We keep talking about it; why don’t we go already? I’m available next week Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Pick a day.

 Ezra had come over for our usual Shabbat morning kiddush several weeks before Pesach (it may have even been before Purim; I can’t remember back that far) and mentioned that their daughter Jordana and her boyfriend Matan had just visited the Whiskey Bar in the Sarona complex in Tel Aviv. They had a super-special time, and we (meaning Ezra and I) should go too. As he explained, you can go for a tasting of different whiskies and have a meal. Now when Ezra talks about ‘having a meal,’ he has in mind the carnivorous kind of eating. But these days, meat restaurants usually have offerings for those of us who eschew moo, so I wasn’t worried about going hungry. The issue was finding a date when we were both available, and that was the hard part. One of us needed to take the bull by the horns and say, let’s go already. Or else we’d never get there.

My ’strong suggestion’ had its effect, and on Sun. April 27 (for the record), the two of us headed to Tel Aviv on the railroad and walked from the Azrieli Towers the few blocks to Sarona. (I have in previous posts sung the praises of this urban oasis, so I needn’t repeat myself. Let’s just say I’m always glad to be there, and whoever’s idea it was to save this urban space from the wrecking ball has my sincere gratitude.) We arrived in Tel Aviv early (because ‘better late than never’ needn’t be a way of life), giving us time to stop first for a cup of coffee (because….well, for lots of reasons; but especially because it’s coffee) before heading in the general direction of where I sort of remembered the Whisky Bar was – having stuck my nose in there once years before to see what the fuss was about.

What I remember was a glimpse of the main area, the one with the reputed 1,000 bottles of spirits, a more than impressive display. But now, we, along with several other groups, were ushered into a smaller, more intimate area, where our tasting would be held. Let’s look at the food menu (happily available in our Mother Tongue), or maybe we should start with the whisky list and decide on a flight. (Not a flight of fancy; it’s the term used to describe a grouping of four whiskies, and I was put in charge of deciding which one to order.)

How about this one: four Scotch whiskies from the Highlands. 120NIS; not too bad. The first was the Glengoyne 12 (43% — that’s the percentage of alcohol; in other words, 86 proof) ‘Glengoyne distillery is known for making a soft, unpeated and creamy whisky. Their twelve years old is a perfect example of it! Presenting us lots of honey, coconut, toffee and an oily soft finish.’ That’s whisky talk for ‘try it, you’ll like it.’ Which we did, along with the other three selections in our flight: Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 46%, the Glendronach 12 43%, and saved for last, Tomatin Cask Strength 57.5%. All of which were served in Glencairn glasses, along with a fifth glass filled with water, a drop of which was to be added to the whisky to ‘open it up.’

The whole point of a tasting – whether it’s wine, whiskey, coffee, chocolate, or anything else that suits your fancy – is to taste, which would seem obvious (as in, ‘duh’) but is usually honored in the breach – as in people don’t do it.  I don’t mean to be critical (yes I do!) but more often than not, most people treat whatever they are drinking as something on the side to wash down the food they are gulping down.

But today we were going to pay close attention. We’ve tasted the Glengoyne (#1). Let’s go on to the Glenmorangie (#2). Ezra, which do you like better? The first? I agree; it’s smoother. (Then later) Ready for the Glendronach (#3)?  It’s better than #2, but not as good as #1. (Then finally) Ezra, remember that the Tomatin is a higher proof than the other three. Just be prepared. What do you say? This one is the best. So we agree. #4, then #1, then #3, and last #2.

We weren’t doing this on an empty stomach. No surprise, Ezra had ordered a steak, so big he couldn’t finish it – if you can believe it. For me? No beef. There were chicken options as well as salmon, but that’s what we had on Shabbat. So what else was there on the menu? Here’s something out of left field. Gnocchi in a (parve) cream sauce with artichokes and asparagus. Not something I would normally order, but I gotta eat something. Oh, this is good.

As some of you know, we (Barbara and I, along with Natania) have been living in The Land for almost eighteen years, and most of our culinary excursions involve a certain kind of Israeli dairy restaurant, one that serves pasta dishes, huge salads with cheese on top, pizzas, omelets, lemonades, and coffee prepared with varying degrees of success. Once in a while, sushi. Very infrequently anything else. All with an unstated but definite price range, although with inflation over the years… But here we were upping the ante. We were paying a lot more than Barbara and I normally do, but you all know the old saying (not always true) about getting what you pay for – both the food and service.

During the tasting/meal, I had ample time to look around at the other diners. There were two men to our left just for the whisky, but there were two large parties nearby, probably office workers sharing a lunch, something I’m told is quite common in the Land, coworkers feeling the need to bond over a meal because they don’t spend enough time together otherwise. And what were they drinking? Cans of soda, but any whisky? It struck me as odd, that people would flock to the Whisky Bar and order a diet coke, but, in truth, the food was that good, and I guess if you’re going back to the office afterwards…

Ezra and I had no such constraints. We took a few minutes after our meal to walk around the indoor mall so that I could order from Palais des thés (because I’m an equal opportunity caffeinator) and hightail it back to the station just in time to catch the next train back to Jerusalem. Next time we go – and we will, if only for ‘special occasions,’ we will each get our own flight, instead of sharing. It’s OK, we won’t be driving…