does drinking qualify as a hobby?

Well, I've discovered that scotch is my favorite liquid on the planet next to water, and that is only because I am addicted to water. If it weren't so easily available, maybe I'd be able to kick that habit.

Back to scotch. I've found that I enjoy all of the regional variations of scotch. I love the tarry, peaty malts of Islay as much as the honeyed, heathery malts of the highlands. I also enjoy blended scotch as well as single-malt scotch. I don't really understand why some folks look down so on blended scotch. Seriously, from what I've read, most of the distillers of single-malt scotches sell a portion of their products for the intent of blending. If they're not against blending, why should you who enjoy their single-malt be against it?

I've also discovered that adding just a tiny bit of water to scotch tends to open up the flavor, particularly in complicated scotches. Islay malts in particular seem to benefit from this because their flavors often feel like they are wound up so tightly that they are inert and difficult to appreciate. But add just a teaspoon or so of water, and boom, the flavors open up and dance around in my mouth. Why? I don't know. It's not as if there's no water in there in the first place. There must be an actual chemical change that occurs when the water is mixed in.

There are a number of books that I must have on scotch, including Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch. I've included others on my Amazon wish list as well.

So far the best cheapest scotch that I've had so far is Bowmore Legend. I paid $22 for my 750ml bottle. It doesn't have the fullness or complexity of Arbeg (which was $37), but it's a nice Islay scotch, if you can appreciate the finish. It reminded me a bit of Numzit, that stuff that your mom put in your mouth when you were teething. It's got the sea in its nose, and it tastes of peat, oak, and light sweet vanilla. The finish is salty iodine. On the highlands side of things is Speyburn, which is under $20 a bottle and it has that honey graham cracker flavor that I've come to associate with highland malts. I like it more than blends that are similarly-priced. It actually reminds me a bit of Chivas Regal, though the Chivas is a bit more complex.

Every time I go to the local liquor store I'm tempted to pick up the bottle of Johnny Walker Green Label they've got there. They're selling it for only $47. Most places are selling it for $60, and some for as much as $80. I've had the black label, which is fine, but not worth its price ($28 a bottle) in my opinion. I've had the blue, at $200 a bottle, is a bit more than I'd ever pay for a bottle of liquor, how ever amazing it is. I'm hoping that the Green Label is has some of the fine qualities of the Blue Label, though. I wish there were someone nearby who would split a bottle with me.

I've decided to try some whiskies other than scotch. I bought a bottle of Jim Beam and I hate it. There's some nice oak and vanilla in there, but there's something really nasty underlying it all. I think it might be nice mixed in Coke, but I very rarely drink soda, and I never have any at home. I have had Irish whisky in the past, but the only one I've had since I was blessed with my new palatte is Tyrconnell, which was enjoyable, but felt like it was missing something. I'd like to try Bushmill's Black Bush. The descriptions I've read sound good, and it's aged in sherry butts, so it should have that nice woody sweetness such aging imparts. If I ever went out to bars, I'd try the whiskies there. Expensive, yes, but cheaper than buying them by the bottle only to find that I hate them.

So, does drinking count as a hobby? Or is it just a distraction and a waste of money? Perhaps I'll ponder this over a glass of scotch.