THE ROB ROY VISITS THE HOMELAND
August 22, 2016
You haven’t heard from me for a few weeks, because my Queen, the lovely Mrs. Roy, and I have been cruising the Mediterranean – from Barcelona to Marseilles and then on to Tuscany, Rome, Naples, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. It was a chance for me to get a feel for the Homeland. While Mrs. Roy was especially interested in the Arts and Museums of Italy and
Spain, I was especially interested in the food, wine and other beverages the Mediterranean had to offer. Spanish wines in Barcelona, sipping Beaujolais at a bistro in Vieux Port in Marseilles, touring a Tuscan Vineyard and drinking wines from the barrel (ala Under the Tuscan Sun), a Nebbiolo in Rome, and an Espresso, gelato and a Cerasuolo Classico at a seaside Café in Amalfi.
However, in today’s edition of this blog, I wanted to comment on the adventures this Italian highlander in trying to order my standby cocktail when I’m not having a Sweet Rob Roy (the world’s perfect cocktail). That standby for me is a whiskey and club soda on the Rocks.
While I have long been a Johnny Black and soda kind of guy, due to the influence of this website I have become enamored by the many textures of Rye Whiskey, with its complexity, many layers of flavor, mouth feel, and spicy burn. On our first night in Barcelona, I ordered a Rye on the Rocks and got a sweet, caramelly liqueur – an obvious Rock and Rye. For those of you too young to remember, bartenders (yes my Grandfather and others) used to smooth out the spiciness of a young rye by adding Rock Candy or Rock Candy Syrup to the Rye. The women of that age adopted Rock and Rye as a medicinal for colds and sore throats. Too sweet for me, I sent it back and the server tried again but came back with a Glenlivet and Soda. Undaunted, we stopped at the Hotel Bar later for a nightcap and again tried to get a Rye neat. This time I received 2 fingers of Jack Daniels. The next night, I again tried for a Rye on the Rocks and my persistence was rewarded with a Jameison’s Irish Whiskey, which was pleasant but not a Rye.
Finally, when we reached the ship, The Harmony of the Seas – the world’s largest cruise ship, I was confident they this would be my “Catcher in the Rye”. But alas, they only carried Bulleitt Rye (not my favorite) and a Canadian Rye (not really rye by our standards). But the ship did make a great Rob Roy – sweet Roy Roys, Perfect Rob Roys, Dry Rob Roys, even Chivas Rob Roys – a veritable Rob Roy Valhalla. So for the next 7 nights it was back to Johnny Black, Johnny Double Black, Johnny Green, even a splurge with Johnny Blue. Maybe someday in the future, American Rye will reach Europe.