Tonight I went salsa dancing. It's only been the second time in the past year, but a few years ago I would go every other week. I love it - the variety of people, the different dancing styles, and of course the dancing (which is one of my favorite things). I've met several friends through the salsa community; it's such a great group of people.
I saw some old regulars, and it was nice to reconnect and dance with them again. I also danced with a lot of new folks, which was fun. Here's one of the songs from this evening: All of Me - Bachata Remix. I love the lyrics in this song. "Perfect imperfections" hearkens back to my discussion about perfection and its fluid nature. Remixed to a bachata beat, the song witnessed a dance floor flowing with all types and all skills, and even among the missteps we found a rhythm and joy.
Despite what I was told, the bar there unfortunately did not have any Scotch. So after a while I left and went downtown. It was late, on a Sunday, and I wasn't sure if I'd find any place even open, not to mention that had a decent Scotch selection. I was pleasantly surprised to find a bar open and with two whole shelves of single malts to choose from.
The lovely bartenders and Laphroaig
Laphroaig. I've been hearing about this one for way longer than I have been drinking Scotch. My first love, long after our time was over, spoke to me about Laphroaig with almost mystical reverence. Since I've started on my tasting journey, and have been talking to folks about it, many have mentioned him. I decided tonight that it was finally time to meet this character and see what all the fuss was about.
The scent at first was a bit smoky and peppery, but balanced...very inviting. I slowly sipped and was immediately hit with the awareness - Laphroaig is hot. The initial surprise quickly mellowed into an undeniable clear taste of cinnamon. Cinnamon has always been one of my favorite flavors and I smiled at him, probably blushing.
After I added a bit of water, most of the smoky flavor seemed to fall away. In its place I tasted something that reminded me of the sea - like a brine. The feeling of salty spray on a beach at sunset... That and the cinnamon seemed to be the main flavors, dancing perfectly together, as we all were earlier.
Laphroaig had a lovely mild sweetness, and was very smooth. He was very easy to sit with, but complex enough to keep me interested. I was sad when the night was over; I wanted to learn more about him. My enjoyment of the evening begs the question: is this one my new favorite?
It's too soon to tell. I missed the strong smoky flavor of Talisker, but the cinnamon in Laphroaig was simply delightful...I wonder if I am giving an unfair advantage to the one that was my first favorite. Then again, what does it matter? Who's to say what is fair in affairs of the tongue? Our taste is our own, and we love what we love. I will spend more time with Laphroaig for sure, and who knows? I really enjoyed his company, and I intend to see him again, but I'm not in a rush. I do, however, look forward to it.
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