Bourbon/Whiskey III

More than any other alcohol, Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey reminds me of bars and bikers and blues bands. In my mind's ear I can hear a scruffy guy belly up to the bar and order a "Jack" on the rocks, or ask for a "Black Label" and mean Jack Daniels, not Johnny Walker.

Jack Daniels is a Tennessee whiskey, with an "e" (in whiskey, that is that was established in either 1866 or 1875, and it is hard to know which of the stories around the brand are advertising fabrications/corporate "legend" and which are truth. The Jack Daniels website is beautifully designed and appears to have a wealth of information and history, but is horrific from a useability standpoint. Too bad, because even if the stories aren't the complete truth, the ones I looked at were interesting to read.

According to the Wiki on Jack Daniels, "Tennessee whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal in large wooden vats prior to aging, unlike the process used to make Kentucky bourbon." Three days of bourbon/whiskey postcards and I still find this bourbon/whiskey distinction confusing, to say the least.

Bourbon/Whisky II

George Dickel is a sour mash whisky distiller from Tennesse, "nestled on the Highland Rim of the Cumberland Plateau, ... halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga".  George Dickel  "declared that because his whisky was as smooth as the finest scotch, he would always spell the “whiskey” in George Dickel Tennessee Whisky without an “e”, keeping with the Scotch whisky tradition."

I like bourbon, but I am by no means an afficianado.  However, I imagine discussions about the quality of the water (both Maker's Mark and George Dickel only use water emanating from limestone spring water), experience of the distiller, quality of the oak barrels, and a number of other factors could become quite animated, especially after more than one glass of bourbon.

Music and Musicians, II

What is there to say, but "all hail the King!"

Well, okay, I can't resist making a couple of comments about these Elvis Presley cards. 

On the back of th card with the bronze Elvis statue it says  "This impressive bronze statue of Elvis standing 9-1/2 fee tall, is located in 'Elvis Presley Plaza' on Beale Street, downtown, Memphis.  Memphis is proud of this magnificient memorial to the unforgetable 'King of Rock and Roll'.  We hope it will stand as a testament of our love and appreciation for Elvis".

And of course, Graceland, Tennessee has to be on any rock and roll fan's bucket list.  I almost got to go there once, when we had focus groups scheduled for Memphis.  At the last minute, my trip was cancelled but the art director and copywriter did attend the groups, had a field trip to Graceland, and brought me back not only a picture of Elvis' final resting place but also some "Love Me Tender" hair conditioner.  I had that bottle for years, until I decided it belonged in my neighbor's "Homage to Elvis" bathroom, where it now lives, along with an Elvis clock, an Elvis costume (Las Vegas period, as seen in the postcard lower left), Elvis pictures, and a plethora of other Elvis paraphernalia. 

My favorite Elvis song is "A Little Less Conversation." especially the JXL remix from 2002.  (Lyrics here.)  Anybody care to share theirs?

It's Good Friday, and you know what that means.  Non-religiously speaking anyways.  It's Postcard Friendship Friday - check it out.