Informal Formal

This week The Cabinet met informally for a "bonus meeting" to mark Robbie Burns Night. It was actually the night after Robbie Burns Night, but close enough. What do I mean by "bonus meeting"? Members are entitled to six meetings a year, typically on even numbered months, but modern man's manic schedule being what it is, it is exceedingly rare that everyone is able to attend all of these meetings, so a bonus meeting was devised to coincide with the Bard of Ayreshire's birthday and with the pressing need to thin out the literally bulging whisky cabinet (the doors are somewhat loose and the tightly crammed bottles press outwards against the lock, like cattle jostling to escape the barn). This is of course a good problem to have and an even better one to be tasked with addressing.

And although it was technically informal meeting, we decided to dress formally, both for the love of paradox and for the honouring of Burns. Three of us even broke out our kilts.

Five bottles containing smallish remnants were identified and, contrary to normal Cabinet Regulations (see - not a real meeting), were free-poured to completion. They ranged in style and quality, but we set set about this work with the seriousness and dedication befitting formally dressed men.

In order of preference from worst to best we drained the Jura Superstition, Knappogue Castle, Baker's 7, Talisker 10 and Old Pulteney 21. All have been previously reviewed and in any case, as this was not a formal meeting this is not a formal post either. I will give brief word to Cory's homemade moose sausage however - outstanding! Trevor brought a Glenfarclas fudge (odd concept to be sure, but hang in there), which he did not claim to have made himself, and which, while not in the same league as the moose sausage, was surprisingly enjoyable, not being as tooth rattlingly sweet as most fudges.

The Cabinet next meets for real in February.

Slainte!