SHE SAID: I'm in the middle of a massive project right now so have not had the time to review any whiskies the last few weeks. It's been hectic to say the least. However, I took a bit of time yesterday to meet with a friend I hadn't seen in almost a year and as we shared our lunch we caught up. She said: "So what's new?" I stopped to think how much time had passed since we had last seen each other - 9 months. So, I began from the beginning, I share the procession of becoming Lassie with you too: Soon after being in the play Vagina Monologues, here is me practicing my piece in my living room, if you want to see a different side of the Lassie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1y4WUsWkuI&sns=em
I decided to try out for Romeo & Juliet, to which I also got the part I was auditioning for. During a rehearsal break a cast mate and I talked a bit about whisky, our local tasting Society to which I was a founding member and first president, leading tastings, my passion for the lovely elixir, how Graham and I had started blogging, etc.. I never really thought anymore about it simply because I was just gabbing or so I thought. A few days later I received a phone call from a local woman who organizes a very popular ladies event in our hometown (18 years running now). The cast mate and she were friends. Karen, the organizer, was looking for something different for the event that would be considered avant-guard and different so she asked me to set up a whisky booth. I thought about it for a few days and then accepted.
About a week later she called me and asked me if I was on twitter. "Twitter? Errrr, no I don't even understand what all that is about frankly", I replied as I stared at my computer quite blankly. "Everyone who has a booth is on twitter and we will be using social media to promote the event, just takes a second to set it up, I will help you". I recall swallowing and saying yes through gritted teeth but so it began. A twitter handle?? What the heck do I call myself? How do I want people to identify with me and whisky? Surely there are hundreds of people on this "thing"? Being adventurous is part of who I am and I rarely back down from things I fear or don't understand. So I dove in head first, created @Whiskylassie and became a "twitter head". Easy enough, started by following the other presenters, the organizer and then something wonderfully unexpected happened. "OTHERS" started to follow me from all corners of the world. Hundreds?!! OMG, there are thousands of people using twitter! What a revelation to me? Suddenly before me, on my phone is the entire world of whisky at my finger tips. Needless to say one thing has led to another. I've lead tastings, whisky/food pairings, attended shows, been in touch with Master Blenders and key people in the whisky industry, etc. What I didn't expect but have found is a wonderful whisky fabric that is unlike any other social media site. This group of like minded individuals who enjoy whisky and everything about it is one large extended family. The members regularly embrace new people, provide guidance, educate and there is truly a camaraderie among us all. I regularly attend the New Brunswick Spirits Festival which is one of the best and longest running festival on the east coast of Canada. People like Martine Nouet, Ian MacMillan, Sam Simmons and Davin de Kergommeaux attend and give classes. It is an honor, in my opinion to have them there.
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| courtesy of barrelroomsf.blogspot.com |
However with the good sometimes comes the bad. The WHISKY SNOB! (Cue snobby music, whatever that sounds like?!) These idiots ruin it for me as they end up making a total ass of themselves. Case in point: This year's festival I was ecstatic to take part in Davin de Kergommeaux's class about Canadian whiskies. He is the expert on ALL things related. If you have a question, you ask Davin. You want to learn about Canadian whisky, buy his book: The portable whisky expert. Plain and simple. Being the whisky geek that I am, I sat at the front of the class and brought my moleskin to take notes. We nosed/tasted six Canadian whiskies on the market and Davin gave a fantastic and sometimes quite humorous presentation on the history as well as a bit about his own journey. Unfortunately sitting at my table that evening was someone who thought he was also an expert and that he knew EVERYTHING about whisky. He guffawed out loud, made rude comments, was disruptive and when he was bored (which seemed to be 3/4 of the time) he read and thumbed away on his blackberry. Then a second snob emerged (Two in one class?! I couldn't believe it....) HE proceeded to answer his cell phone during the presentation, make really insulting comments about certain Canadian whiskies out loud to the whole room and generally just be a jerk. Afterwards he introduced himself to me: "Hi, I'm so and so from bla bla bla..., my blog is super famous and aren't you lucky to meet me. I do all kinds of great things whisky related, maybe someday you will too. Oh the show, yah nahhh I got a free ticket to come to this thing, couldn't be bothered to go to the main showcase cause there is absolutely nothing there I haven't already tasted oh and did I mention I'm so and so...!". Ok, it wasn't exactly those words but he was a big feeling knob who had more respect for himself then anything else"!
Back to the other whisky snob at my table. He was at whisky #5 while we were still nosing #2. So turned off , was he, by one of the whiskies he spit it back into the glencairn. I was mortified?! He went on for almost 10 minutes under his breath to me as to how disgustingly horrible this Canadian "swill" was?! I actually quite loved it, and had recently reviewed it. Low and behold a few days later he sent a tweet to Davin stating how much he LOVED that particular whisky and how he had went right out and bought a bottle?! I have to hand it to all the reps and whisky personas out there, I have no idea how they deal with these people show after show? I can only hope those of us who truly appreciate having them there make up for "them". Anyway... that is my rant.
Back to the lovely part of the whisky fabric. The purpose of this blog is twofold: One was to give you a better idea of what type of journey I have been on for 2012. I started practically unknown, I think like most of us do. Then blogging and twitter obviously took me out of that little fish bowl and placed me in the mainstream where I now swim with some of the best bloggers, writers, educators and well respected people in the whisky industry. It is truly a humbling experience.
Id' like to take a moment to publicly thank the following people: First and foremost my father in law George and partner Graham. Without them, none of this journey would have ever taken place, the rest followed suit:
1. @itsagirlthing - pushed me off the diving board into the twitter ocean.
2. Joshua Feldman "Coop" - one of the first whiskyfabric weavers to follow me, promote our blog and make me smile daily.
3. @WhiskyDiscovery - true whisky brother who treats me as an equal, my muse at times and one of my favorite whisky bloggers!
4. @ifotou - one of the first to follow me, talk to me and make me laugh (cracking personality!)
5. @whiskyguyrob - who wrote a blog about me, is a fabulous writer (watch for his book soon).
6. @DavindeK - promoted me and our blog, opened my eyes and heart to Canadian whiskies AND well as some fabulous opportunities, forever greatful Davin.
7. @whiskywardrobe - being one of the first to post our blog link on his.
8. @cocktailchem - being the best chemistry geek (next to me of course) that I love talking to.
8. @arok - love of distilling & joking around, And his wife @robinburke for putting up with it.
9. @WhiskyRepublic - sharing his love of Japanese whisky, his sense of humor and wisdom.
10. @AngelasShare - giving me the privilege of being a whisky woman standing beside her.
11. @themisswhisky - introducing me to all the other lovely ladies on twitter! THXS!!
12. @jfpilon - whisky brother, friend and first trading partner. Many wonderful memories!
13. Lynn Gallagher, Forty Creek rep in New Brunswick (hardest working female rep I have ever met and truly is passionate about Forty Creek like no other rep I know)
14. @feelgoodsj - Anne is a local supporter who is passionate about whisky and all things "Saint John"
15. The SJWTS society but specifically my possé: Elizabeth, Donna, Linda O, Linda L and Clare. You make me feel like a queen!
I could go on and I'm sorry if I didn't mention you. These are the people that helped me start my great 2012 journey into the world wide whisky fabric and I will be forever indebted to them for that. Eight months later, still all part of my whisky fabric. Some I've been lucky to meet @whiskyace1 @Bob_Caron, @WhiskyScores, @Eric_B_Lewis and some I will meet at the Victoria Whisky Festival in January: @cowfish, @OliverKlimek @JWheelock404 AND EVEN MORE in 2014 when I head over to the UK for a month.
As life goes on, I can only begin to imagine where the journey goes next or what lies ahead. To those just coming in to the whisky fabric: @whiskytube and @MaltTroll (just to mention two more, hehe) we are here to help, support and there to catch you when you dive off the springboard as well.
Look around folks, this is our lives and these are our times. Are they not frigging awesome!
To new friends and old; Christian: Merry Christmas. Jewish: Happy Hanukkah. To whatever the rest of you are: Peace in your hearts, joy in your families, hope in your soul and of course WHISKY on your shelves for 2013.
The whisky trail is fascinating and I truly can't wait to see where it all leads us! Hope you come along for the ride. :)
Love,
The one and only: Whisky Lassie
