I do like single malts, but I am not really one for hard liquor, and yet somehow I ended up throwing a hard-liquor gathering. Mi Piace has hosted a Balvenie single malt tasting before, and this time too they put out wonderful food to go with the strong stuff.
Bread
Just for a white balance test
Jamon
I was held up buying chocolates to bring along, so by the time I arrived only my share was left. I had meant to go to Piaf, but it was closed, so I had no choice but to go to Almani instead. Come to think of it, the number of chocolate shops around here has grown a lot.
Carpaccio
Wine by the glass
A not particularly expensive South African wine, but its crisp, clean taste made an impression.
Cannot quite remember the name of this one..
All I remember is that I enjoyed every bite.
Rosebank 25 Year Old
It is a single malt with a huge reputation for being delicious, so my hopes were high, and it went beyond them. It is bottled at natural cask strength, over 60% ABV, and yet even neat it slides down as smooth as silk. I have tried all sorts of whiskies, but I had never had one with this much impact.
Some people asked whether a whisky this hard to come by should really be opened at something like a hard-liquor gathering, but if not now, when? You have to open it and taste it before you know what it is like, and before you can decide whether to hunt down another bottle.
Kinmen kaoliang liquor
This was the second bottle we opened, apparently a famous premium liquor from Taiwan. The aroma had a lovely depth to it, and it was remarkably smooth for its strength.
Trippa
When it comes to offal, I tend to think Japanese nikomi is the best of the lot, but trippa is delicious too. It went surprisingly well with the kaoliang. Though I have a feeling it was better the last time I had it, and I am not sure why.
Eggplant involtini
As the hard-liquor gathering wore on, it seems I gradually lost both my memory and my sense of taste.
Rose sauce pasta
Grilled fish
Mi Piace’s signature dish is the steak, but I do not eat much steak, so I ordered fish.
Dessert, panna cotta
True to the spirit of a hard-liquor gathering, bottle after bottle kept being brought along after the kaoliang, and since I could hardly refuse I kept knocking them back, then paid for it by lying flat for several days. At my age I really ought to show some restraint. Next time I think I will go for a gathering about enjoying flavour rather than one about drinking.