The year is barely a couple of weeks old and already I’ve hit (or am about to hit) a couple of milestones that I want to celebrate here. The most important one is a day or two away and will have its own post later on, but this one is something worth talking about too.
Way back at the end of 2002 I opened a cheap bottle of beer and toasted the new year. It was my first New Years Eve with Kim and, what I didn’t know at the time was that it was also my last drink. That cheap bottle (I remember settling for something in a cheap off license and Kim says that was Rolling Rock) that I saw the New Year in with was the last drink I would have for ten years. Now, this wasn’t a conscious choice. I didn’t sit down one day and decide to quit drinking, nor was there a specific reason to stop. I merely found that I didn’t fancy drinking in those times when one would normally have a drink and, on the odd occasion that I did fancy a drink, I was either away from anywhere that sold alcohol or hadn’t the cash. And so it went on for well over nine years, becoming almost a point of pride that I hadn’t had a drink in so long.
The time came a few months back that I found myself checking out the bottles of whiskey on shelves whenever I was at a supermarket. It started when I found that supermarkets were selling own brand brandy in a squeezy plastic bottle and had to check that out if only to see the horror of such a product. While there I saw a bottle of Jamesons Special Reserve, my personal tipple of choice, and started drooling. I’d always told myself that, should I fancy a drink again I’d just have one, but I had come so long without drinking that it seemed more of an occasion was needed. New Year, I realised, was the tenth anniversary of my last drink and would be the perfect time to have another, partly in ironic celebration of going so long without one.
For my money, the finest and smoothest whiskeys out there.
I bought some nicely weighted glasses and a bottle of regular Jamesons (having gone so long without a drink I wasn’t sure if I’d still have the taste for it) and awaited the new year. As the clock counted down I pulled out one of the tumblers and felt its heaviness in my hand. For a moment I was nervous. I didn’t know who I would be with a drink inside me now. For a second a vision of me waking up to a destroyed house and beaten up fiancée flashed through my mind, long enough to worry me before making me laugh at my trepidation. I poured my drink as the new year rang in and raised my glass.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a good whiskey slowly trickling down your throat. Where alcopops were becoming all the rage for underage drinkers when I was a child, I grew up as a spirit drinker. You go slower with spirits and the body starts to shut down slowly and comfortably rather than let you get too drunk without realising it. At least, that’s the way it has always been for me. I nursed that glass all night, slowly sipping my whiskey and enjoying the gentle warmth spreading through me (ooo, sounds a bit naughty).
All in all, it was a good night and I look forward to having the odd beer here and spirit there when the occasion calls for it.
You … you … responsible drinker!
I’ve never really been a big drinker. Don’t get me wrong, when partying with people who can likely kill an elephant with their blood after the night is done, I can not only keep up but overtake them and happily steal their bottles. Thing is, that’s never been the way I prefer to drink.
I’m the sort who can nurse a glass all night, swirling a good spirit around to release the hidden scents and flavours, and sipping it. Drinking that way your body has a sort of natural “No, time to stop” moment when your throat decides that you need to keep this mouthful in for a while before it will allow you to swallow. It allows you to not get drunk while enjoying a drink. Doesn’t work with alcopops, unsurprisingly and I’d say that explains a lot of the problems in this country.
I entirely agree with and admire your choice of bevvy. Sounds like it was a nice ‘one on one’ evening
Yep. Nothing better than spending quality time with a loved one. Well, cheesecake obviously, but apart from that…
Hey, it seems we quit drinking the same year. I’m bound to stay sober though. I have reasons to stay on the wagon. However, given my past, I do know what you are talking about and a good glass of whiskey. I was a spirit-drinker too. Preferred cognac, though. Always thought that cognac is the finest spirt there is. If it’s a good one, of course. There are some good brandies too, but not like a true cognac. Well, of course I had the occasional beer too, but that was just as a beverage. Never had more than three or four at a time. Spirits on the other hand. Unfortunately my addiction destroyed that joy, But that’s how it is. Cheers, mate. Have one for me while your at it.
Of all the spirits I always found cognac a little too easy to have too much of. It went down a little too smoothly, especially the good ones. Had a fellow tip me with a glass of £85 per shot cognac once and it really does make the difference in a way you can taste.
I was always a beer drinker, for some reason preferred it better than anything else. But if I have to drink something stronger, than I chose “rakija”, Balkan style fruit brandy. And quince one is my favourite.
I don’t like the feeling of being drunk anymore – for last 20 years, to be precise. I had my wild moments when I was young and now when I drink I drink a little, enjoying a taste of alcohol
I’ve never been much of a beer drinker. When I was younger it went down so fast you didn’t get a taste (God of Dog, we called it) and then beer was mainly used for other reasons as I grew – bitter shandy for summer days, lagers for hanging out with friends and Guinness for personal use/meal replacements.
However, then I tried a wheat lager and was I ‘got’ beer. These things are basically the ingredients of cask matured real ales, but brewed as a lager. Love it.
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