Boozing

This was a weekend of unusually heavy drinking and it’s not as if I don’t drink my fair share at the best of times.  The weekend started with a trip to the newly refurbish Royal Oak – a candidate for best local, given all the rest are crap.  It has been done up very nicely, if a bit sterile.  

I woke reasonably fresh and confident I would be able to follow through with the plans for that evening – Whisky Tasting 2.0.  So, James came round with his many bottles and drinking commenced.  We had some seriously good stuff in this round of tastings; Yamazaki 12, Yamazaki 18, Linkwood, Clynelish, Laphroaig 10 (cask strength, as most were), Lagavulin 12, two Springbanks, and two Ardbegs.  I am afraid we only provided the cheapest of the lot, the Yam12 (which James then stole).  The Clynelish came out surprise winner overall, with the port-casked Springbank in second – but honestly, they were all top notch.  The Japanese contingent being perhaps the most finely balanced of the lot.  Cocktails were limited to a Monro-bagger (1:1 Drambuie 15 and Laphroaig 10 CS).  We did manage to finish two bottles, but despite that, I woke up really quite brightly on Sunday morning.

We went to Gav and Jane’s for what we thought was coffee and a snack and turned out to be a full dinner – and when offered a beer, I found myself accepting.  We then went to feed the ducks.  “The swan is the heaviest flying bird, you know” I said.  “Full of useless information” Holly said. And with a sigh, “Yep, he always has been” Matt said.  Mind, he has only known me 18 years.

So a pretty enjoyable weekend, but now I really need to get focused – eight weeks to Spartan!

In other news, my latest gardening exploits