25/02/2018 Whisky Show Old & Rare (Day 2 -- Part 2)

A table for thirteen at the Butchershop. I am not hungry at all, but we need to keep the Swissky Mafia company.

...and comfort them for the smallest Coca-Cola bottle in the world

It takes the staff about an hour to bring us the food (I am not hungry and there are thirteen of us; this is not a complaint, but an observation). I have a potato and chive soup, then pork cheeks. The latter especially, is finger-licking good.

Potato and chives soup

Pork cheeks -- how could I resist?

Scallops

The staff comes back for dessert, though makes it rather clear they would prefer us not to. We are all full, anyhoo. The bill is a difficult exercise, but we manage to complete it successfully. The staff calls us three cabs.
The journey is delayed by tearful good-byes, and the driver is confused as to where we are going. He explains that when several taxis are needed, the first one at the scene gets the longest course -- that is why he is trying to understand where we are going. Distances are similar anyway -- we set off for the hotel.

The driver asks us where we are from, singles out my accent, then insults Belgium's football team (I do not care for football), which I answer with an unintentional insult of my own. JS is nervous that we will end up in a fight, but he is a sweet guy, really.
He asks us if we are here for the sport (I would not have known, but it was England vs. Scotland at the rugby stadium; Scotland won, much to the locals' delight); no, we are here for a whisky festival. He then tells us all sorts of porkies about (made-up) distilleries and whiskies one cannot get on this side of the Atlantic. I am wondering if I misunderstand him, or if he is winding us up. We opt for a stunned, admirative response to his anecdotes, rather than challenge his knowledge of whisky, but really, he would have been hard-pressed to find a worse bunch of people to teach about that subject.
The best has yet to come, though. He asks JS her name and where in the USA she is from and, upon hearing her answer:

Driver: "Here is a little something for you..."

***He sings Elvis Presley***

The six of us are speechless. This cabbie is serenading JS in front of all of us, adding the legendary adjective to this otherwise fantastic weekend. Completely surreal, and on par with last year's last night.

But we are not done, yet. Once back at the hotel, we invade CS's room, JS, the three remaining Swisskies (PG, CD and MD), CS and myself. CD starts pouring. We try everything blind. MV said earlier he wanted to rest.

Glenfarclas 59yo 1953/2013 The Coronation (51.1%, OB for the Queen's Jubilee, C#1669, 60b) (CD): because, really, how else does one top last year's Karuizawa for Nepal? Nose: fresh, with hemp and unripe tomato stems (that is from the official tasting notes -- and it is accurate!) Mouth: bandages, hemp again, fried stuff. Finish: marijuana, hemp and hessian. Amazing dram, if a little one-dimensional. 9/10

Different group, so I pour yesterday's leftovers.

Inchmurrin 20yo (40%, OB imported by T.A.C., b. late 1990s)

Glenesk 1982/1995 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, IE/DBD)

*Knock-knock-knock*

Everyone brace themselves, convinced another guest will complain about the noise (we are laughing generously). I know better, but of course, I have been texting for a while, unnoticed. I open the door for pat gva to join us. He is welcomed by a roaring audience -- although, perhaps, they merely spotted the bottle in his hands. :-)

Chilling in CS's room

Glen Ord 32yo 1975/2008 (46.4%, Monnier Trading, Bourbon Cask, C#9241, 204b) (PG): nose: peppermint and cut pears. Mouth: fiery pepper, sprinkled over a lot of fruits. Finish: soft, mellow, with lots of boiling compote and added pepper. Excellent. 9/10

Beef jamon and a Swiss army knife
You could not make it up

CD plays the Speyside song, which amuses us greatly.

Caol Ila 12yo (43%, OB imported by Zenith) (MD): nose: much more farm-y than I expected from it. Manure and hot sand. Mouth: soft at first, then earth and sand come out, with gentle spices. Finish: long, earthy and coastal, with lots of seashells. 9/10

PG: "Good, but not as good as the Intertrade."
CD: "That Intertrade was in my top 50 Caol Ilas ever."

Bowmore 19yo 1998/2017 (54.3%, OB The Fèis Ìle Collection 2017, First Fill Sherry Puncheon, C#57) (MD): nose: very sherried, with earth, seaweed, cockles and chocolate. Mouth: molasses, lots of ground pepper (CD says capsicum, but he is drunk); this is concentrated. Finish: cigar ash, cigar leaves, chocolate, earth, with a minor coastal influence. The cigar ash is the strongest, followed by chocolate. 7/10

Glen Grant 40yo 1972/2012 (51.6%, Maltbarn, Sherry Cask, 49b) (JS): I take no notes; this still slays. Even after that big Bowmore, it slays.

Talisker d.1957 100° Proof (57%, Gordon & MacPhail, b.1970s) (pat gva): this explains the roaring when pat gva entered the room. Nose: fresh, fruity and peppery. Mouth: punchy, peppery -- very peppery. The power smothers the fruit of the triple distillation (edit: probably because Talisker has not triple-distilled since 1928...); peach is in the background, but shy, so shy. Finish: yep, peppery, smoky, with fruit, lingering in the background. Wonderful, though I prefer it the 70° Proof; it feels more balanced to me. 9/10



We disband around 1:00. What a night!

The following morning is time to bid those we meet at breakfast farewell, collect a bit of recent shopping, then the train to London.