24/02/2019 Whisky Show Old & Rare (Day 2 -- Part 3): the afterparty

The restaurant is another funny affair. Next to the five of us is another Whisky-Show-Old-And-Rare-refugee table, with CB, EG, PT and their acolytes from Dornoch and Catawiki. They take turns coming to our table for shits and giggles. We attract lots of attention in the packed restaurant, none to be ashamed of, fortunately. At some point, one of the sporty waitresses inadvertently kicks the bench we are sitting on. By the looks of it later on, she will never walk correctly again.

Grilled aubergine with tomato sugo, garlic and fresh Parmesan

Roasted red pepper with spinach, tomato sugo, mozzarella, ricotta and evoo

We go back to the hotel through the (now wild) streets of Glasgow. The massive difference of incomes of the United Kingdom is here at its most visible, where tarted-up boys and girls in expensive (and often revealing) clothes share the pavement with visibly heroin-addicted, homeless people in dire condition. A duality that a sensitive being could have a hard time witnessing.

Somehow, we navigate through all that and even find a lift. Oblivious to the reason why CD will not enter it, MR and I storm in. As I press 3, I notice the loved-up couple inside. He cleverly remarks that 3 and 5 are lit, but no-one is going to 4. "You're on the top deck? Well done. We only made it to the third," I say to the increasingly incredulous-looking girl and her (very-)tipsy jock. "Not good enough for the fifth... Unless you invite us, of course." She turns to him: "Happy birthday!"
Sadly, I do not think their whisky cabinet is up to scratch, so we (CD, PG, MR, JS and I) alight on the third.

Auchindoun 18yo (61.3%, The Whisky Connoisseur) (CD): a Mortlach from the same stable as the mythical Largiemeanoch, though after the brand was taken over by The Whisky Connoisseur. Nose: lots of soot and cured meat, coal stoves. Despite what I just wrote, this does not seem like an overly-sherried dram. Mouth: hot, but rather fruity, with dirty grapefruit and an animal quality, brightened up by rose water. Finish: big, with musk and grapefruit. Very ambivalent, this. On one hand, it is light and fruity and sweet; on the other, it is a high-voltage brute with some animal flavours. 8/10

EG and CB join us.

Dailuaine 27yo d.1975 (46%, Direct Wines Ltd. First Cask, C#5526, b#250) (CB): nose: walnut oil, red onion and, later, verbena and sage. Mouth: slightly pickle-y, leathery, with a dollop of fluid shoe polish. Finish: silky and quaffable, it has prune juice, roasted red onion and walnut-oil-based vinaigrette. Very good. 8/10

Rosebank 25yo 1967/1993 (54.4%, Signatory Vintage, C#4393-94, 220b, b#190, 02029303) (CD): CD purchased the dregs of this bottle a few hours ago. Nose: fresh, crisp and clean, fruity, whilst also mineral. Mouth: powerful, fruity and mineral again, with a lot of gravel. Finish: hugely powerful and fruity (yellow fruit and squashed raspberry). 9/10

Things become fuzzy, at this point

The Arran Malt The Amarone Cask Finish (50%, OB, b. ca 2018) (MR): nose: light chocolate, strawberry slices, warm bread, chocolate-soaked raspberries. Mouth: strawberry wine, some chocolate, also, and a good dash of drying spices, including cassia bark. Finish: warm, syrupy and very warm. Hot strawberry all round. 7/10

Case in point

EG [holding a blender's glass]: "These glasses are good only for one thing..."
me: "...Looking like a dick!"

The Arran Malt 14yo (46%, OB, b. ca 2019) (MR): nose: hay, dry, white wood and white grapes. Mouth: sweet, with cut apple, white peach, wet hay and young wood. Finish: lemon-y, custard-y, long and curd-y. I like it. 7/10

Jane Doe 1989/2016 (48.2%, Malts of Scotland, C#MoS 16044, 159b, b#16) (EG): an undisclosed Irish of a certain age. Wonder what that could be. Nose: soft sawdust and delicate exotic fruit (mango), as well as yellow fruit (peach, apricot) with a splash of acidic lime. Mouth: fruity avalanche, with mango, peach and grapefruit, lime and mint. Finish: milk chocolate and luscious mango, soaked grapefruit and peach. This is marvellous and a great way to end this legendary weekend. 9/10

The endangered turtledove agrees

The next morning, JS and I see pat gva at breakfast: he was stuck in another restaurant, last night, and came back at 2:00, too late for the afterparty. We make plans for the future before parting ways. Tomorrow, back to school.

Breakfast of champions