Decided to try all of the scotches I have in the house tonight and give a little description and then rank them. Sounded like fun.

First soon Johnny Walker Select Casks: Rye Cask Finish.

I like the nose. I like Johnny Walker. I like Rye Whiskey, but I don’t like this. Very disappointing whisky. Odd aftertaste. D

Second is a cheap 200ml of scotch I tried on sale, Marshall aged 12 year blended scotch whisky.

Not much on the nose. Whiskey includes some malt and grain whisky. Tastes a bit hot even at 80 proof. Meant to get you drunk cheap. Meh. C-

McIvor Finest Scotch Whiskey. Ok blended whisky. One I’ve had for a while and drank slow. It’s not bad for budget scotch. Nose is pretty mellow, taste is pretty mellow. C+

Dewar’s White Label, dollar nip in Connecticut. Nice nose, pretty smooth drink. Quite nice for a buck. Tempted to try more Dewar’s. B-

Chivas Regal 18 year Gold Signature. Good value for a $2 nip. I definitely wouldn’t pay $70 for it. There are so many other better whiskies for less. It’s nice but not amazing. B- It is much richer than the Dewar’s White Label though. I’m getting a vanilla note.

Loch Lomond 12 Single Malt Scotch Whisky. New bottle, honestly disappointed. Wishing I went for an Eagle Rare Store Pick for a couple bucks more. It’s okay but not going to be a repeat purchase. Feels nicely warming though. C

Ardbeg 10. Really been looking forward to this one. Much mellower nose than the Laphroaig 10. I am smelling a nice light smoke though. Really nice mouthfeel. Honestly more notes than the Laphroaig. This is definitely nice. A

I think after trying 8 scotches my nose is a bit altered. The Laphroaig 10 feels more muted than I am used to. Again a really nice finish. This one makes me happy. A+

This was fun. Pretty much as expected except for the Loch Lomond. Planning to include the Johnny Walker Rye in a disappointment blind flight with Old Granddad 114, Old Tub and Elijah Craig Small Batch and Old Overholt Rye.

I think I can officially call myself a Smoky Scotch Islay scotch whiskey fan.

My phone died yesterday at work. I was able to use it in the morning, but not at lunch. And it hasn’t worked since.

Strangely, except for my commute it’s been nice.

I’ve been spending a lot of time playing games like Disney Heroes: Battle Mode.

If I do want to read outside on a beautiful day, or even just pay attention to NASCAR or an NBA game, it’s best if I leave the phone in another room.

It’s feels like our pocket computers are trying to talk to us.

Usually, I have a chance twice a year to totally disconnect at Twilight Covening and Rites of Spring. They are deep in the Berkshires, and I can’t even get cell phone range. I really enjoy the break. And being away from the town and the city I hear so many different things.

Instead, of hearing cars on the road, I hear water in the stream. Or the sound of kids laughing. Or people having a great conversation. And I feel so much more open.

This year has been a weird one.

Oddly, I am looking forward to having a cell phone less weekend.

Our pocket computers are so addictive.

As is the social media and everything else.

We really do need the occasional reset.

I have so many mixed throughs about 9-11-2001 now 19 years later. 

It really hurt when it happened. 

Where I grew up in Skillman, NJ, I could see the World Trade Center on a clear day from the top.of Grandview Road. 

It wasn’t that far away as the crow flies. 

When I would go with my parents to New York City on the New Jersey Turnpike often to go to a place like the American Museum of Natural History, the World Trade Center made me know we were getting close. 

Having the Twin Towers fall and having such a brutal and symbolic terrorist attack really hurt. 

Especially since I was in a major depression already after a manic episode in the summer of 2001.

But, nineteen years later the legacy of 9-11 just saddens and frightens me. 

The eroding of civil liberties with the absurdly named Patriot Act. 

A larger security state with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and more funding to the National Security Agency and other similar departments. 

Even more tension with the Islamic world, which has helped cause the rise of the Islamic State. Destabilizing Iraq with an unnecessary and endless war helped that happen too. 

And still being in a quagmire of endless war in Iraq and Afghanistan for 19 years now. 

In this challenging year, so many lives have been affected by horrendous leadership in the Coronavirus pandemic. 

The world was with us and wanted us to heal in 2001. 

The legacy of our response has made the world worse. 

I can’t tell you how much this saddens me. 

Thousands of lives were lost and so many more were affected in the horrific tragedy 19 years ago. 

So many more lives have been lost since in endless war. 

We can and must do better to make the world a kinder and gentler place. 

Blessed be. 

Next week would have been my 18th consecutive Rites of Spring in the Berkshires. Deep off the grid where I can’t even get internet if I want to. 

It’s great to not have access to the world for a few days. It’s freeing and could for the soul. 

Unfortunately, this year Rites of Spring has been postponed right now to Labor Day Weekend due to the Coronavirus. Which is the right decision, leave a few hundred people in the woods together and it could grab be a lot more than camp crud that you could get. 

But, I still want more to get disconnected for a few days. 

I will still have to work on a computer, but maybe I can avoid checking out the Washington Post, New York Times, Twitter and Facebook. 

I still want to continue my streak of saying Three Good Things which at over 1800 straight days is almost 5 years. But I can do that on WordPress. 

I hope it helps, I’ve been so exhausted. 

I really could use nature and community too. 

So not sure when I will do this. I will probably start next Wednesday through Memorial Day which would be the traditional days of Rites of Spring.