15/03/2025 The afterparty

Of course, a group like that assembled for EG's shindig does not disband just like that. Instead, we follow our guide for a well-deserved dinner at Le Golosità Di Nonna Aurora.

How are we going to ingest all that?

The quality of the food is very, very high. The two Lambrusco we drink alongside are also pleasant, even for this grumpy old man who tends not to get along with bubbles of any kind.

Affettati misti, Crescentine bolognesi,
Squacquerone, Sott'acetto e soot'oli (not pictured)

Tagliatelle al ragù
Lasagne verde

A fourth basket of Crescentine bolognesi

Cotoletta Bologna

But we have work to do. Back to the venue, we anschluß a collection of poolside tables to focus on those other things that everyone brought to the game. This is a social event; notes are succinct.

Predictably, the staff asks us to come in in thirty minutes or so, and carry on partying inside. Naturally, we forget, and no-one bothers us for hours, other than one angry guy who shouts at us whilst ignoring that the table a bit further on are playing loud music (they stop soon thereafter and the angry guy never comes back).

Let us have a barbecue!

Chåteau de Beaulon 30yo 1985/2015 (18%, OB imported by Speciality Drinks) (CB): a Pineau des Charentes, would you believe it. Sweet, rich and fruity. In that context, it works really well. 8/10

Chåteau d'Yquem Lur-Saluces 1987 (14.5%, OB imported by Ercole Brovelli) (JKr)

Nose: frying oil, ashy prunes and dates.
Mouth: fresh and juicy currants and prunes.
Finish: it is a little sickly, intensely sweet, with prominent wood and blueberries. 7/10

JKr has spent the past thirty minutes warming up a bottle in his lap that has spent the afternoon in the fridge. He eventually proudly announces:

JKr: "Port!"
tOMoH: "Balls finish!"

Ar almost dies, crimson with laughter.

Noval 40yo Tawny b.1989 (21%, OB imported by Ditta Ennio Pescarmona) (JKr)

Nose: cork, wood, old fruits.
Mouth: yes, this is corked. It is not horrible, but corked, definitely.
Finish: sweet, very sweet, borderline sickly. 6/10

AH: "We could blend the Port, the Pineau and the Yquem..."
tOMoH: "If you did, you'd have PorNeauQuem..."
AH: "If you blended those, you'd have type-2 diabetes!"

Cantillon Lambic d'Aunis (6.5%, Cantillon, b. ca. 2019) (NH): bretty on the nose (from Brettanomyces), almost butyric. It then reveals a strong acidity, and turns somewhat fruity. 7/10

Time for whisky!

Glen Keith 30yo 1985/2015 (41.9%, Lombard Jewels of Scotland, C#12299-12302, 389b, b#170) (JS): full notes here. It seems appreciated by all. 9/10

Bunnahabhain 12yo 2012/2024 (55%, C.Dully Selection, Barrel, C#2305, 216b) (PG)

Nose: muddy peat and ground cockles.
Mouth: desiccating sands, and talcum powder sprinkled on bicycle inner-tubes.
Finish: long, gritty, ashy. Here is a challenging finish! 6/10

The night is well under way, now. Many have left already, and the time is opportune for smaller samples.

Royal Brackla 24yo 1979/2003 (63.4%, Scotch Single Malt Circle, C#4131) (Ar)

Nose: gravel-y, austere, it blends a subtle chocolate cream with hot metal and ashes. Phew!
Mouth: ashy raspberries, more gravel. This is intense, and rather hard. Chewing brings lemon, chilli and chalk.
Finish: earth, leaves, and lemon-y chilli. This is mineral, austere, and plain difficult. 7/10

PG pulls out a flask of his "Emergency Laphroaig". That amuses me very much. (Islay 25yo b.2024 (47.9%, C. Dully Selection imported by Sansibar Whisky, Bourbon Barrels, B#CD 24-88, 357b)

Dailuaine 35yo 1971/2007 (45.6%, Douglas Laing The Old Malt Cask, Refill Hogshead, C#DL3519, 152b) (Ar)

Nose: fresh fruits cross paths with metal blades. A pinch of ash adds a bit of variety.
Mouth: lovely nectarines, subtle bark shavings.
Finish: nectarines, a lick of smoked cork, shaved eucalyptus bark. Very, very good. 8/10

Ardbeg 14yo d.1972 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice) (JKr)

Nose: smoked parchment and old ink, sands and salt water. Over time, we find smoked black pepper and smoked seashells.
Mouth: fresh, bright, it is surprisingly lively, teeming with smoked black pepper sprinkled on sea water (why would one do that?), augmented with a drop of India ink. It has charred orange rind too. Phwoar!
Finish: huge, it does not know if it wants to be fruity, ashy, or peppery, and goes from one to the next like a hyperactive child. Smoked orange segments, cracked black pepper, burnt tyre, calligraphy ink, and hot sands. What a beast this is! Excellent! 9/10

It is coming close to 2:00. I decide it is time to go check the inside of my lids. How could that Ardbeg be topped, anyway? Others carry on indoors until 4:00. Tomorrow, I will hear stories of pre-ban absinth that almost does not make one blind (one of PG's top-10 pre-ban absinth, he will tell us). There will be less pride on display, and a few sore heads. Astonishingly (considering the variety of alcohol absorbed), tOMoH's own head will be fine. Not even a hangover will spoil that wonderful weekend, then! :-)