Genesis

Of course, I had the standard "if your young child is fussy or in pain, rub some Crown Royal on their gums" childhood. So, that doesn’t count; it was medicinal.

I was 22. I had been working at the local pub for a few months. I had always been a vodka girl. Then one evening, I ordered my beer and my usual shot of Absolut. The bartender set down a small glass of golden-brown liquid. He said, “No. You’re going to shoot this.” It was said as a challenge. Being one who always enjoyed a challenge, I lifted the glass with a "Cheers" and drank it. It was sweet, and smooth, and warm, and perfect. As it traveled down into my belly, I felt a little leap in my heart, and a slight flush in my cheeks. Time stopped for a moment. Everyone was gone but me, left alone with my first moment with whiskey.
"This is what a shot is supposed to taste like!"
He showed me the bottle. Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. Ten years later, it is still one of my favorites.

I remember my first high-end whiskey.

I had been working at that same pub, but it was a few months later. I found no problem delving into using whiskey as a base for a mixed drink. Makers Mark or Jameson & Diet Coke had become one of my go-tos. Nice, simple, affordable, and tasty. The bartender who had challenged me previously had moved away to attend school, but I was still surrounded by bartenders who would give me advice on what to drink should I choose to seek it. I asked the head-bartender, Mike, what he thought I should drink. I had been drinking whiskey for months, but I knew there was so much more than the stuff I was drowning in aspartame. I was ready to try one that I could drink by itself.

For months I listened as the bartenders described the subtle nuances of particular whiskies. It was a foreign language to me; but one I longed to speak. I wanted to take part in that. It was time.

Mike thought for a moment. Only a moment. It didn’t take long. His suggestion for a complex, yet gentle guide into the world of whiskey: Red Breast 12 Year, a single pot still Irish whiskey. He pulled out a weighted glass, opened the bottle, poured an ounce, and handed it over. I felt a nervous flutter in my chest. I won’t lie about that. A few people were watching me at this point. It was one thing to take a shot. It was another to mix it with Coke. I had seen people in movies and TV shows take too large a sip of harsh whiskey, which led to a coughing fit and a red face and laughs from everyone surrounding them. Also, Mike was known for his pranks. I tentatively put the glass to my lips, smelled the dram, and took a sip and BOOM!

There was sweet. There was spice. There was a gentle warmth that spread throughout my body. I felt my shoulders relax and that familiar leap in my heart. Again, I had that moment of solitude between myself and this golden elixir in my hand. A slow smile spread over my lips as the taste lingered on my tongue. I took a contented breath and I knew.

“This is what whiskey is supposed to taste like!”

I knew that first shot was special, but I could never have guessed how important it really was. And I never imagined the world it would open up for me. Working at the Pub, I had dozens of whiskies to choose from, to taste, to figure out what I liked. After a few years, I was put in charge of ordering stock. Our whiskey selection grew from about 36 bottles, to where it stands now, around 150. I‘ve tried every single one. I dedicated myself as a student of the whiskey craft and culture. I bought some books. Then I bought more. Before long I began to fill a bookcase specifically for books about it. (There are so many great books about whiskey out there, y'all.) Friends and patrons began to seek me out for whiskey guidance and suggestions. Then one day, I came across the Whisk(e)y Sommelier program.
"No way that’s really a thing," I thought. Turns out, yes, it very much was.

I signed up for the course in early 2018 and attended Level 1 in October of that year. Since then, I have discovered this great community spread all over the country, and sprinkled throughout the world. I have gone through Levels 2 and 3. I have gone back to help host classes. And I'm sure my friends have been very relieved that I finally have other people to talk about whiskey with. I've started running professional Whiskey Tastings and lined up food pairings for events in the near future. Currently, I'm in the middle of writing out a lesson plan for a Whiskey Appreciation course for the Continuing Education program at our local college for this Fall. And opportunities have been constantly presenting themselves.

So, here I find myself, after a long road that I hope is nowhere near its end. Having found my passion and the ability to share that passion. Becoming part of a community, the likes of which I have never experienced. Having my loved ones around me, supporting me and championing me. And I feel it deep inside myself that this is what life is supposed to taste like.

Slainte, y’all