What’s Your Favorite Band? What’s Your Favorite Bourbon?

As someone who is very much into both music and Bourbon, I frequently get asked these two questions:

What’s your favorite band?

                              What’s your favorite Bourbon?

Whatever is playing now.

                              Whatever is in my glass now.

Whatever is playing next.

                              Whatever is in my glass next.

Whatever fits the mood.

Whatever inspires the mood.

Whatever sets the occasion.

Whatever elevates the occasion.

Whatever I can share with you.

Whatever you can share with me.

Someone’s choice in music or choice of whiskey can be a deeply personal thing, but can also be something even the most introverted among us is willing to share with practically anyone.  A song’s opening guitar riff can take us back days or even decades to emotion-filled moments of our past.  While the sight of a bottle or a sip of its contents can spark memories of drinking stories we have already told way too many times.

There are times when a song or a band or a musician is deserving of something special in our glass.  Or whatever is in our glass is made more special because of the music we’re enjoying with it.  I’ve paired E.H. Taylor with The Rolling Stones.  Lee W. Sinclair with Rush.  Stumpy’s Spirits rye with The White Stripes.  And Booker’s with Led Zeppelin and/or old school Country music.  Some of these pairings are with purpose.  Some are just coincidental.  All are best enjoyed on the deck.

One pairing tradition I have is Tom Petty with Weller Special Reserve.  Three years ago today Tom Petty passed away and I had a pour in his memory of what I had in my glass at the time: that Weller green label.  There wasn’t any significance to Weller Special Reserve at the time.  But, WSR has gained significance to me because I now associate it with Tom Petty. 

Is Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers my favorite band?  Sure…sometimes.

Is Weller Special Reserve my favorite Bourbon?  One day a year since 2017.

So, this evening I’ll be sipping Weller on the deck and listening to the “Wildflowers” album and then random hits and b-sides from 40 years of mid-tempo rock-n-roll classics.

Cheers! 

Turn it up.   

There’s something good waiting down this road.