December Days in Photos: Day 8: Me time

[nanila]

[Me peering over my glasses and grinning whilst holding a beautiful whisky cocktail.]

(I know I'm going off-piste with the schedule I set. My excuse for skipping ahead to this one is that I've been single-parenting for a few days now. That always makes me prize me-time, especially when I have the energy to do something with it other than slowly sink into the sofa and try not to fall asleep with a glass of wine in my hand while Masterchef/Bake Off/Nigella plays on the telly.)

ayebydan asked what I do with my "me-time". In a normal week, I get one night in London. Occasionally I will go out to dinner or to see a film. As I usually work until at least 7 PM and try to be in the office before 7:30 AM the next day, I mostly opt to go to my friends' house and hang out with them in the evening, melting into the sofa in front of the fire before going to bed by 10 PM. I treasure that one night of uninterrupted sleep.

This post, however, is about one of the rare occasions when I have the luxury of using "me-time" to go out and do something I enjoy. Last month, I spent two nights in London. On the first, I went with said friends to a whisky tasting, something I did much more regularly before moving to the countryside and having children, because I loooove whisky. The photo above is from the pre-tasting gathering at the venue, where they serve a delicious whisky cocktail made with one of the whiskies from the distiller (or in this case, blender, as this was Compass Box) that isn't in the tasting. The photos below show my progress through the tasting and, I think, reflect my thorough enjoyment of it.


Ingredients for the cocktail being assembled.


My untouched tasting platter. Mmm.


Tasting notes for whiskies #1 and #2. I don't think I ended up making any comments about the Eleuthera as I was too busy reminiscing with my friends about how this was the whisky we drank ten years previously when we were hanging around at the Seven Dials in Covent Garden after midnight. As you do.

This and the subsequent photos amuse me when viewed as a set. Note the tidy writing on comments on Hedonism (#1).


Whiskies #3, #4 and #5. Note the giddiness setting in, with the "Happy cat is happy" drawing and the hearts and stars around the Spice Tree (#4), which is one of my favourite whiskies ever.


Whiskies #6 and #7. My comments have gone a bit wonky. On the last whisky (Hedonism Quindecimus), I have written the following gems.
Nose: "YES SMELL FOREVER"
Palate: "Those round cigar-shaped Viennese biscuits"
Finish: "I might cry."

Comments

[ayebydan]

You look utterly delighted in that first pic <3 Nice to hear what you do :) I think that is a fab way to spend your time.

[nanila]

Oh yes. I was positively giddy even before I had had any alcohol. :D

Glad you enjoyed the post!

[gwendraith]

My #2 son would like you, he's into single malts. I don't like whisky but when I lived in Edinburgh the chap in the Whisky Heritage Centre told me that there's a whisky to suit everyone. Hmmm, maybe. Anyway, it looks like you had a good time :)

[nanila]

You know, I'm not sure there is a whisky to suit everyone. Despite the variation in flavour, at the end of the day, drinking whisky is still drinking "neat" alcohol, and that burns a bit going down even at 45% (which is about the lowest concentration of ethanol you get in a single malt).

[gwendraith]

Well, there's a conversation to be had with my lad who would no doubt explain why each one is so very different. I can hear him now but I'm sure you are right :)

[silveradept]

Good whiskey, clearly, that it is having such a good effect on you by the end. May you always have good cocktails.

[nanila]

That is a most wonderfully benevolent wish. Thank you!

[soliano]

Love the pic. I didn't know they did cocktails with scotch. Guess I am spoiled since so much is rye and bourbon based here.

[nanila]

I think it's still not so common to make cocktails with single malts. Bourbon's generally much sweeter, so I think it goes a bit better in a cocktail. The peaty/oily/salty nature of many single malts tends to overwhelm other things, or pair badly with them.

All of the Compass Box whiskies are blends, so I think that helps them to lend themselves to a better cocktail.