Back in June, I mused that Diageo (NYSE:$DEO), the maker of Johnny Walker Scotch whisky and other brands, was “The Ultimate 12- to 18-Year Investment.” It was, of course, a reference to the length of time that Scotch needs to be aged in order to be marketable (or drinkable).  Scotch can be officially be called...Read More

For the past year, it’s been a swinging-from-the-chandeliers party in booze stocks.  High-end alcohol distillers have kept investors buzzed in an otherwise sobering stretch. Diageo (NYSE: $DEO), the biggest and best diversified of the lot, is up 37% over the past 52 weeks.  But Pernod-Ricard (Pink:$PDRDY) and Beam, Inc. (NYSE:$BEAM) are both up more than...Read More

Yes, you read that correctly.  My favorite “tobacco stock” is Intel Corp (Nasdaq:$INTC). Lest you think I’ve lost my mind, I am aware that Intel does not sell or market cigarettes or other tobacco products. Intel is the world’s premier designer and manufacturer of computer processors. But while Intel is not a tobacco company, it...Read More

Sometimes, you just need tequila.  It’s not really a matter of wanting it. Perhaps it’s due to an inner self loathing, or perhaps it has something to do with the naughty fun involved with grabbing a slice of lime off the navel of a perfect stranger at a bar with your teeth.  Whatever your reason...Read More

I like the occasional cigar after a hard week at the office, though I can hardly call myself a connoisseur.  And I’ve always been impressed by experienced smokers who can smoke their cigars down to a perfect ash without it crumbling off and landing in their laps.  I’ve seen ash still perfectly intact at 2-3...Read More