laughingwolf_qh33q8 – Page 8 – The Laughing Wolf

Dreams

Finished up with physical therapy today, several weeks ahead of schedule because of good results. Mobility and balance are improved, working on getting strength back where needed, and making lots of progress. So much so, thinking a couple of things I would love to do may well be possible.

One is to do the bike rides previously discussed. Think Scottsdale is out of the question simply due to time (too close). Others, we will see.

The others involve travel. Not typical tourism travel; rather, there are some places I would love to go for other reasons.

The lowest on the totem pole is a trip to Vietnam. I’ve been reading about some amazing success the Russian Orthodox Church says it is having there. Not what I would have expected, and frankly I’m curious. That I also happen to like some aspects of the culture and love most of the food (Vietnamese spring rolls are the best in SE Asia IMHO) would just add to it. I would like to spend a few weeks, or even a month or three, seeing what is being done, how it is being done, and along the way practice/learn proper Vietnamese cooking.

Now, I would also love to visit the Holy Lands. Already have a good idea of where I would like to go including St. Catherine’s Monastery, burning bush, Jerusalem, etc. For a number of reasons, doubt it will happen, but can hope and am plotting it out just in case.

What I do think is doable is a trip to the Balkans. While most of it would be in Bulgaria, it would also include some time in Romania, possibly Serbia, and at Mt. Athos in Greece. If I had the money, have looked into going by cargo ship but it may be cheaper to fly. Romania has my interest because of a train trip into the Carpathian Mountains and a chance to spend a day cooking with a chef. That I could also work in some Churches and such is a bonus.

Most of my time would be spent in Bulgaria, where I’ve plotted out 20+ monasteries, ending with visiting the tomb of St. John of Rila. From there, I would go down into Greece and spend a week (if possible) at Mt. Athos. Now, I would do some other things while in Bulgaria, and am working with some natives to make sure I see the best things. Not necessarily the touristy things, but the right things.

My current plan is to use rail, bus, and other means, up to and including shanks mare, to get around. A number of the monasteries are clustered, which makes it easy to get between them, and they also can provide places to stay. Which makes the trip financially doable. With working out and continuing to do some of the physical therapy at home, it’s doable even if I have to walk a good bit.

To be honest, if I had the money, would look at hopping a cargo ship in Greece to Egypt, see some of the sights, hop a plane to Jordan to visit the Valley, then go back to Egypt and from there into the Sinai and Israel. A man can dream.

Just a crazy idea (ideas) to share with you. Who knows what will happen, but if it does happen, will be glad to post and share the adventure(s) with you.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

To All The “Women”

On X, and sometimes on another anti-social media platform, I get followed by a number of attractive young ladies (quite often Oriental). At least to judge by their pictures. I generally ignore such, and figure most or all are bots or scammers (or both).

On the off chance that any of them are serious, I would simply note that if there is the opposite of a ‘Sugar Daddy’ I’m it. I’m old, not quite as well put together as I used to be, and poor.

So, if you really do want to meet, date, etc., know what you are getting into. I would also suggest you act soon, be direct, and accept that if told ‘no’ it’s not personal. You have been warned.

Mount Pfeiferhorn

There are days this is rough gig, with irate comments (and commenters) being the start, and lots of fun trying to dig down to get to the truth of things. Heck, some days it’s not just a pain, but pain multiplied by costs. This day is not one of them. Days like this help keep me going.

When I first began to hear a bit about Amburana wood, I didn’t pay much attention. It seemed like it might be just a pricey fad. Not to mention that it seemed like people had a hard time hitting the “sweet spot” with it taste-wise. A pretty wood (would love to do some woodworking with it) but not one I thought would do much long term.

I’m glad to say that I appear to be wrong about that. Not sure about ales and beers, but when it comes to whiskey I think it will be around a while. Not only that, but that we will be the better off for it. What brought me around, you ask?

Mountain Summit Mount Pfeiferhorn, Amburana Finished Whiskey from Spirits of the Wasatch is what did it. According to this post, it is a blend (mashbill included) of bourbons and American malt whiskey blended and finished in Amburana. What I think is that it is one of the best American whiskeys I’ve tried in the last decade or two. For the record, if you think you have something better, talk to me and I will give it a fair tasting.

First sniff, one of the things that struck me was sweetness. Not cloying, but a light almost honeyed element that combined with tobacco. In point of fact, it brought to mind some tobacco from an island off the coast of Columbia that went into a formerly favorite cigar. It was as if a thin sheet of that had been brushed with honey, then wrapped around a ball of holiday baking spices. A rich, solid scent robust with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and more. To finish it off, a nice hint of pepper around the edges.

The color is a dark golden oak, which reminds me a bit of a dark version of the Amburana wood itself. Interestingly enough, the wood itself is not of the oak family (it is referred to as Brazillian oak by some) but a variety of legume. It is currently a very limited resource, but the interest from the beverage industry has resulted in new plantings and cultivation. Good.

The mouthfeel is full and rich, and the taste is of baking spices wrapped in carmel, with vanilla following and filling the mouth. There are bits of sourwood honey from my youth (sadly hard to find these days) on the edges. It has a nice, lingering finish of carmel and honey high, spices center, and just a hint of coconut and tropical fruit at the end. Delightfully complex, full, and enjoyable.

On a whim, I decided to treat the last of it in the glencairn as a Scotch, and added a drop of distilled water. It did indeed open it up, and brought out more of the “hidden” flavors within. And while it would indeed make a very good mixed drink (Manhattan, Old Fashioned, etc.) my own preference would be to drink it as is, no water, no mixing. It is something to truly sip and savor.

Yet another solid entry from Spirits of the Wasatch (see here for previous review). I’m really going to be interested in trying their other whiskey products and I’ve heard a rumor they have a rye in works. If so, want to taste it and see how it stacks up against my current favorite rye.

Hostage Puppies

L’Ombre de l’Olivier has some excellent thoughts on a current Hostage Puppy situation, and hostage puppies in general. Check it out.

Dear New Readers

It seems that I may have some new eyes visiting the site, so I wanted to take a minute to get into some background that may (or may not) be of interest to new readers. Some of this may be of interest to established readers as well, as there may be some changes coming.

This blog got started more than 20 years ago thanks to a push by Joe Katzman of the missed Winds of Change blog and science fiction author John Ringo (with some assist by David Weber who pushed me a bit as well). It started as an anonymous blog to write about space, space exploration, and space politics. However, I was accidentally outed almost immediately which did cause some issues but I pressed on.

Space politics, along with defense and national security writing, led into more general politics. On some levels, I loathe politics and am not always good at institutional politics as I tend to be bluntly honest more than I should and I’ve not always had the patience I should. My being a sarcastic smartass on occasion is likely to get me killed if I’m not careful. Responding to a typical Captain Obvious with ‘No bleep! Really?!?’ is not always the best approach even if it is therapeutic.

My own political journey is interesting. My Dad raised me to be an independent, and taught me to vote for the person, not the party. My Uncle James (AL National Commander 63) was a Republican who tried to get me to go Republican early but didn’t meet with the success he might have hoped for. Sad to say, I worked very briefly on Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign, which is ironic since I’ve spent time since then trying to clean up some of the messes he made.

My thoughts on communism/socialism (two sides of the same coin), are best left unsaid as they can get the blog suppressed. Part was shaped in elementary school when I met (and had a crush on) a Cubanita who’s father was a political prisoner in Cuba. Started meeting survivors of communism from around the world, and cordially loathed such for most of my life.

For all that I found Thomas Jefferson fascinating, I’m probably more Jacksonian in many respects these days. I used to be what would be described as a ‘classical liberal’ though I’ve always been something of a defense/fiscal conservative. I am a small-l libertarian, though I admit that if I had to pick a fictional universe to live in I would quite probably go with the late (and much missed) L. Neil Smith’s libertarian universe (The Probability Broach universe). Had a great time talking with him at WeaponsCon I, where to be there you had to be carrying one or more weapons openly. That was a fun, enjoyable, and well-behaved science fiction convention and I was honored to be a guest there. Need to raise a glass to him and to Irv tonight.

These days, I choose to describe myself as a cranky individualist and independent. The current progressive democrat party is what it is (socialist/communist), and the Republican side isn’t much better. I’ve been amused watching Trump/Maga take over the republican party and wear it like a skin, and the reactions both within the party and without as people realize what is going on. The times are a changing…

I think the worst president in our history was Woodrow Wilson, who started us on the path of rule by the credentialed elite (technocracy for all intents and purposes), followed by FDR, then the Peanut, with Johnson/Obama/Clinton sorta tied. Waiting to see exactly where I put the Biden Regency, but for now will put the Peanut ahead. All of them make Andrew Johnson, Pierce, etc. seem good. I’m willing to entertain discussion on such, as there are a few darkhorse candidates out there as well and a good case can be made for Franklin Pierce just being mediocre.

My political desires are to see the massive growth of the federal government undone, and a return to the Constitutional Republic as intended. The government that governs least, governs best IMO. Within that, I want maximum individual liberty, which happens to coincide with a central point of my religious beliefs. A man (male or female) can’t make a truly free choice if constrained. It’s why Free Will is such a thing in Christianity, and I think that it also applies to our governance. Which begs a good discussion one day soon to get into how the common definition of “freedom” has changed over the years. One is free to do what is right versus one is free to do whatever one wants.

All that said, there may be some changes here as I grow into a new life. Getting hit by lightning ended my old life, and I have a chance to make a new and better life. I honestly do feel I’m alive for a reason, and trying to figure out what it is I’m supposed to be doing is a matter to which I have been paying some attention. After all, if lightning didn’t get my attention, what might come next?

If my health was better and I was younger, monastic life has some appeal. That said, I don’t see it as a viable thing given age and health. As it is, a semi-monastic routine does work for me, in that right now I do best with structure and routine. I suspect some form of lay ministry could be in my future, which also means I may need to not be as blunt, and sarcastic, as I can be. Patience most definitely is a virtue and I need to practice that as well. I also need to work on my use of invective, though I have been working to reduce it for a while now.

This doesn’t mean some of the word play is going to go away, or that I plan to pull punches in discussing situations. It does mean, however, that I want to be/need to be perhaps a touch more diplomatic. Or at least a little less pugnacious. Then again, not sure where the whole thing about priests and saints being milquetoast came from, as I seem to recall more than one time two (future) saints got into fistfights at some of the early councils, and wasn’t it reported that St. Nicholas punched Arias?

We will see what happens. I do feel that some of my work on disaster and emergency preparedness is something I’m supposed to be doing. It may be I concentrate more on that and some other topics than politics. But, the future is unwritten, and it is up to us to write it. For me, I hope and plan to do a lot more writing, with God’s help and guidance. Meantime, I wanted new readers to have a bit more background on myself and the blog. Discourse is welcome and good, and I value the great comments and discussions so many of you regular readers bring to the site. Let’s keep that going.

Onwards.

Doctors Of Death

UPDATES BELOW

For years, I was an organ donor. Growing up, I had been taught that it was a good thing and I saw some of the good that came out of organ donation. Not that long ago, someone I knew got some extra time from a heart transplant. I’ve always checked the box on the driver’s license form and been glad to do so.

However, this editorial from three doctors in the Shady Lady, was the last straw for me. Things have been building for a while, and this post from Amy Poindexter put it into perspective for me. Long before COVID, I had begun hearing of bureaucrats run wild in regards transplants. Both in terms of harvesting and in terms of denying transplants for petty reasons.

The COVID-related denials were really just icing on the cake as far as I was concerned. There was no medical reason for requiring the jab, it was all about power, control, and greed. And, yes, there are economic “incentives” involved, just as there are to let chronic patients go. The health establishment squandered the trust of the public for greed, and they are so insulated and self-absorbed they have no idea how little people trust them.

Now we have these Doctors Of Death come out and argue for expanded harvesting and new definitions of death to facilitate it. It is evil, it is unethical, it is illegal currently (but that’s the point of this, to get the laws changed to allow it), and it is morally repulsive. They don’t get that, which says all that need be said.

Nor are they in isolation. David Strom does an excellent takedown of their equally reprehensible brothers-in-medicine who seek to use biological warfare against the population of the U.S./World. These so-called ethicists (a complete inversion of the term) feel that eating meat is bad; therefore, it is right, just, and proper to make everyone allergic to red meat so that they quit eating it. The world is saved; save, for those who die as a result of this biological warfare. And make no mistake, that is exactly what it is. Warfare. Warfare to produce a better world and a better human according to their sick and twisted standards.

Why is it sick and twisted? Well, let’s start with no freedom of choice, no mercy, no exceptions for those who have other conditions that require them to eat red meat (but, hey, the genetic cleansing is a bonus!), and no consideration that others don’t share their view on meat or supermen. They believe it, they believe it is right and good; therefore it is right and good and they will play god and make it so.

I can get really into the weeds on how both sets are sick, twisted, and evil; but, I think you get the start. On many levels what they are proposing is no different than that done by those behind the Tuskegee Experiment and others in the U.S., or Mengele and others in Nazi Germany. It is the same lack of humanity, the same overweening arrogance, and that their beliefs give them the knowledge and position make them better than those they would rule and experiment upon.

They are the master class, and you, peasant, should know your place and since you won’t do what they think you should do, they will force you to do what they want. After all, they know better than you, or me, or anyone outside their class.

It does bring to mind the timeless C.S. Lewis quote: “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

All of these people need to be shunned from polite society (at the least), and they should never be given access to power. May God illumine them. As for me, I took myself off the state and national organ donor systems last night. Next week, I will find the time to go to the BMV and request a driver’s license that says I am NOT a donor. That’s important if you do this, because hospitals can claim they went by that even if you pull yourself off the donor networks.

I’ve heard for years the crazed-sounding ‘they will kill you for your organs, man’ from various people. I didn’t believe them. Now, when the system stands up and says they want to kill you for your organs, and make major modifications to your body regardless of your wishes, believe them. You can’t trust the current system to do right. Prepare accordingly.

UPDATE I: I’m going to be interested on Monday in hearing how many people have done what I did. I know I am not alone, and am getting a lot of anecdotal info. Thing is, this may already be at a crisis point for the donation industry and it will be interesting to hear what they say and see how they handle this.

UPDATE II: You really want to read this as well…

Friday Musings

The Ring of Fire continues to be sparky. There are likely to be hundreds, if not thousands of aftershocks from the 8.8, though many are likely to only be noticed by the seismologists. There is a lot of volcanic activity around the rim, which is not unexpected but spectacular. The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia featured some spectacular volcanic lightning. Given all, if you are on or near the Ring of Fire (including the San Andreas), double check your preparations as what you plan for never happens…

Here, the weather has moderated a bit and I’m glad. Makes it easier to use the bike to get around, and to get out and walk. One thing I’m keeping an eye on in regards the ring of fire are underwater volcanic eruptions, as the last big one (Hunga Tonga) did a number on the weather. I really would hate to see more water vapor added given how it did last time.

Today got consumed by paperwork and related. The state has decided to re-verify information even though I have been on disability for less than a year. So, have been jumping through hoops so I can get all the forms and printouts mailed out to them next week.

I realized I’ve talked about going to physical therapy a bit, but not about some of the core (pun intended) issues. When I was hit, most of the charge seems to have gone down the right side of my body. When I finally got to PT this year (as noted previously, original neurologist was pretty useless), gee, we discovered weakness and other issues in various parts of the right side. Who could have figured. (/sarc). There are also balance and coordination issues, vertigo, and a few other delights. PT is helping, and I’m also gearing up for what comes next.

One of the errands I ran today was to a gym I’ve been interested in. Seems my insurance includes something called Silver Sneakers. This gym is part of that network, and net result is that through Silver Sneakers my membership is covered. Which is good as I need to get serious about working out and continuing the PT after the current sessions stop. Nice thing is, I can take the bus close; ride my bike to this gym; and, get rides there as needed. Got a lot of work to do to build back from the lightning and this should be a huge help.

And to the anonymous donor who helped with the Bosu Ball: Thank You! I’m having to get a few other things for use at home, but I’m hoping soon to be able to match everything at the PT shop, even if some of it may be a bit rougher. Yes, I am improvising. I don’t care about the looks nearly as much as function. Anyone wanting to help, hit that tip jar please.

Lot of things going on in the world. Keep your eyes open, your friends and family close, and your things where you can find them in the dark. Preparedness always pays.

Blackhawk Investigation

F0r those that have been waiting, the NTSB is now doing a three day hearing on the crash of the Blackhawk and a commuter plane at Reagan. I’m not expecting a lot of surprises, but stay tuned. There are good reasons for letting things play out, and not making snap judgements even when some things may appear obvious. Sometimes the obvious isn’t real, and sometimes the obvious is even worse than it appears. Let the process play out. Then render judgement.

Kamchatka

I noted somewhere the other day that the Ring of Fire was getting sparky, but wasn’t expecting an 8.8 off Kamchatka. Fact is, there are many small earthquakes every day, some in areas that people don’t think get earthquakes. Most are either deep enough or small enough that only seismologists notice them. Some faults, like the New Madrid, only seem to have a major event every few hundred years. Others, well, go off quite frequently, at least in geological terms.

When talking preparedness, I don’t focus on the almost infinite number of things that can happen, but in the types of damage they can do. Other than following earthquake building codes and suggestions when building structures, there’s not a lot you can do. I will note that some of the same things that help houses and other structures deal with high winds and tornadoes can help with mitigating structural damage from an earthquake, as they help a bit with flexibility and holding things together against unusual stresses.

My understanding is that you need a combination of flexibility and stability to avoid major structural damage. Of course, in some cases, there is not a lot you can do. Soil geology at the surface plays a large roll on how the seismic waves “act” on things. In the New Madrid quake some areas had the soil essentially “liquify” resulting in things in the ground shooting up (such as caskets) and things on the surface (like houses and other structures, going down almost without a trace.

Unlike weather phenomena, earthquake prediction is far more art than science. It’s being worked on, but we’re not there yet. So, it’s going to hit with little or no warning — which means your preparations have to be on reaction rather than being pro-active. It’s a different bit of planning, and if near the coast you should have a bug-out plan not only made but ready to go on zero notice for tsunami events, and elsewhere the same given that widespread fires can break out, dams fail, etc. Figure routes are likely to be clogged, and plan accordingly.

One of the more novel, and potentially very effective for the actual quake itself, was the tethered hot air balloon Daryl Dragon (the Captain of Captain and Tennille) allegedly had behind their house. If things were bad, launch and wait for things to settle down before coming down. Not sure if it was true or not, but seem to recall he talked about it in an interview or two. Fact is, if you could go up (or were up) when it hits, and stay up a while, it would allow you to miss the worst of things. At least initially.

On a more serious note, I am going to be interested to see what comes out in regards Petropavlovsk in the next few days. Between the earthquake and tsunami waves, it will be interesting to see what can be seen in regards the Russian Pacific Fleet, other bases, and the nuclear storage facilities. In particular, you do have to wonder how the subs tied up alongside — especially the boomers — fared. So far, not hearing of much damage but it’s well worth keeping an eye on.

Finally, in terms of preparedness, earthquakes are one of the reason to keep digging and demolition tools handy. There are a number of things that could leave one’s safe space covered in debris. Always be prepared to dig out, pry things up and over, or if possible jack or brace things so they don’t come down any further. Shovels, axes, pry bars, saws, jacks, rope, etc. are good to have around anytime, but may be even more appreciated after a quake.

Keep in mind that the Midwest really isn’t that well prepared for the New Madrid to pop off again. Building codes most places really don’t include earthquakes, and other mitigation actions aren’t there. The last time the New Madrid really kicked off, it was felt as far east as New York, a massive lake was formed in Tennessee, and portions of the Mississippi ran backwards for a time as plates were forced up. I may have to look for something I wrote about this years ago, as the area has built up so much now that a major event will devastate a good part of the center of the country.

Nor are the San Andreas and the New Madrid all we have to worry about. So, don’t think that because you are not in California you have nothing to worry about from a quake or quakes. As always, preparedness pays.

As always, keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark — even if the earth is moving (and not from a happy thing).

Three Spirits And A Cowgirl

Thanks to some kindness, I’ve had the chance to review two gins, one vodka, and a cowgirl from Spirits of the Wasatch in beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah. Well, at least it was beautiful the last time I was there, hope it still is. I’ve wanted to try their products for a while, and when an opportunity came up, I went for it.

First up, some procedural notes since it’s been a while since I’ve done a formal review like this (stupid lightning). All initial tastings were done using a glencairn glass; martinis were done using my deplorable saucer; and, any other mixed drinks were done using a rocks glass. Now, I don’t think my glass is deplorable, but there are some purists (snobs) who get the vapors when they see things like this used. All initial tastings were done at room (cellar) temp since I tend to keep silver liquids in the freezer so I don’t have to dilute them with ice/water. I then did a second tasting and made mixed drinks using the bottles from the freezer. The products were not provided free by the distillery and I don’t make anything from the links.

I’m going to start with the High Mountain Desert Gin. This is a very good gin, particularly given the price point. In terms of commercial gins most have heard of, I would put this easily on par with Aviation or other similar gins. My own comparison for London Dry style is to Lind & Lime (look up the story of Dr. Lind). While it is not to that level, it gave it the best run of any American gin I’ve had so far. The nose is juniper forward followed by herbed citrus and a hint of white pepper. The gin has a clean mouthfeel with an edge of sweetness on the edges of the pallet. There is sweet citrus and vanilla strong in the center with herbs (sage for one) on sides. The finish is nice and bright with citrus, and it is a rich and flavorful gin. Outside of the mountain sage, I’d love to know what local botanicals went into it as it is excellent and delightfully complex without muddled flavors. On the second tasting, as it warmed I got some more orange and sweet lemon out of it. Crisp, clean, delicious and recommended.

While I am of the ‘wave the cork from the vermouth bottle in the same room as the bottle of gin’ school of dry martini making, I did make a more proper martini with the gin. I used La Quintinye Royal Blanc Vermouth and both held up well in the partnership. While the nose didn’t really change all that much, I did notice less vanilla and more citrus in the taste. A solid classic martini and it should work very well with the classic gin mixed drinks. FYI, it is well worth getting decent vermouth, and I will just note that since I have been known to use an eye-dropper, a bottle of vermouth blanc tends to last a while.

Next up is the barrel rested High Mountain Desert Gin (scroll down the page at the link). The regular gin is aged in rye whiskey barrels for eight months, which imparts color and flavors to the gin. This is one of the best gins I’ve had in quite some time. This is an excellent sipping gin. That is also makes one heck of a martini and should hold its own against all comers in a Boston, Abby, or other cocktail.

And, yes, I said sipping gin. Every now and then you hit a gin that is so well made, so well balanced that you can sip and savor it as you would a whiskey or brandy. My current favorite sipping gin is Isle of Harris Gin, which shares with High Mountain Gin the use of local botanicals. While they are very different styles of gin, both use the local to make something wonderful and different.

In this case, the barrel resting elevates a very good gin into something more. The nose is carmel and vanilla forward, underlaid with a strong herbal component. The mouthfeel is balanced and smooth, and the first flavors to hit are vanilla and carmel — with the vanilla of the original gin augmented by the vanilla from the rye, and it truly does pick up a good bit of carmel from the wood. This is followed quickly by a rush of sage and herb, and sweet citrus. The white pepper of the original gin is pulled forward and combines nicely with the pepper of the rye from the wood. The finish, as before, is crisp and clean. It not only be sipped, but makes a very good classic martini. In fact, the flavors should kick any gin cocktail up a level or two, and if you know a high-end bar they need to try it and add it to their premium line.

Next up is Hidden Vodka. According to the website, some of the proceeds go to help fight human trafficking and I like that. I also like the product. Vodka is really intended to be a neutral spirit that can be blended into a wide variety of styles of drink. Yes, you can do shots and the one time that was fun for me was with some cosmonauts in Berlin. Hidden Vodka is one I would serve (ice cold) shots of to cosmonauts, and cheerfully use in good vodka drinks.

The nose was very clean, no burn (if you ever sniff a vodka and your nose burns, run). Nice mouthfeel, and the product was crisp and clean without much real flavor. It also had no burn, just a nice bit of a tingle on the edges of the tongue. It made an excellent vodka martini, which I converted into an expresso/coffee martini by adding a bit of the Cowgirl to it.

Personally, this goes into my premium vodka category. It’s a good bar staple, it works well with others, and it’s a good price point for the product. In fact, it’s clean enough that I just may use it to make my vanilla extract instead of the potato vodka I usually use.

To close, I’m going to talk about the Cowgirl. Perky Cowgirl Coffee Liqueur is a solid entry into the coffee liqueur category. I like the fact that it is not so thick with sugar (or worse) that it’s cloying and doesn’t like to pour. It may be a little thinner than some would like, but the flavor is solid. In fact, I want to have a cup of coffee from the beans that go into it, and will note that drinking it is like drinking a cup of sweet coffee. It reminds me a little bit of Vietnamese coffee minus the milk. And that is a compliment, trust me. While Kahlua might not need to be looking over its shoulder yet, this is a solid entry into the field and people do like it a lot. Good price point as well.

In closing, I will simply note that one day I want to try their whiskey(ies). I’m glad for their sake they are sold out right now, but given how good these products are, I really do want to try the rest. If I ever get out that way again, I will go visit.