In May of this year, I had my first taste, Belfast, Bushmills 20 years single malt whiskey aged in sherry casks. It 'was an unforgettable experience. Appropriately, the idea for the trip to Belfast for a Bushmills in Minneapolis has been drawn on with a new Irish friend. Like most wild goose chases, a trip to Northern Ireland seemed like a good idea at the time.
I had Leslie Caribou Coffee store (the local equivalent of the ubiquitous Starbucks) met in Minneapolis.Leslie was a musician and a recent emigrant from the North. I ordered a milk caramel and we chatted in the hiss of the coffee machine. I described my book, Cellini's masterpiece, for him, and bought a copy on the spot. A few days later I received a letter saying how much he liked the book. With the exception of this music to my ears, I invited him to come to me a little 'of Ireland in a local pub. It was not just because of nationality, Leslie, Rick, but because the appropriateThe story is a drug addict Bushmills confirmed.
Although he preferred John Jameson, Leslie was more than happy to accept Bushmills. We met at a watering hole with a luxury cherry wood bar, a piano-strumming in the background, and a bartender whose hair is parted in the middle and wore a bow tie. The only thing missing was ferns. I should be able to present the awards, but I stupidly left the maid instead. Leslie was anxious to tell me the John Hewitt Bar in Belfast, where aGroup of young artists, including writers, painters and musicians hang out. He said I should go there sometime, the rebels would meet me and hear me read my book, was pretty sure I can get coverage from local media. He told me of a good B & B, which was right in front of a mystery bookstore called No excuses.
Wood burned in my head as the wheels began to turn. It looked interesting, and even the next time I went to London,I had the advantage of a cheap flight to Belfast instead.
To save the bar and the mystery seemed good enough reasons for a trip to Northern Ireland to do, but a journey as possible to the Bushmills Distillery ... I was hooked.
I contacted the distillery and I told him of my book, thinking it might be a tie-in sales. He suggested I send a copy of the book on its public relations office in New York City. I had already done more than a month ago, no response.
I probably wouldset the trip indefinitely, if it were not for the confluence of two other events. One was a super-low-cost flights to London on the network. The second story was breaking news about maltese a captain at sea, which forced the Chinese illegal immigrants in the Sicilian coast where swimming instead.
That plot idea for my second book! Suddenly I had a reason to return to Malta, even though I was there a month earlier. I decided to go for it. Bad choice. Woody Allen said, theThe difference between a schlemiel and a schlimazel. A schlemiel is a person who goes around pouring the soup. The schlimazel is that he paid him. In my time I was spillee Spiller and more often than I like.
I put a path, the attacks in London and Malta included. I had visited the British Museum and British Library and I organized a meeting with the young investigative reporter who has dug into the history of Chinese language students drowned. IIn Belfast two days in pencil. I could change my return if I needed more time.
Unfortunately, it was found as cheap as advertised, and I got to Gatwick from five in the morning my flight. The return flight was just as bitter a lesson, but I rather 'the bullet and made my reservation.
After wasting my time at the British Museum and British Library, to learn anything, I was happy to know that a tour of Bushmills was arranged for mysecond day in Belfast.
I arrived in Belfast on Thursday 'morning at 9:00 clock. After I settled in my B & B, I visited no alibi. The owner was not and did not return until the next day. Okay. Check-in at the John Hewitt bar.
I had five emails sent to Pedro at the John Hewitt, without a response. Leslie said that it was just the way it was and that was expected. I was not. Pedro had no idea who I was and said it was too late to organize a book signing and discussionin the coming days. I asked the rebels, and told me that they were not around. I rock all the way back to my hotel.
The next morning I made another visit No excuses. The owner said he had bought five copies that need more sales. I was happy to sell him the ten I had with me as I had a sign at the John Hewitt. When I asked the Bushmills Distillery, said it was three hours by train and would like to have a better contact for BushmillsInstructions on his phone.
I was told it was to be expected, but since it was Friday afternoon, all but the tour would go to employees, including the distillery. ****! The good news is that they sent a taxi to the station, as a sign of a guest of honor.
The cab was waiting. When I look at the distillery was the tour manager gave me a ticket for a tour of the distillery, which included a whiskey tasting at the end. At least I had been through, I could think of nothing better for meuntil the end of the day.
A wonderful Irish stereotype with the ruddy face of a moon was my guide. I had to taste the different brands and Bushmills Irish whiskey, and I could actually see the difference. Then I got a taste of other types of whiskey, including Scotch and Jack Daniels. I already knew what it tasted like, but I argued.
Then came the Black Bush, a blended whiskey wonderful, I had loved for years. "Let's try a couple of different things," Bryan said with a twinkle in hisEye.
The next stage of the single malts of 10 years was. For some reason, my taste buds were not as strong as it was before, but I nodded enthusiastically, as he asked if I liked. "You stay here," he said. I had nowhere to go, and soon arrived with a glass of liquid with a darker color. "25 years".
It simply tasted good to me. "One more to go."
The final sample was a honey-colored single-malt whiskey, that the top of the line has been completed andvery limited quantities. And 'retailed for somewhere around 125 pounds a bottle. Regular Old Bushmills is a little taste of paradise in a bottle, but that was in a completely different universe. Of course, Cherubim and Seraphim ever tasted divine. A hot mist obscured all thoughts of rebels, John Hewitt, Pedro, and the 5:00 flight back to Gatwick clock.
Ireland has worked its wonders on me, even if you do not get to meet the distillery and I do not know yet whetherBushmills wants to work with me. When I went, I received a bottle of whiskey and a personal 10-year official certificate of a taster.
And my trip to Malta? I might have missed, but I came home with some great ideas for the next novel. Oh yes, and I got to meet the Catman of Malta. You have to read my next novel, School of Languages, to find out what it means
