I remember an episode light years ago when I was engaged and visiting the home of my fiance in Hampstead. Before dinner, the Pater asked me what I would like for my aperitif. Knowing the good cellar of the household, I said "whiskey" and promptly got a jab in the ribs from my sweet intended. I should have said "sherry", being a lady. However, the Pater poured me a generous glass of the finest and said, "Ah, these American ladies are so independent." What he really meant was that I did not do quite the right thing.
However, given a choice between a Emilio Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Oloroso or The Macallan, at a younger age, I would have chosen The Macallan, still my favorite whiskey. However, as I have grown a bit older, I find that I like the dry sherries much more, even though they are out of fashion in most places.
I did take a short wine course a million years ago when I was as Notre Dame, (not part of the curriculum), and learned all about before dinner wines, wines during various courses, dessert wines and so on. Plus, I was fortunate enough to hang around various connoisseurs in graduate school (and...what is graduate school for...?) and learned "at the table" as it were. Also, when I was in the Senior Common Room in Bristol, we always had sherry before dinner, but it was always Harvey's. The faculty was a bit happier when I bought the old La Guita from El Vino's, the real thing from Spain. When I lived in London, one could take a jug into El Vino's and fill it up with The Macallan from a cask. I wonder if one can do that now? Happy days.
As I am living in Ireland, I am surprised at two things in the range of alcohol. First, all wines are two to three times as expensive as even in Britain and I do not understand why. Wine is much more expensive than in Malta, and the United States, where the Californian and other State wines keep prices competitive. The prices here are ridiculous and probably have something to do with the new Irish budget and belt tightening. An not-so-nice ordinary wine is the same price as a nice Coppola in California.
Secondly, I cannot understand why so many American beers, and I do not mean lovely Wisconsin or Iowa real ales. are sold here instead of British beers. Amazingly, at the local Supervalu, Guinness is not to be found, unless the shop is simply out all the time. I learned about real ales when I lived in Wisconsin and we used to shop at a great store which sold only Wisconsin produce. Also, the family lived in Alaska for awhile, which, believe it or not, in Anchorage there are more Cordon Bleu chefs and great restaurants then any other city in all the fifty states. In Ireland, at least where I am, women do not go to pubs here as they do in England, escorted, of course. And, as I do not go out to dinner much, I do not drink unless with dinner. I wonder if Mary and Jesus drank the wine He made out of water at Cana? Most likely, and why not?
Ah, well, as the Feast of St. Brigid of Ireland is tomorrow, maybe she would not mind someone raising a glass of The Macallan. God bless Ireland and boy, does this country need blessing.