»Bless this Old Tub.

The New York Times' Obituaries section always evinces a bittersweet smile: I enjoy reading about the unusual and strong people on these pages, people who have, perhaps quietly, made a difference in our understanding of the way we live.

Under the headline Master Bourbon Distiller, today I read that Frederick Booker Noe, whose name I first encountered on a bottle of bourbon, died. The 6'4" Booker said: "A respectable amount of bourbon to pour in a glass is about two fingers' worth. Lucky for me I have big fingers." (sound clip at the Small Batch bourbon site).