Chris sent me this quote from Samuel Johnson: When a man comes to like a sea life, he is not fit to live on land.
I was not familiar with that one, but did remember another of Dr. Johnson’s comments: No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.
But then, Samuel Johnson was an urban creature who also said, When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.
Not to disparage London, but I don’t think so.
From Douglas came a link to an interview with George Carlin, whose perspective on the human experiment I share.
From Tim comes a link to Laphroaig Christmas carols, with which I disagree. A chimney sweep’s broom, indeed.
And from Shane comes a news story about single malt fraud. I have some difficulty in feeling much sympathy for anyone who spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on a bottle of anything, but is nothing sacred?
Shane also sent the above photograph of the source of Botanist gin. He has visited Islay twice this year, the home of both Laphroaig and Botanist, though not at the same distillery. Botanist is made at the Bruichladdich Distillery.
He writes that all Botanist comes from that one still named Ugly Betty. Three others nearby are used for whisky. Each run makes 250,000 bottles, and they only make it three or four times a year.
Recently the Whole Foods store about a kilometer away from our condo began to stock Botanist. Now both Botanist and Laphroaig 10 year are within walking distance. Formerly we had to drive eight kilometers for Botanist.
Evanston is paradise.
I thank all of them.