Negative on blended anything or Canadian anything. (except beers.) Pendleton only if its gratis. Never Canadian Club or Black Velvet, even if it is gratis.
Neat or nothing!
Boutique Bourbons or (American) Rye.
IMHO the ONLY good thing to ever come out of Utah are the High West Distillery Ryes.
Woody Creek Distillers in Basalt, CO make a good Rye.
Some of the boutique distilleries in the West are producing great product.
Bought a bottle of Wyoming Whiskey a couple of years ago on a trip to YNP. Steiner Distillery in Joseph, Oregon is off the hook. Anything from Dry Fly in Spokane is really good.
Scotch - Glenlivet for every day and Laphroaig for special occasions.
Irish - Jameson for everyday and Redbreast when I'm trying to impress.
Gin - Used to be Bombay, but now the only gin in the house is Dry Fly Distillery, Spokane, WA
Vodka - That's what girlies use to make pink drinks.
Tequila - I'm more of a Mezcal with a worm guy - just because. Again, I would not say no if you handed me a Quervo. Back when I lived in Cali and my dad still had his Cessna, we would run to Mulage in Baja. Our flights home were often postponed due to hangovers. Stupid Gringos pretending to be Papa Hemingway. The best way to eat gusano de maguey is fried and eaten like the peanuts at the bar. Or sprinkled on a citrus slice as sal de gusano and biting it before the shot.
Beer - lean towards darker and hoppier.
Wine - Dry
On my Christmas list- Deschutes Distillery, Montana Whiskey (that's coming home with me from BHA Rendevous with me. I have two year old COVID rain checks to lift a glass with Tony Bynum and Hal Herring. Calling that in this year. )
