Christmas in Chicago
With Liz and I both positive with Covid, our Christmas was celebrated in Chicago this year. Just the two of us.
An early joint gift: a sampler of “sherry bombs.” I figured this was something we could try out together. Funny enough, we were already familiar with a few of these: Arran as well as Auchentoshan.
A little Christmas tree, set up in the corner of our bedroom.
A few of the gifts I got to Liz: Balvenie 16, French Oak; Glendronach 21 (Parliament). And a bottler we hadn’t tried – the Vintage Malt Whisky Company, with a line called Cooper’s Choice.
The bottle I got was a peated sherry, but I’m afraid I missed the fact that it was “heavily” peated. Liz has gotten a taste for some slight peat lately, and I took a gamble on this one. Well, it was Bunnahabhain – so not that much of a gamble.
For me, Liz got a variety of things: a standalone record player, as I’ve been wanting something… but have been lost in trying to study up and research the various options. I talked about wanting to listen to vinyl, but have mostly spent a lot of time spinning my wheels, researching and delaying.
Liz took it upon herself to get me a good intro player (built-in speakers), and it will satisfy the desire to listen to music… until I actually pull the trigger and figure out what I want to get.
I love that Liz knows me well enough that she understood I wanted a thing, but couldn’t decide on a thing, and decided to get me a thing while I was making up my mind.
And also for me: two bottles from Bunnahabhain! Both are nine year olds. The Oloroso is closer to what Liz got when we were there, and a bit sweeter than my selection at the time. And I don’t think either of us has tried a Canasta cask before. Very exciting.
And she also got me a few records. Of particular interest for me (and what started out the desire to listen to vinyl)… two albums from Darlingside.
I recall listening to their songs on Spotify, and thinking to myself how lovely it would be to hear their music on vinyl. I remember seeing they had their albums available on vinyl at their shows, but held off buying anything because… well, I didn’t have anything to play the records with. I guess that’s now changed.
First song: “Every Breath You Take,” by the Police.
Our annual tradition: a dinner of pasta carbonara.
Some unfortunate news: I tested positive for Covid yesterday. And it wasn’t until we tried out the sherry bombs that I realized: I’d lost my sense of smell.
So the whisky I had, along with the pasta dinner I had… was good. Or at least, I’m told was good. For all the lovely things I received for Christmas, it’s unfortunate I also lost something as well.
Related:
Darlingside @ Old Town School of Folk Music
Christmas in Indy, Day 4: Christmas Day
Scotland, Day 10: GlenDronach Distillery, a Late Dinner Panic, Arriving at Burnroy House in Archiestown
Scotland, Day 5: Bunnahabhain Distillery, Lagavulin Distillery, Dinner at Islay House
Scotland, Day 4: Island Hopping to Isle of Arran, Lochranza Distillery, Isle of Islay, Late Arrival at Islay House
Scotland, Day 2: Auchentoshan Distillery, Kelvingrove Park, Dinner at Fanny Trollopes and Bon Accord
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