Scotch, Song, & Soul - Blind Love
A friend has been telling me of this Whisky Bar out his way, so the other night I ventured out to meet him and his wife and a coworker of ours at Jimmy Madison's Southern Kitchen & Whisky Bar. It was a cold night, and we haven't had too many of those this winter, so it seemed surprising. Inside the bar it was warm and welcoming, however, and there was a great lively feel in the air.
We sat down and were greeted by our server, Becca. Looking at the whisky menu, I was disappointed to see that there wasn't a large Scotch selection, but at least Talisker was at the top of the list; not the storm, but the 10 year. I stopped for a minute and realized that he was actually the one who made me fall in love with Scotch. Although I give Storm the credit of being "the one that started it all," it was the sweet and bonfire-smoke taste of Talisker 10 that led me to Storm in the first place. Talisker 10 was the one who initiated me into this wonderful world and opened the door to the journey that has introduced me to so many more intriguing and delicious whiskies.
When we first arrived, we weren't sure if a band was playing, but soon folks arrived to start setting up the stage. The group was Hard Swimmin' Fish, a classy blues band with old radio-show look. They were all dressed in shirts, ties, and hats. The stand microphones were retro style, and there was an antique radio set up as a speaker to an old-style telephone converted into a microphone. The lead singer would alternate between these mics, and the telephone gave such a cool sound to his voice or the harmonica. The whole setup was just very well done, and full of class and creativity.
One of the original songs they performed right before we left was called Blind Love. It's apparently the first part of a story that continues in a later song of theirs. One of the lyrics especially struck me: "It's those little imperfections, that are so often times, just a mirror reflection.." So think back to the first Scotch you ever loved, pour a dram if you have one nearby, and ponder on the different kinds of love... Blind Love by Hard Swimmin' Fish
It's been quite some time since I've had any of the Taliskers, so I was glad to see his brother at the bar. I actually forgot to take a picture of the bottle while I was there, since we were sitting at a table for dinner, but here is one I found to show you what he looks like. I was surprised when I saw him, because I forgot how reserved and classic his style is compared to the bright blue and image-filled trappings of Storm. He looks more like the older brother, the 18. Very refined.
Our lovely server, Becca was very helpful in helping us all figure out what we wanted off the menu. The rest of my party was drinking Bourbon, and the selection of that whisky style was quite long and varied. I think everyone was happy with their selection. For dinner I ordered a beet salad that was delicious, and the greens looked like a bunch of mini shamrocks to me - fitting for March I suppose.
The topic of synchronicity came up in our conversation, and that's a topic I've talked about over Scotch sipping before. It's an idea that fascinates and excites me, but many skeptical people would say that synchronicity is nothing more than coincidence - you notice what you pay attention to. The argument for this, I believe, is supported by the phenomenon that happens to many when they buy a new car, or something of the sort - suddenly everywhere they go they start seeing cars of that very same make, model, and color.
After we all took turns passing our glasses around the table to test out the nose of all the different whiskies, I turned my attention to Talisker. His nose had the perfect smokiness I expected, yet was softer than Storm's - not having that strong meat association. It was more bonfire than smokehouse, and I actually prefer that. All of the flavors I love showed up in the first sip - sweet, smokey, and a touch of brine. There's a reason why this whisky made me go all in when I first met him.
The thing about synchronicity, is that sometimes it's easy to recognize that it's just our attention heightened for a certain thing, but sometimes it truly seems out-of-the-blue and much more than just coincidence. Could it all be just what we're attuned to though? And maybe the difference is that sometimes the awareness is just so below our consciousness that it seems unconnected?
Usually when people talk about synchronicity, there's a positive connotation. But folks can become hyper-senstitive to things they don't like as well. Sometimes especially if they try to ignore it. This starts crossing into the territory of the Shadow - the idea that what we hate most in others is what we don't like about ourselves; as the lyric says: "those little imperfections...just a mirror reflection."
The real question, though, is - does it matter? If there is an explanation for why we're noticing something, does that make it less important? Our brains are wired to notice things that are helpful to us - that's how evolution and survival work. The best things and the worst things - we're designed to notice what will best enable us to live the life we want.
On a deep level, whether mystical or not, there has to be some knowledge of the path that would best fit with who we want to be in this world.
It's the connection to that knowledge that can wax and wane. I think that's why people so often enjoy synchronicity - it helps them feel connected to something that is at the same time deeper, but also more vast. We like to look back and find connections between events and decisions and find a path that leads us to a better place.
Nine months ago I met Talisker 10 for the first time - enough time ago to grow a whole new life. In some ways this journey has created a new life for me; I've met many new Scotches, and had many new experiences that I never would have if it were not for that first sweet, smoky sip of Talisker. And the journey continues...
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