Frackers: Problems In Paradise? -- January 25, 2017

Trouble In Paradise? Part 1

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Trouble In Paradise? Part 2

From Bloomberg: shale frackers reveal weak sales.  Data points:

• Schlumberger, Halliburton North America sales lag rig count
• rigs in US, Canada have more than doubled since May, 2016
• earnings not impressive; barely meeting estimates

Comment: no analysis; just noting what investors have already noticed.

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Scotch

After several years of being posted near the Scottish border, I will always have a special spot in my heart for Yorkshire (England) and for Scotland.

I never had a drop of Scotch while in England, except on one occasion when a Yorkshire colleague invited me over for dinner. After dinner he introduced me to a dozen different Scotches. At the time, I had no interest in them and did not enjoy them.

Over the past year or so, I have tried to get a better feeling for Scotch. I have read several books on the subject, two of which I highly recommend; and, have tasted several different "brands" and I think I finally have a pretty good idea what the game is all about.

I say all that to note this. Scotman/Food and Drink.com has posted a video of the eight distilleries in Islay, one of the four Scotch regions in Scotland. Interestingly enough, the thumbnail of the video is of Laphroaig, one of the more interesting Scotches, and one I would never introduce to a novice sampler if trying to convince him of the merits of Scotch. It is perhaps one of the most memorable, if not the most memorable Scotch I have every tasted.

The video highlights:

• Ardberg, have tasted
• Laphroaig, have tasted
• Bowman, have not tasted yet
• Bruiccladdich, have not tasted yet
• Kilchoman, have not tasted yet [update: have not yet tasted, but did buy a holiday box with two sipping glasses, January 25, 2018]
• Bunnahabhain, have tasted
• Caol Ila, have not tasted yet

In addition to these, it appears there are two others, neither of which I've tasted:

• Gartbreck
• Lagavulin

By the way, for the record, after "figuring" out martinis, I no longer drink martinis. It doesn't mean I never will, but for now, not interested in martinis.

My favorite "go-to" Scotch at the moment is Auchentoshan, from the Lowlands. It bills itself as the only triple-distilled Scotch (but most Irish whiskeys are triple-distilled). Again, the comments are most interesting at the linked site.