*Proceed with caution: as the words of William Shakespeare have been altered for the sake of whisk(e)y*

O Ouroboros, Ouroboros, wherefore art thou Ouroboros?
Deny thy father and refuse thy absence;
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I’ll no longer be lonely.

Shall you hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Or something like that. You get what I am saying, or maybe not. Let me explain my woeful plea.

Ouroboros Heavily Peated American Single Malt Whiskey from the Lost Spirit’s Distillery is in my Top 5 list of whiskeys that I’ve ever had. From the moment the rich, lush, bountiful, complex, red color embraced my eyes I was in love. Frankly, auburn hasn’t looked so immaculate since crushing ‘Bama’s – who ironically don an auburn hue – hopes and dreams a couple years ago.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

The smell, the taste and the feel… those shall always remain the same with this lovely concoction. But that “longing for more” finish? That would unfortunately be bitter.

The experts and diligent team of researchers and statisticians over at Wikipedia have defined Ouroboros as “an ancient symbol depicting a serpent or dragon eating its own tail…” I see. This makes sense to me now.

But then the definition continues “…The ouroboros often symbolizes self-reflexivity or cyclicality, especially in the sense of something constantly re-creating itself, the eternal return, and other things such as the phoenix which operate in cycles that begin anew as soon as they end.” Wait just a second. The essence of Ouroboros is to come back again!? Now we have an issue Lost Spirit’s. I was content to let my misery cause a slow and unfulfilled life based off of the first portion of the explanation but wait just one gosh doggone flea-bitten darnnit minute!

Now, I have searched far and wide at a plethora of bars I’ve visited in the name of Whisky + Architecture, and a total of 1 (being the only place I’ve had it) locale had even heard of Ouroboros, let alone had it to offer. Granted after hearing “no” about the tenth time I have stopped asking so maybe now the world has caught on to my search and rescue mission, but I doubt it. Why is this greatness soooo hard to find!? I’ve seen “rare bottlings” a lot more than this elusive masterpiece. Even worse, why don’t people know of this beauty at all?

Much of my search resulted in “What is that?”, and “Hmmm, I have never heard of it”. Really!? No seriously, REALLY!? The search wasn’t just exclusive to bars but to retailers and the results were quite the same. Granted, in this investigation I was not by myself in knowing of the elusive dram but everywhere I turned, ready to give an arm, and leg for this beauty, it was sold out, or had an option for the dreadful “Waiting List”.

To make things worse, Lost Spirit’s has another offering that I would place in my Top 10 list of favorite whiskeys: Bohemian Bonfire. Just as its partner in crime though, it is on the run from my consumption.

My eyes have not yet drunk a hundred drams

Of that tongue’s utterance, yet I know the taste.

And there is my dilemma. I have not come close at all to experiencing all that the whisk(e)y world has to offer, and yet, I have found my love. At this point I am open to all negotiations with the Lost Spirit’s Distillery. I am not even asking for directions to the few places that still have the bottle for sale. Rather, I would be elated if a bartender I come across would simply say “Oh yea, I know that.” Even better would be “Yea, we have that.” That’s all I ask. I just want to experience it at more than one place in my life. Is that asking too much? Regardless, no matter how many drams I do come across later in life, it is safe to say:

And I’ll still stay, to have thee still forget

Forgetting any other dram but this.

– Finn