Heya. Been a bit. There’s been a lot going on here. Lots of moving parts in our lives. Lots of things that have kept me from having the time and desire for this little vanity journal we started all those years back. Most, I will keep to myself, but I’ll be honest: one of the biggest deterrents has been the fact that I work in the world of whisky. I spend 40 hours a week talking whisky. And that’s before time dedicated to the clubs. And the events. And the random conversations with people. And all of that comes before the simpler pleasures like sharing a few drams with friends. That’s a lot of time spent talking about whisky, if you get me.
I’ve also spent the better part of the last couple years in school because I decided one day that I wanted to be a paramedic. As you can imagine, these career choices are somewhat incongruous. Well, they at least require a degree of separation. ‘Malt Medic’ isn’t really a profession, is it? We’ve likely all heard the apocryphal tales of Laphroaig evading the full brunt of prohibition as it was supposedly considered to have ‘medicinal’ properties, however I’ve yet to encounter a protocol that suggests Laphroaig as a treatment option. (Insert tagline: ‘Laphroaig… at least it’s not ivermectin’)
So, for a while, I’ll be splitting my time between proselytizing about ‘The Great Drink’ and sticking needles in people. Both are rad careers in their own right. I’m a lucky guy – and beyond grateful – to be able to voluntarily make a life decision like this so late the game. I love being on ambulance more than you can possibly imagine. And I love the idea of whisky being a part time gig, instead of so all encompassing. Win, win.
But no matter anyway, neither of those things should come between us and our time together now, friends. And to ensure it stays that way, I’ve pulled the ace (or Joker?) from my sleeve and am now laying it on the table. I figured every Batman needs his Robin; every Thelma, her Louise; and every Shrek, his Fiona. Me? I have an Aaron. Cue the A-A-ron references for that generation who prefer their ‘memes’ in the more old school verbal tradition. And why not? We do ‘round here. A-A-ron is coming aboard to share some local perspective (and inimitable flavour with oh-so-many pieces of flair, I’d imagine. There’s a bit of a quirk or two there, as you’ll see).
There won’t be social media updates from me, cause… well… social media. It’s a rather toxic cage we put ourselves in of late, and I don’t like to feed the beast. Aaron may have different intentions. That’s his prerogative and I’m a-ok with it. With the exception of maybe a quick Instagram message to say we’re opening shop again, you won’t hear much from me anywhere but here.
So, in this age of rather shortened attention spans and preference for video as the medium of public discourse, why are we trying to turn over the engine on this snarly old machine? Well, firstly, I firmly believe whisky is in an absolutely unprecedented historical time right now. There are things going on that should be acknowledged, analyzed, and discussed. Much in the world of whisky is very positive right now – in some ways it’s a golden age – but there is a lot going on that is not so great, too. In fact, it seems we’re watching the early stages of some sort of implosion, or at least indrawing. I am keen to engage with an audience on some of these things.
Secondly, I think that some things stand the test of time better than others. The written word remains. Will short internet clips? Maybe. Tough to say. But I’ve always been an old schooler. Not in the ‘afraid of change; we fear technology’ kind of way, but more just someone who has an appreciation for something more rooted in tradition and less… ephemeral, maybe? Fortunately, I know many of you feel the same. Hence the profound global appreciation for all things Springbank (and soon, Kythe). So, we’re priming the engine and filling the tank to start back down Distillery Road with you all. I don’t know where we’re going to end up, but the road is wide open in front of us, and I’m excited for the trip.
I (we) hope to see you girls and boys in the comments. I’d love to see some of our old commenters extraordinaire come back into the fold, but time is a cruel mistress, and I get they’ve likely largely moved on. That’s ok. This is, after all, just a collection of jottings that serves as my (now our) malt diary.
Fair warning: the site may be a bit chameleonic for a while as we find the new format and esthetic. Feel free to get comfy, but you can leave your shoes on through the construction phase. And finally, sincere apologies for the ads and garbage that permeated the site while I was ‘away.’ Should be fixed now.
With that behind us, please join me in welcoming Aaron, my Boy Wonder and the ogre that completes me, the man in the mad tangled locks and Dali ‘stache, into the fam. We’re gonna have a time, as they say out east.
Next post… a quick review of a Cambus or two. Then I think Aaron should take center stage and say hi in his first post.
Stay tuned. Thanks for spending time with us.
– ATW (Curt & Aaron)
All Things Whisky 