(I've got a bit of a collection going, you see)
I know what you're thinking, "how can booze be a hobby? It's not like you distill it yourself or anything!" Okay, I'll give you that. But the main thing is, I pretty much approach drinking the same way as I do cooking: it's a form of art, but instead of colors and shapes like conventional art, or sounds like in music, it's art crafted from flavors. You see, there are several types of essential flavor compounds: those which are water-soluble, which can be gotten through just about anything; those which are fat soluble, which we usually see in meat and cheese or delivered through some sort of oil or cream-based condiment; and lastly, those which are alcohol soluble. Many within this category of flavors, you simply will never find an equivalent for in any other form, and if you don't have an open mind toward concoctions of the alcohol-containing sort, you're missing out on a huge "section" of flavor.
Take Scotch, for example. There's a reason this stuff is so sought-after. Even a casual drinker can figure out there's something special there; and for those who know how to truly appreciate a good dram, each different brand, age, even region has its own "personality," and the difference among the various Scotches can be either subtle or as great as the difference between entirely different categories of liquor, despite having the same base. And have you ever enjoyed a glass of GOOD Vermouth (and don't let bad experiences with M&R brand scare you off the stuff; if you find a good brand like Vya or Carpano Antica, you'll see just how wonderful this type of liquor is supposed to be)? It's essentially made by taking a decent wine, make it stronger (usually distilling part of the batch into Brandy, then recombining with the rest of the same wine for consistency of flavor), then add herbal infusions that round out, deepen and perfect the flavor in way you wouldn't have imagined. And then, what of those magical elixirs such as Chartreuse, Benedictine, Licor 43, Strega, etc., with so many ingredients and such painstaking care put into their production... I can guarantee that you will never find anything in the non-liquor world that tastes anything remotely like any of these. Even the humble beer! Hops don't really do much in other solutions, but with even the meager amount of alcohol and toasted grainy goodness contained in your everyday ale, that herb can truly sing. We also must consider, though I am loathe to do so, some of the exceedingly weird flavored vodkas we have out there (PB&J? Smores? Smoked freaking salmon?!). Though there is a bit of science and artificiality involved in some of these, can you really think of any other way to get some of these flavors in drinkable form any other way? I bet not (though, in some cases, smoked salmon I'm looking at you, this may be a good thing).
Point is, there are a lot of incredible flavors out there just waiting to be explored. While obviously, the effort it takes your barman to make even the most perfect Blood and Sand, Singapore Sling, (genuine) Margarita, or Autumn Leaves will be far less than the effort put into, say, an illustration... the result is nonetheless something to behold. The real credit for the amazingness of these drinks lies in the craftsmanship of those who made the liquor in the first place. Whether it be artisans of the pot-still or monks playing around with dozens of obscure herbs until they find just the right combination, these pioneers of alcohol-soluble flavor compounds have my deepest respect, as a man of artistic inclinations.
OBLIGATORY PSA:
When you do drink, do so responsibly! Especially with this 4th of July weekend coming up; I don't want any of my readers to make any irresponsible decisions while drinking, as happens often during this holiday. Take care of yourselves and each other out there!
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