The Daily Valet. - 10/14/19, Monday

✔️ Bourbon and Flying Cars

October 14, 2019

Monday, October 14th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Today, I introduce you to my desk Dopp kit. You ready?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Let’s Talk Bourbon

With a little preparation, this could be the year you score some Pappy

If you're like me, your drinking takes on a seasonal personality. Summer is all about bright, citrus-y spritzes, icy bottles of lager and glasses of crisp rosé. But come fall and winter, I want to tuck into something darker. Bourbon, usually, which somehow just congers mental images of relaxing in a leather chair by a crackling fire.

And when it comes to bourbon, Van Winkle—led by the legendary Pappy Van Winkle—is probably even more famous for being coveted than they are for being good. But, of course, they are very good. Just ask the Pope. And the distillery just announced that the bourbons will be released next month.

But like previous years, yields from the barrels are low due to evaporation during the long aging cycle. If you didn't know, Van Winkle bourbons are aged years longer than most others, resulting in a smoother and sweeter flavor due in part to the wheat recipe versus the traditional rye recipe found in most bourbons. This year's bottles run from "Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 Year Old 107 Proof" for $69.99 to "Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23 Year Old" for $299.90, if the MSRP is followed.

But this is Pappy, and the sticker price is merely a suggestion. You almost certainly won’t find a bottle of the much-beloved bourbon except on the secondary market, where it’ll cost you ten times the suggested retail price. Most states are only allocated a few bottles, and some store's waiting lists are decades long. Your best bet is to call a few of your local liquor stores now and see if they're holding a lottery.

Your other option? Try another wheated bourbon. According to Gear Patrol, there's a "new consolation prize for bourbon hunters giving up the hunt for bottles of Pappy." Heaven Hill Distillery is rolling out a new barrel-strength edition of its affordable Larceny bourbon, a well-loved wheater that's been dubbed the "poor man's Pappy."

↦ Scotch More Your Thing? Here are seven new bottles you should check out.

Happy ... Holiday?

Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Today is Columbus Day. But there's a growing list of states and American cities that won’t be marking the 527th anniversary of Christopher Columbus "discovering the new world." Just last week, Washington DC passed emergency legislation renaming the holiday “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” joining at least eight states, 10 universities and more than 130 cities across 34 states that have jumped ship, so to speak.

The change isn't just political correctness. Historians have long affirmed that the Italian explorer was not the benevolent hero portrayed in American folklore. And many Native Americans and tribal nations see his conquest as the first in a long history of oppression, injustice and suffering.

But the gesture to recognize indigenous people rather than the man who opened the Americas to European domination also has prompted howls of outrage from some Italian-Americans, who say eliminating their celebration of ethnic pride is culturally insensitive, too. For now, it seems the solution is somewhat murky. In some places, one holiday has replaced another, and in others, the two will be recognized simultaneously.

↦ FYI: Columbus Day celebrations date back to 1792, when New York City celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landfall.

Did You See That Marathoner?

Eliud Kipchoge’s historic sub-two-hour marathon was really something, but ...

For so long, most people thought it was physically impossible, but Eliud Kipchoge became the first human to run a sub two-hour marathon. The 34-year-old Kenyan, who holds the current marathon world record, ran the Ineos 1:59 Challenge in Vienna—an unofficial event featuring several artificial conditions—and crossed the finish line in 1:59:40.

Inspiring as it was, the feat will have an asterisk by it and won't be counted in the official record books. According to The Economist, this race bent the rules of the IAAF, athletics’ governing body. The location and route were optimised to increase the likelihood of a sub-two-hour time, and a variety of start dates for optimal weather and a course designed to reduce that wind resistance that slows runners. But still, the guy ran 26.2 miles in less than two hours and crossed that finished looking fresher than most of us do after 25 minutes on the treadmill.

↦ True Story: I once ran a marathon at 19 because everyone said I couldn't. Well, I did ... but crossed the finish line somewhere around the five hour mark.

Syria: What Happens Now?

US Troops could leave Syria in a matter of days

The United States is considering plans to withdraw the bulk of American troops from northern Syria in the coming days, two officials told Reuters on Sunday, in what would be a faster-than-expected timeline for the US pullout amid Turkey’s escalating offensive.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Sunday that he was acting on orders from President Trump to begin a deliberate withdrawal from northern Syria, where around 1,000 members of the armed forces would be moved to Iraq. The withdrawal seems to remove the last roadblock for Turkey’s expanding incursion into Syria against Kurdish allies. It was the presence of American troops alongside the Kurds that helped to maintain a fragile peace at the border.

Also yesterday, hundreds of women and children linked to ISIS escaped from a war detainment camp, stoking fears that a Turkish incursion will allow the extremist group to rebuild strength. It wasn't clear whether any male fighters have yet escaped the prisons. Meanwhile, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, supported by Russia, controls the southern part of the country and wants to retake it all. On Sunday, the Kurds apparently struck a deal with the Syrian government, but its details—and what it would mean for detainees—were not yet clear.

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

This Emory Porsche 356 hitting the auction block

Why you want acid on your face

SNL’s “Joker” parody about Oscar the Grouch

You Need a Desk Dopp Kit

It’s not crazy. It’s a game-changer.

Maybe it's the former Boy Scout in me, but I like to be prepared for anything. That's why I and most of the team have a Dopp kit in our desk drawers. Which is what lead to today's piece on why every guy should make one for himself. "Much like the classic leather travel bag discerning men carry with them on trips, creating a handy desk-friendly version is a smart move for any modern gentleman."

As for what goes in it ... that's up to you and your needs. But if you want some suggestions, we've shared my personal kit. It's got everything from cologne and eye patches to Tums and a Tide pen. Trust me, it seems crazy until you start relying on all the ways it gets you out of a jam. Then it's an internal part of your work life. You can thank me later.

↦ The Desk Dopp Kit: Here's why every man should have one.

Flying Cars! It’s About Time

Porsche teams up with Boeing to build ultra premium flying vehicles

Every movie's vision of the future seems to finally be coming to fruition. Porsche just announced a very interesting partnership with Boeing for a luxury, electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for rich people to fly above traffic-choked cities, reports The Verge.

As part of the partnership, the companies say they will “create an international team to address various aspects of urban air mobility, including analysis of the market potential for premium vehicles and possible use cases.” So okay, that's a bit vague and it means that there's no hard and fast plans to make these a reality any time soon, but damn they look cool and it certainly gets you thinking about ways in which cities (and high-end ride sharing) will change in the decades to come.

↦ They're Not Alone: Boeing's rival Airbus has demonstrated a similar drone-like electric aircraft.