Back to Bordeaux

It was 58 years ago today, I first arrived in Bordeaux. I suppose that make me old? Today I arrive and the heat is the same. Touching 40C this week. Very happy to get into our cool house. Shutters all shut. That’s how it’s done. When a canicule – heatwave – comes, everyone here battens down and lives in the dark. No air con. Works well until British friends arrive, throw open the shutters and we all swelter. Last night when it cooled a bit, we went to see Iain who looks after business for us over here and he produced an old bottle of our own label ‘First Cask’ Malt Whisky he’d had for years. “Hang on … wait, shall we Google it first? 1968 Glenrothes. Ye gods!!! It’s worth £1,700!” I think we sold it for £28. Iain still opened it. Now that’s what you call generous. Tasted lovely. So it should. Painful memories though. We had built up a nice big holding of such malts in the 90’s and early 00’s. Then, our wise CEO at the time decided it wasn’t a good investment, and we could use the cash better, so persuaded us to sell it all back for what it had cost … to the broker guy we bought it all through, just before all rare old malt prices rocketed. Mistake! BIG Mistake. That lucky guy couldn’t believe it. He now owns his own distillery.