Dear Friends,
Our evening now behind us, I sit to write my usual reflection. This was something an unusual month, with us not having met at our customary starting point and with having had our cigar before we dined rather than afterward, but all in all I believe those who attended had an excellent time (myself certainly included).
My thanks go out to PK for providing the starting point, and to all of you who so generously paid into the bottle for the evening. Our friend TP must also be congratulated on successfully bringing a new acquaintance to our meeting. It's been a while since we've had "new blood" added to the old crew. I have to pass along my apologies to JB for my failure to adequately inform him of the night's agenda. I'll strive to make it up to you the next time out. To all those who could not make it for one reason or another, we continue to miss your presence and hope you will join us soon.
Our whisky was the Lagavulin 16 year old. We've tried several times to have this made available to us, but it is generally not procurable for us by our usual watering hole and therefore has continued to elude us all this while. It was a difficult call to make, but I believe well worth the rather late-to-be-communicated, clandestine assembly. By all accounts this is one of those whiskies full of character. When poured into the glass, one immediately recognizes the red-gold color and long legs. In the mouth it is smooth and slightly oily. It is a generally smoky, meaty drink, with a briny sting early on, and a long finish containing an anise-like sweetness. A little water seems to really open this one up, cutting some of the influence of the sherry cask and bringing out the oak. We scored this one at 7.8, significantly lower than some of the other brands in the "Islands group" (e.g., Laphroaig, Talisker) and even lower than the Dalwhinnie, all of which scored 8.0 or better. At least a few of us who enjoy this dram on a semi-regular basis would tell you that this seems low for Lagavulin - and in fact we missed the fullness of smoke that the glass usually contains.
I personally enjoyed the opportunity to start out at a more personal location this month, the warmer weather making it more enjoyable to sit outside and the opportunity to explore a drink beyond what the bar has to offer just seems a better way to go. I'm not sure how everyone felt, but having our cigar before dinner isn't my most preferred approach. It did however allow for a more controlled evening's enjoyment. I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this month's agenda, to help set the course for our next few Summer-time meetings.
My final thought put simply: A middling dram, when taken with such good company as this, is far more often the basis for fond memories than a great one taken with mere acquaintances. And the parting ponder: which is greater, a plate of Yorkshire beef or a shot of Irish whiskey?
Slainte,
