With our bling-tastic “Louis XIII” Cognac Tasting later tonight (there are still 2-3 spaces if anyone is tempted last minute) I thought I would get my palate duly attuned and thus taxied off to Hakkasan in Mayfair on Monday to sample half-a-dozen different Armagnac’s from Château de Laubade. Two really stood out for me. The Extra (approximately 30 years old) was stunning but at nearly £ 200 a bottle, perhaps a tad steep. The other one, which was not the X.O., or the Vintages but the V.S.O.P. Not just a classic Bas Armagnac but it really had a nose with a nod to Sauternes so it obviously curried favour with me.
Château de Laubade Bas Armagnac V.S.O.P. Bas Armagnac at £ 32.00 per Bottle
A standard V.S.O.P. should have at least 4 years barrel ageing.
This is a blend of between 6 and 12 years.
Possessing a real backbone, slight austere structure,
yet a lovely rich Sauternes like nose and highlighting licorice with lovely long, dry, burnt flavours.
Tiny weekly indulgence:
Just 2 Double Magnums (individually boxed) of:
Ochoa Gran Reserva “Single Vineyard” 2000
Javier Ochoa, Navarra, Spain at £ 85.00 per Double Magnum
Silly Season:
Well as David Cameron feels a bit like a new School Prefect, so Ed Miliband looks like the new boy joining the School. Both well meaning but both “wet behind the ear”. I read yesterday however that Miliband Minor wants the Great British Public to vote for any future Labour Leader. First up, it wouldn’t be him. Secondly, just consider, who on earth would we get if Joe Public really could get their grubby mits on this - Simon Cowell…Susan Boyle…Wayne Rooney…Sir Tate & Lyle…? Really doesn’t bare thinking about.
A couple of customers have had babies in the last fortnight which is always lovely to see. Amuses me though that each parent always says the same thing: “we had a little baby”. Like, aren’t babies always little? Still waiting for someone to say “we had this monster baby, five foot tall…”. Parents, babies are ickle.
Well done to Ireland by beating Australia and thus putting a bit of much needed fire into the, fairly lack luster Rugby World Cup. One thing I don’t understand, though linesman seem to be involved in almost every refereeing decision they seem utterly incapable or unwilling to flag or signal forward passes. Not just Oz getting away with a hatful four years ago but they are invariably better positioned than the Ref to call this one, yet they don’t. Anyway, the Kiwis to waltzing Matilda this one. I predicted wrongly the Irish win so, don’t listen to me.
Downton Abbey back, so don’t think about inviting anyone for dinner on Sunday night. Restaurants might as well close. Despite the backdrop of trench warfare this seems all a bit too chummy and cozy over the edge that the first series had.
As the X-Factor moves to the next stage the real interest for me has all but disappeared. It is staggering to see people who truly have a gifted voice yet are genuinely oblivious to their actual worth and skill. Measured against others who are so excruciatingly bad yet they are struck with disbelief and downright anger when people who do know, say that they are not very good (even though they should be saying, don’t sing, ever, and not even in private). A couple of fascinating documentaries popped-up in the interim. Last night about “Code Red” and America’s 1930’s plan for all out war with, no, not Germany or Russia, but with Great Britain. Interesting one. Then on a different tact but about ten days ago I stumbled into the middle of a programme about psychopaths. Fascinating it was and primarily for two things I learnt. A psycho simply has a “warrior” gene so any such leaning is potentially pre-determined. The damage that might ensue appears to only come about is if that carrier has had an abusive childhood. Otherwise a psycho can function normally and not only normally but they are far more likely to scale the heights of society. This comprehensive American study concluded that for every psycho in society that you blithely walk past in the street, you will actually find four times more with the warrior gene in the boardroom of the world’s biggest and best companies. This apparently is where they thrive. So if your C.E.O. had an Enid Blyton childhood then you are almost certainly okay. Perhaps best not to ask them though!
T.
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