now serving: Rittenhouse 100 proof straight rye

Philosophy classes are amazing.  If you are currently in college , I strongly recommend tacking on a few of these classes to your electives.  The experience of critically identifying your feelings within that world has proved to be an indispensible assest for the real world.  It was in my junior year, in a History of Late Modern Philosophy class, that I was first introduced to the philosophies of G.W.F. Hegel, a German philosopher.  One of his most famous platforms was the idea of the dialectic method.  A simple explanation goes as follows: if you identify one side as the Right and one side as the Left, and assume that both sides occupy equal space, then the two things, though occupying opposite stances and different meaning, can be interchanged (i.e. Right is Left is Right).  This contradiction (that the sides are equal but opposite) is resolved by a simple principle.   If the distinction between the two is not in them taken alone, then their difference is something outside of them.  This theory is most frequently identified by the thesis, antithesis, and synthesis metaphor.  Two sides opposed, with the answer standing perfectly in the middle of the two. 

Now, this idea, though very abstract and crudely explained, elaborates much regarding the different camps of rye whiskey aficionados.  Rye is such a hotly debated liquor because of the tradition it carries with it.  Some prefer to add additional flavors to evoke the flavors within, and some choose to keep it pure and neat.  The two sides do have one thing in common-- they think the other side is nuts for choosing the opposite method of consumption.

And this debate goes further into the flavor profiles of rye.  One side bitter, one side sweet.  Recall all the bourbons and whiskeys you have consummed, and you will find that association with one side, sweet or bitter, stands out.  Jameson is peppery and warm.  Wild Turkey is sweet and round.  I know neither of them are ryes, but you understand the point.  So on.

Changing gears, it seems that one cannot investigate rye whiskeys these days without running across the Rittenhouse name.  Championed as "the most bourbony rye" or "the best mixing rye," Rittenhouse 100 offers a balance of classic  caramel flavors without overdoing the sweetness against the heat and spice of rye whiskey without being overly bitter. In this rye, the middle ground has been acheived, where two opposing sides work together to create an answer.  Both sides stand tall, relying on one another in the classic "work together by working against" theory.

To enact any good philosophy, one must put thought into action.  Without movement, every thought is an unrealized idea.  The action is simply to imbibe your way, align yourself with one side or the other, and lobby for your method.  But, always remember that without the other side of the debate, you would not have a side at all. 

Heavy.  Snap them fingers like a poetry reading and drink whiskey.  It'll warm you up in the chilly weather, y'all.
Cheers!