My wife is the best

I took yesterday off to spend the morning waiting for a delivery and the afternoon at the vet and running errands. Joking, I mentioned two of my stops bookended my favorite liquor store in the old neighborhood.

"Sounds like a great idea," she said. "Just don't go crazy."

Is she great or what? Talk about the perfect excuse to try something new. I've wanted to try some crown royal maple for a while, or cabin fever if I could find it. What ended up catching my attention though was some Tap 357, a mix of 3, 5, and 7 year old Canadian ryes with some Quebequois light maple syrup. Cheaper than crown, enough so I could get a six pack and not feel like I went crazy. Alright.

And now, sitting in my new armchair working through my second glass of the stuff, I feel like I made the right choice. I LOVE maple syrup, but was a little dubious about trying some with whiskey. I should have known better. Yes the maple dominates the first impression of the rye, but there's a warmth underneath the sweet that holds on through the finish even as the maple takes a second pass. Whew! Very good. Those Quebequois may be snobby separatists but they do get some things right.

Straight up with a little ice is just fine for tonite, but I'd bet there are some fun cocktails to make with a maple rye too. Next time I'm feeling creative, maybe. For tonite, ice and rye is going to be fine for #3.

Current beer-scale: 4.6