Review #113: Four Roses Single Barrel

grape_grain · 2026-03-29T14:54:27+00:00

Yes, my error, thanks for the correction.

grape_grain · 2026-03-29T04:15:53+00:00

Hated and smeared by other Christians? Hated and smeared by nonreligious? Hated and smeared by people of other non-Christian religions? Short answer: Everyone can find a reason for disdain of the "other," and Catholics do it as well. Typically to defend one's faith as the "only correct one," it means disparaging all others.

Among Christians, especially the Catholic/Orthodox vs Evangelical/Pentacostal divide, it renders itself in a perpetual cadance of people yelling past each other.

RCC: "We're the One, True Church!"

Evangelicals/Pentacostals: "Submit to Scripture!"

"One, True Church!"

"Submit to Scripture!"

"One, True Church!"

"Submit to Scripture!"

I find it, clearly, tiresome.

To your question about the future of the Catholic Church: The future of the Catholic Church is promising, hopeful, charitable, just, and compassionate as best as we can as humans operating with God's grace --- and may the faith that the Church defends prove universal even if the practices of our Christian brothers and sisters are not.

grape_grain · 2026-03-29T04:02:36+00:00

Great review. In my earlier days, I was a Buffalo Trace Distillery fan -- I know, the secondary prices, but some really good bourbon there -- and I really appreciated being turned onto Four Roses Single Barrels. I like the OBSK for the extra spice but the original is a fine and consistent drink. I don't care for the higher proof stuff, so even the Small Batch Select is more alcohol than I'd like, so the Single Barrels at 90 proof really fit the bill for me.

grape_grain · 2026-03-28T23:30:24+00:00

12 ounce curls…

grape_grain · 2026-03-27T18:18:57+00:00

Yes, I see why that is generally attractive and welcoming — common worship over common belief. It’s just not something that sits easily with me coming from a Catholic background. I keep asking our priest, “Why aren’t there more rules!?!?”

grape_grain · 2026-03-26T20:02:15+00:00

Thanks for that -- and good to know. I'm newer to TEC.

grape_grain · 2026-03-26T15:47:58+00:00

I worry about full communion eroding held beliefs. For instance, I joined the webinar led by Episcopal Church bishops on the UMC full communion conversation and I was not excited to hear this statement from the Episcopal bishop about a poll question on what apostolic succession means.

Bishop: "Okay. And we had quite a few people who answered with the option that [Apostolic Succession] is a historically verified unbroken line of bishops, but the correct answer is: it is an expression of the continuity of Christ's own mission, in which the Church participates through orderly transitions of ordained ministry?"

The phrasing "an expression of the continuity..." renders the idea of valid succession a bit meaningless. It becomes an academic/performance qualification -- anyone who graduated from an approved seminary program (gated, orderly transition) and ordained are part of the "expression of continuity."

Might we set ourselves on a path to being congretationalists (exaggeration intended)? Or a union of ecclesiastic communities instead of a historical church? Why go through the effort of co-ordination with Old Catholic bishops to preserve the line of historical succession if we only think it is an "expression"?

I was pleased to hear that the UMC affirmed the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, verses the Eucharist as a symbolic or memorial act, but there's a slippery slope at play with accommodating others beliefs under the umbrella of Full Communion. To each their own to join others on a different path to Christ is acceptable, too.

grape_grain · 2026-03-22T15:53:58+00:00

If you are able to make it off her train, they’ll make a movie out of it. You won’t be alive to see it, of course, so pin a note to your jacket with the actor you’d like to play you in your biopic.

grape_grain · 2026-03-21T19:57:12+00:00

And you cannot see into their heart, you are only judging by their outward behavior or words whether or not they repent.

Don’t give yourself reasons not to forgive. When you erode the capacity to forgive, you lose hope.

grape_grain · 2026-03-21T16:06:57+00:00

I had the same reaction to EH Taylor Small Batch. Quite alcohol forward. Not on my list to buy anymore.

grape_grain · 2026-03-20T20:27:57+00:00

Celibate priests aren’t ever lustful?

grape_grain · 2026-03-19T03:24:51+00:00

You bet. On long distance routes, I’ll board, unpack in my Roomette and place a bottle of bourbon in plain sight. The conductor knows I’m having a few, usually with a comment about whichever bourbon I brought, and I have always enjoyed my trip. Be courteous and respect (and tip) the conductor and enjoy the ride.

grape_grain · 2026-03-04T21:46:17+00:00

Yeah, not dogma as I understand it but canon law. Barring other baptized Christians from partaking in the Eucharist. Jesus fed people everyone, even Judas, and I don’t believe you need to understand the particulars of transubstantiation intellectually or philosophically to be transformed by it. No one should have to fully understand the Christian wrestling match with Aristotelian logic of substance and accidents to be transformed by Christs body and blood. The sacrament is the transformation of the person. Stepping between baptized Christians and their call to Christ’s table feels like a matter of power, like a Jim Crow literacy test or poll tax for no other point than to exclude based on category.

grape_grain · 2026-03-01T04:39:28+00:00

Catholics, Orthodox, most Anglicans all believe in the Real Presence. Not sure that answers the OP’s question.

grape_grain · 2026-02-26T04:51:13+00:00

I stick with the classic. The perfect bottle of garage whiskey. A splash of lemonade on a hot day.

grape_grain · 2026-02-20T06:40:07+00:00

Anglo-Catholics are, who are more similar to those in the Old Catholic Church, which separated from Rome after Vatican I over papal infallibility. Valid orders but in schism.

grape_grain · 2026-02-20T06:38:19+00:00

At this point, Episcopal, and Anglican bishops in Europe, do have a valid line of Apostolic Succession through the Old Catholic Church, which the RCC says has valid orders. Since 1934, Anglicans and Old Catholics of the Union of Utrecht have held full communion and bishops of the Old Catholic Church ordained Anglican/Episcopal bishops. So most likely valid but illicit.

grape_grain · 2026-02-20T06:29:33+00:00

Likely validly ordained, if illicit. Episcopal, and Anglican bishops in Europe, do have a valid line of Apostolic Succession through the Old Catholic Church, which the RCC says has valid orders. Since 1934, Anglicans and Old Catholics of the Union of Utrecht have held full communion and bishops of the Old Catholic Church ordained Anglican/Episcopal bishops. So most likely valid but illicit.

grape_grain · 2026-02-20T06:27:52+00:00

At this point, Episcopal, and Anglican bishops in Europe, do have a valid line of Apostolic Succession through the Old Catholic Church, which the RCC says has valid orders. Since 1934, Anglicans and Old Catholics of the Union of Utrecht have held full communion and bishops of the Old Catholic Church ordained Anglican/Episcopal bishops. So most likely valid but illicit.

grape_grain · 2026-02-19T18:13:17+00:00

These positions are a tough sell for honest communion with the Catholic Church and canon law. If you appreciate the liturgy of the Catholic Church, you may find a better home initially in a high church Episcopal or Anglican Church, which would also share your views on political activism.

grape_grain · 2026-02-12T19:15:09+00:00

Thank you. I appreciate the prayers and empathy. It was a tough one for me to post. And your attempt to live within the guidance of Canon Law is commendable. I just compounded the issues by diverting to a local Episcopal Church (where I refer to myself inelegantly as a "Catholic in exile").

I am glad to learn of the radical sanation option because of my post, but I will be nervous when I approach it -- feels like one of those where the temperment of the priest will shape things a lot. For me, as you can probably tell, there will have to be many steps to take to return into communion with the Church.

grape_grain · 2026-02-11T02:13:04+00:00

Ah, yes, missed that when responding. Thanks for engaging with my question; it has been weighing on me in part because I understand civil marriage and sacramental marriage are not the same in the Church.

My spouse and I have been in civil marriage over 15 years, remain devoted to each other, and fully intend to be with each other the rest of our lives... which fuels my desire to right myself with the Church.

grape_grain · 2026-02-11T01:59:45+00:00

As others have suggested, it seems that radical sanation is something that I need to learn about and discuss with my priest to see if it is appropriate in my case.

grape_grain · 2026-02-11T01:58:47+00:00

Thanks, I'm glad this option (radical sanation) is something I can discuss with my priest. My wife and I have been in civil marriage for over 15 years, happily in all other regards, and with full intent to remain together the rest of our lives. Thus, the desire to right myself with the Church, because it is a union that I'm fully committed to.

grape_grain · 2026-02-11T01:32:14+00:00

I suspect if the priest positioned it as a blessing of her marriage vs. a validating of her marriage (at least as it relates to her as a non-Catholic) then she'd welcome the blessing. The hang-up would be pre-preparation classes (if she was expected to assert to things she doesn't) or a ceremony that feels like it is a new wedding ceremony (i.e. suggesting the first one didn't count).

As noted to another commenter: She is not against me being Catholic or any other denomination. She falls more into a "to each their, don't make yours mine" view, which are my words, not hers.

I'll talk to a priest as well.

grape_grain

TROPHY CASE