Graham (or Malvedos) vertical, Tue 14 May 2024

[Axel P]

Can we slowly start planning the tasting, ie set times and bottles? Some might have to plan for travels?

Thanks

[jdaw1]

Can we slowly start planning the tasting, ie set times and bottles? Some might have to plan for travels?

Sure. Set your travel plans to be in London on Tue 14 May 2024.

I have some excellent Graham 1970, and also 1980 and 1985. None of which are rare.

[nac]

Believe I have:
Graham - 1948, 1960, 1966, 1970, 1975, 1977 ("normal" and a recent release), 1983, 1994 ("normal" & 2022 release), 2000, 2007 (bts & hlvs)
Malvedos - 1965, 1979, 1995,1996

I'm mistaken, do not have G48. It's T48.

[Glenn E.]

Where will this tasting be held? Kari is getting ready to make our trip reservations and wants to get a hotel that's relatively convenient for me to return to each night (from this tasting and the Taylor Single Harvest tasting) while... uh... less than full functional.

[Glenn E.]

I was about to email Glenn about perhaps getting together at some point next month, until Alex specifically mentioned the month of May.

Yes, I know it's in the title, but what can I say....

The week after this tasting I will be in Portugal for a private "harvest tour" so we might still be able to work something out! Itinerary is still being worked out, but we'll be up in the Douro for most of that week (May 19-26).

Our plan now is to stay an extra day in Porto after the tour because that makes the return travel easier. Which means that we will be in Porto all day Sunday, May 26, and through approximately lunch time on Monday, May 27. (Our flight departs OPO at roughly 18:00.) We'd be happy to meet for lunch either day, or for dinner on Sunday!

[winesecretary]

Novotel London Bridge

[Glenn E.]

Thanks, I'll have Kari look into it!

[Alex Bridgeman]

Novotel is good and mid-market. Alternatives are the Shard (expensive) or the Travelodge London Central Southwark (cheap but comfortable). There’s also the Ibis next to the Novotel, but I’ve not stayed there.

[jdaw1]

On Sat 06 Jan 2023 authorship of the first post changed from jdaw1 to mcoulson, who has kindly volunteered to become the organiser. Though, of course, jdaw1 will make the placemats.

[Glenn E.]

Novotel is good and mid-market. Alternatives are the Shard (expensive) or the Travelodge London Central Southwark (cheap but comfortable). There’s also the Ibis next to the Novotel, but I’ve not stayed there.

We've stayed at an Ibis before and it was fine. I'll also have her take a look at the Travelodge. As it turns out the Novotel is fairly expensive... Kari said that during our time frame it is $300/night so we'll probably look for something less expensive.

[winesecretary]

Wowzers. $300 a night is excessive. I’ve put team members up there before now and it’s never run more than £149. Clearly there’s a convention in town that week!

[mcoulson]

Hi Everybody,

Having stepped upto the mark to assist here I’ve now had a chance to trawl through all the posts in this thread and have adjusted the attendee list to match the order in which people asked to join the event.

Can I ask all those on the attendee list to confirm they are able to attend on the planned date of the 14th May 2024 within the next two weeks ie by the 21st of January.

After the 21st of Jan I’ll offer un-confirmed places to those on the reserve list in the order they requested.

Hopefully everybody can see that I’m trying to work with the order of postings and accommodate those who up for the event but a bit vague about it in there original posts

Cheers

Martin

[CPR 1]

Confirming, and very much looking forward to this

[winesecretary]

Confirmed!

[jdaw1]

Thank you for taking charge.

I confirm attendance.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I confirm.

[/2alph]

I confirm, but why am I on the reserve? Two days ago i was on the participant list?!

[Axel P]

Thanks Martin. I confirm.

The only request I would have is to put this tasting closer to the bft if possible to enable visiting both when flying over.

Thanks

[Axel P]

I confirm, but why am I on the reserve? Two days ago i was on the participant list?!

Same

foreign participants not wanted?

[M.Charlton]

I confirm.

[flash_uk]

Confirmed. Thanks.

[PhilW]

I confirm, but why am I on the reserve? Two days ago i was on the participant list?!

Same

foreign participants not wanted?

I'm certain that's not true at all. It was this:

I think that there might have been a snafu, and some acceptances were listed out of order. I will re-do my admin.

The problem was that several people who were first to reply had been missed out from original the list of participants (such as myself and Simon - see earlier posts in this thread), and then the list went uncorrected for a long time.

I believe Axel and Ralph are the two people affected who have been expecting to attend, and might have already booked flights and hotels; I'm willing to give up my spot so they can still attend.

[Doggett]

Agree with Phil’s analysis and also sentiment… I am not quite in a position to confirm as I write so would be happy to swap with Axel and Ralph and drop to the reserve list.

[Axel P]

As there is a logic to the matter, I am very happy for your offer, dear Phil, but dont worry. Let faith decide...

[jdaw1]

My earlier sloppiness — I’m sorry. Really, this wasn’t a “foreigner” thing.

Likewise, I’ll concede to those who had booked flights in good faith.

[winesecretary]

Ditto. Flights already booked - guaranteed places.

However this does not apply if you book a flight from Battersea Heliport to the B&F.

[Glenn E.]

I confirm. Plane tickets are not yet purchased, but likely will be within the next couple of days. Very much looking forward to seeing everyone again for this tasting and the Taylor Single Harvest tasting!

[akzy]

I really don't think I'm going to make this so I'll drop out. Hopefully deals with the overbooking situation

[nac]

Also confirmed.

[mcoulson]

I really don't think I'm going to make this so I'll drop out. Hopefully deals with the overbooking situation

Hi Zak, Thanks for the update - I'll shift you to the reserve list anyway

Thankyou

[mcoulson]

Hello Everybody,

thanks for bearing with me while the wheels of the attendee lists have revolved and trundled along.

I believe that I’ve now got a list that generally works and with luck has left everybody mostly happy.

My thanks to Alex B for his advice and Julian for his help in guiding this particular ship.

I’m now going to relax for a bit with a bottle of Sylla from Borie de Maurel ….

https://www.boriedemaurel.fr/product-pa ... %A9e-sylla

One last thing, for Georges amusement, the Red Room at the B&F is also now booked for this event so it’s defiantly happening !

More later and enjoy whatever you have opened this evening ….

Martin

[idj123]

Reconfirming attendance. Thanks.

Must be the biggest reserve list that I’ve seen.

[Glenn E.]

I purchased my airfare today!

Should I plan to bring anything for this tasting? I have Graham only (no Malvedos) 1942 through present, plus all 5 vintages of The Stone Terraces.

[/2alph]

Flight booked.

[MigSU]

I was about to email Glenn about perhaps getting together at some point next month, until Alex specifically mentioned the month of May.

Yes, I know it's in the title, but what can I say....

The week after this tasting I will be in Portugal for a private "harvest tour" so we might still be able to work something out! Itinerary is still being worked out, but we'll be up in the Douro for most of that week (May 19-26).

Our plan now is to stay an extra day in Porto after the tour because that makes the return travel easier. Which means that we will be in Porto all day Sunday, May 26, and through approximately lunch time on Monday, May 27. (Our flight departs OPO at roughly 18:00.) We'd be happy to meet for lunch either day, or for dinner on Sunday!

Excellent. Hopefully we'll be able to make something happen around those dates.

[Glenn E.]

Excellent. Hopefully we'll be able to make something happen around those dates.

By the time we booked our flights the pricing had changed, so we leave Porto on Sunday evening, May 26. The flight isn't until 18:00 so there's still plenty of time for lunch, but if we are to meet up it will have to be on Sunday.

[hadge]

I can no longer make this tasting.

[mcoulson]

Hi Everybody,

After conversation with a number of people I’m inclined to ask you all to PM me with the bottle(s) your prepared to provide for this event along with any costs you would like to recover from contributing said bottle(s).

Normally I’m a fan of everybody brings a bottle and that’s the end of it but I appreciate here that the range of values is going to be wide and we might well want to provide a way of spreading the cost among us.

Can you PM me with any bottles you are happy to provide and any costs attached to them.

Cheers

Martin

[Alex Bridgeman]

Done

[Glenn E.]

also done

[/2alph]

Done

[jdaw1]

PM sent.

[mcoulson]

Hello Mike, Ian, Charles & Tom

Can you let me have your bottle availability for this event please ??

Cheers

Martin

[Constandia]

Missed you guys! If there is a space available after all the reserves, may I please join you.
Thanks!

[mcoulson]

Missed you guys! If there is a space available after all the reserves, may I please join you.
Thanks!

Hi Dia - I've added you to the reserve list .... but I'm afraid it's a long list ....

[Constandia]

Missed you guys! If there is a space available after all the reserves, may I please join you.
Thanks!

Hi Dia - I've added you to the reserve list .... but I'm afraid it's a long list ....

Thanks Martin, noted and very understandable!

[mcoulson]

Ladies & Gent’s

So with all the info on bottles and prices that I’ve received so far the line up looks like this

55,60,63,66,70,77,80,83,85,91,94,97,00,03

The cost of the evening comes out to £95 per head less the value of any bottles you bring based on the numbers you gave me (see the first post for who is bringing what)

If you have told me about bottles you have but not provided me with a price then I have not included them in the calculations.

Please PM me if you have bottles available along with the value you have them at.

Martin

[jdaw1]

55,60,63,66,70,77,80,83,85,91,94,97,00,03

Only fourteen bottles‽ Please add some GMs — indeed, I offered some at a cost of zero.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I’d rather do the GMs separately, not mixed in with the Graham vertical.

I think the list Martin has proposed is based on what has been offered to him. For example, no-one has offered a bottle of 1957 nor anything older than 1955.

[PhilW]

I’d rather do the GMs separately, not mixed in with the Graham vertical.

Agreed.

I think the list Martin has proposed is based on what has been offered to him. For example, no-one has offered a bottle of 1957 nor anything older than 1955.

Or, reading between the lines of Martin's post:

If you have told me about bottles you have but not provided me with a price then I have not included them in the calculations.

I suspect we might have some further bottles and are awaiting cost info from some people, so there is hope the list might yet grow?