My favorite person to love or hate...never anything in the middle with him

Still miss him and his cutting humor and pinpoint-accurate criticisms. More people like this please.

And - all of that humor, and criticism coming from a fiece sense of justice and compassion. That's what makes him stand out.

I think Hitchens would have hated the soundtrack.

I was glad to hear his disgust at infant genital mutilation. Among all the other brilliant things he says.

@6 You hit the nail on the head.

#6 FTW

I hate to say this, but I'm glad he died. Because now I know of him, and, somehow, didn't before. I hope that his ideas and rationality about life and truth gain prominence and power as quickly as his ashes dissipate in the wind.

His is my favorite explanation of death.

What @4 said. Also couldn't stomach the too-reverent slideshow of images at the end.

Otherwise, great.

I'd pour a little Johnnie Walker out on the ground for him, but he'd just say that would be a pointless and stupid waste of good scotch whisky.

Whoa. Since when is Johnnie Walker good whisky?

Johnnie Walker Red is crap, but the others (Blue, Black, Green) are actually good, even though they're blended. Blended whiskeys get a bad name because historically they were made by mixing whiskey with filler alcohol (which is what JW Red and Dewars are). However, the higher end JW stuff is actually just a mixture of several different good quality whiskeys with no filler. Therefore there's really only a philosophical difference of "artisanship" between a single malt and JW Blue. The reason there isn't more good blended whiskeys is that people falsely assume blended means inferior therefore dampening the market for them.

Hitchens drank JW pretty exclusively, I believe, that and red wine. Not sure if he drank JW black exclusively, although every interview I saw him give where the bottle was present it was always black.

In my own opinion, JW red is ok, but definitely not great. Black is good, blue is fantastic. I don't care for JW green although it's certainly better than red.

I like the "walking johnnie" Green Label. I like the smoke and hint of sweetness and salt. Black Label is also a nice affordible blend. Then, I'm a big Islay fan and enjoy what Caol Ila and Lagavulin bring to the blend.

I don't think I could pour it out. So I'll make myself a pot of Lapsang Souchong with a healthy dram and do lunch.

Cheers, Mr. Hitchens! I was glad to walk the earth with you..

Probably not the most likable guy ever around, but I did enjoy his writing and hearing him speak. I miss him.

...and I stand with #4 and #14; he would have hated, I think, the music and portraiture.

@19: I love the Islay malts too, most of all Laphroiag. When I gave a bottle to my father-in-law (a Scot) he was convinced that it was the key ingredient in Johnnie Walker Black (which I also enjoy).

@22,

Sorry there is no Laphroaig in any Johnnie Walker blends. Laphroaig is brilliant a favorite of mine. Laphroaig is part of Fortune Brands.

Diageo owns Johnnie Walker and they use their single malts in its blends.

Black Label uses Talisker (Skye), Caol Ila (Islay), and Lagavulin (Islay) to achieve the smoky kick. It also contains
Glendullan and Mortlach (Speyside) malts. Plus, Cameron Brig (not Scotch, but a grain whisky) for its grassy and sweetness. I probably use too many brain and liver cells on pursuing the perfect dram.

Anyway, it is good to know that you're a fellow lover of the Islay Malts, Saxfanactic

Thanks for the lesson, Kim - much appreciated.

Another that I have enjoyed in the past was Oban. I introduced my lesbian sister to it and it became her favorite. I believe that it was partly because the name sounds vaguely gynecological.

Anyway, something happened in its marketing. The price shot way up and it's been years since I had bought a bottle (sigh).

Diageo bought them. You can find its essence in JW Green.

The Islays are the only ones that I will ignore the price with. Same for certain bourbons and one Irish whiskey (a pure pot still). Oban and Talisker are rare purchases for me now.