is, of course, a rye-heavy Bourbon; and Old Grand-Dad, the other Bourbon that I've gotten the Atomic Fireball thing from, is rye-heavy, too. So, the inescapable conclusion is that it's the rye influence that produces cinnamon aromas and flavors. Therefore, one would think that a straight rye, which has more rye in the mashbill than a rye-heavy Bourbon, would have more cinnamon aromas and flavors. I may have to taste my way through my ryes again, but I got nothing of cinnamon out of Baby Sazerac last night. It's unmistakably a rye whiskey -- it has the spicy notes that scream, "I'm a rye!" -- but the spiciness isn't cinnamon. I have no explanation for that, other than to say that American whiskey is a vast and intriguing world.