Days Are Gone

It's funny. I loaded my iPod Shuffle early this morning and went to the gym to hit the rowing machine, hoping to get my mind off of work for an hour or so. The crisp morning spring air had me in the mood for one very specific album: Haim — Days Are Gone, a piece of precise pop perfection that has yet to grow tired more than three years after its initial release. I can't get enough of these girls, a trio of three sisters from LA that have managed to capture the essence of rock's past with a fresh and effervescent burst of new wave energy and drama. They really do epitomize something picturesque and romantic from my nostalgic psyche. I can't explain it. I'm simply a fan of pop female vocals and Haim's debut full-length record is probably my favorite album of the decade thus far. No matter how shitty I feel, these girls find a way to sing me back into the land of the living. After a solid fifteen minutes of rowing I finally got to the album's title track and, instead of an escape, its lyrics made me think of my whiskey customers and the emails I still get continually. 

David, any chance you can score a bottle of Elijah Craig 18 year?

Those days are gone, those days are gone...

David, is it really true we can't get Hibiki 21 anymore?

Those days are gone, those days are gone...

David, when are you going to get more reasonable 30 and 40 year old single malts in stock?

Holding on, holding on, those days are gone...

Here...go ahead and listen for yourself:

I'm not sure today's consumers really understand the reality of the situation, but I'll break it down very simply: the mature and heady days of Scotch and Bourbon glory are long over. They're not coming back either. We're not in a brief respite. We're not going through a short pause. We're not a year away from plenty of affordable Weller 12 or loads more of Willett single cask editions. There's no more whiskey like that anymore. We bought it all. Those days are gone. The little supply still left is being held back for ultra luxury editions and four-figure splurges that will not be wasted on reasonably-priced excursions. If the reality of this situation pains you and makes you upset, queue the above YouTube video and let the sweet sounds of the Haim sisters lull you into a better place. That's what I do. It's really quite effective.

Since it's happened before via the blog and I seem to be a magnet for notoriety as of late, if anyone out there knows the Haim girls, send them my way. I've got a care package of fine booze ready for them as a thank you gift. They've pulled me through some difficult days, so it's my pleasure. Hopefully they like to drink!

-David Driscoll

David Driscoll