March 27 Is International Whisk(e)y Day!

Helen Straight 

 
Cheers! It’s International Whisk(e)y Day! Not to be confused with World Whisky Day (May 20). What should you do to celebrate? Anything you like!
International Whisk(e)y Day doesn’t discriminate. It embraces those who prefer whiskey and those who prefer whisky! Meet up with friends and try something new, open that mysterious bottle you’ve been saving, introduce someone new to your favorite spirit. Raise a glass! But International Whisk(e)y Day is bigger than just a glass of whiskey, because we know, “there’s more to whiskey than what’s in the glass.”



International Whisk(e)y Day celebrates the life and birthday of Michael Jackson. No, not that Michael Jackson, the other Michael Jackson. Who? The renowned British beer and spirits writer who published The World Guide to Beer in 1977. Imagine how much that world has changed.
He published The World Guide to Whisky 10 years later, and he is now considered “the most significant and influential modern whisky writer.” After thoroughly investigating beer, whiskey seemed a logical step, as it’s essentially beer making without hops.
Influenced by a career in journalism, Jackson was a dedicated investigator, writing in “short sentences, shorn of adornment.” Seemingly unstoppable, he battled diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. With sparkling blue eyes, a great laugh, and a generous spirit, he kept writing and hosting events to the very end. His friend Carolyn writes, “he had an extraordinary connectedness with people—for him cementing friendships was as important as breathing.”
In addition to celebrating friendships and the spirit itself, International Whisk(e)y Day offers an opportunity to toast the pursuit of knowledge.
Michael Jackson loved knowledge. He worked tirelessly, investigating beer and spirits and compiling definitive compendiums of his findings. He dedicated his life to sharing this knowledge with others, giving the world resources to entertain and enrich their lives.
International Whisk(e)y Day is a day to reconnect with passions and projects. Everyone knows someone like Michael, actively amassing vast amounts of information on arcane subjects. Maybe that person is you! Regardless, each person has that one thing they just always want to know more about, the browser tab that never closes.
Today’s the day. Seek out your most Michael-like friends, have a whiskey, listen to their stories and wisdom. Ask lots of questions, the kind maybe they can’t answer, but which encourage their further pursuit. Think about others you could connect with their knowledge.
Reflect. Perhaps you’ve been collecting knowledge too, but the project’s gotten stalled, derailed, discouraged. Today’s the day to recommit to jumpstarting the effort. Toast to the spirit of Michael Jackson and T.T.I.N. (The Time Is Now!)
Collecting knowledge and discovering the best way to share it with the world enhances your life and the lives of countless others. Launch an investigation. Enjoy the journey. Let Michael Jackson propel you on your quest.
“To savor a whiskey, then to hear how it was created is instructive and enjoyable. To talk afterward with the distiller or blender is even better. To drink socially with distillery workers in their local pubs is a pleasure that lingers like the finish of a robust bourbon or a fine malt.”
Cheers to International Whisk(e)y Day!