ElVee

I'm no expert, though I did start to explore craft beers about 6 years ago and then wine and more lately spirits. My previous experience was just youthful cheapness, so I wanted to kinda grow up my drinking experience and order less like a frat boy and more like a man at the bar, ya know? Part of of that process is just trying out lots of stuff from mixed to straight drinks.

Lafroig really interests me, and I really want to like it. Otherwise Glenfiddich is good. I really plan to continue to explore single malt scotches over the winter again and get back on track!

Maker's I use for anything mixed, though I won't ever mix it with soda/Coke and the like. I'm not in college anymore! It's pretty smooth and solid for a mix. And just not interesting enough alone. Templeton Rye is a quality local one that I can mix or go solo with.

Really, what got me away from scotch and whiskey a year ago was finding the absolute joys of brandy, cognac, and especially: rum. I had never though of rum as anything beyond Captain Morgans, but since then I've explored various smaller shops and I find a good dark spiced or non-spiced rum to be a pure joy to sip alone and not mixed. My favorite has been Oronoco Rum from Brazil followed by Kraken spiced rum or Rumchata in a white russian. (Yeah, Rumchata is cheating, but it's so good...)

Love seeing other people's tastes and preferences, as that always gives me ideas on what to pick up next!

(Updated just to add some fuel to the always-burning discussion in whiskey circles: I *do* prefer ice with or in place of a splash of water in my drink. Purists bedamned!)