u/WrestlingDadPA

I now have probably 40 bottles of whiskey in my bar... almost all are good and enjoyable to drink. I'm not one who can pick out and describe "notes" of whiskey, I very simply just kindof like them at different levels. I know that's not helpful. However, the two that really stand out out to me...every time I pour a glass I'm re-surprised at how much I like it.... are Aberlour A'bundadh (Batch 79 which I've read from others is a disappointing batch) and Red Breast 12 CS. Both are very flavorful (in a good way) with some hints of sweetness that swirl around in them...and they're heavy/oily in mouthfeel. I can't really explain it any better....but I want to find more of those types of drinks. I'm going to look for other batches of A'bunadh (but don't know if it's really possible to find older batches - I'm pretty limited to what the PA controlled liquor store brings in and I'd assume those will always come in newest available batch?). I figure if I love the batch 79 and it's a bad one, my mind will blow if I find a better one. Any recommendations that meet my poor description of what I like?

I'm currently sitting drinking a dram of HP12... It's my second from this bottle (different days). Laphroaig 10 is what made me realize I liked Scotch (and whiskey in general) years ago. It made me realize whiskey is to sip and appreciate, not slam like a 15 year old. Out of curiosity, I just searched what I wrote as my post Title, and was reading a 4 year old post's comments. It seemed everyone kept referencing HP12 as a started peated drink... many "wade into the water" comments vs "cannonball into the water" with Laphroaig. I don't really get that... it's been a while since I've cracked open my Laphroaig, but from memory I feel that this HP12 is just as peaty/smokey. Honestly, and I mean this in the best of ways... it tastes like my mouth after kissing a drunk college girl who's been hammering cigarettes all night. I guess instead of posting for opinions on this, I should just go open my Laphroaig and compare, but at this point that may have to be held for a different day. This HP12 is pretty new to me - but I think I'm quite the fan.

I'm 51, own a small business, make pretty good money (200ish, sometimes more), single income with wife and kids, and tons of work stress (probably due to some OCD maybe). I have 1.8 in retirement, still owe 300k on the house, but no other debt. I have kid college and weddings, and help with getting launched into life that are my biggest future concerns. I may be a lucky one who will eventually benefit from an inheritance - I don't count on it but I think we will get $1M+ that I plan on passing straight through to my kids (hopefully by that time they'll be young adults) - so that lessens my "keep working bc my kids may need me" urges...but again, not counting on it.
I think I could either sell my company and get 1.5M+ or so before taxes, or I can keep it and retire with an income (my employees can run the business without me) of maybe $50-75k/yr. I wouldn't want to take too much bc I'd have to keep the business financially very healthy if I did that.
So... I think I could retire in the next few years if things keep going well (Pleeeeease...Don't sink our economy with anything stupid, current administration)... but I'm also realizing some things. First... I fixate on the fear that something will go wrong. So even though I'd LOVE in some ways to be able to live life and do things I've not been able to do for many years... the thought of letting my wife and children down weighs on me sooo heavily. Second... I "soft-work" constantly. I am never caught up, and always busy...but I'm also at home in my living room with a TV on in the background and food outside on the smoker... while i sit at my computer doing emails or working on projects. I "soft work" from 7AM until 1AM most days, with a break in the evenings to watch kid sports practices or whatever for a couple hours. I take time to go mow grass when I have to. I take whole weekend days sometimes to go to kid sports travel tournaments. When I do occasionally just take a few hours or even a day when there's not a kid sport commitment and I put work away... I've realized I have a tendency to vegetate. I'll do a few things around the yard, but I also will binge watch tv or surf the internet for whatever interests me. If I gave up work... would I actually do what I like to think of myself doing - hiking, fishing, biking, traveling, boating, hanging with my wife (who also stays super busy all the time), yard work, personal projects, camping, visiting distant family, etc..... or would I vegetate and wear-out Netflix and Reddit? The realization that maybe I would fall into the latter lifestyle makes me question if my life would be hollow if I would actually quit working. I really don't know the answer, and it's making me question the reality of the life I've been working to obtain.

I thought I was smart, cut a bunch of wood chips and pre-wetted them, then kept them in a ziplock in the fridge so I'd have soaked wood ready when needed (as I never remember wood chips until I'm starting coal)... Not so smart... figured the fridge would keep wood chips good - but no. Just pulled out the bag and they've got some pretty green/blue mold(??) starting.

Is there a trick to keeping pre-wetted wood good? If I freeze it, it will be a chunk instead of small pieces. I don't want to add any chemical obviously... Is there another answer, or I just have to get better at starting wood chips soaking the night before?

If I kept them in a quart jar filled with water (instead of draining), and kept that in the fridge, would that keep them good? Maybe add a little vinegar or citrus or something?

Related question.... am I right that to do as-need wood soaking, it needs to be overnight. 20-30 minutes I assume doesn't full penetrate and the wood will burn off too fast and not smoke as well?