3/9 A Whiskey in the Morning …

… chases away grief and worries. The AWO hasn’t even warmed up properly yet, when my nose registers a scent I’ve recently become familiar with. I lift my eyes and still see passing “lery”, which must mean something like Distillery. A 180° turn follows and soon I’m at the Visitors Center. Just a small room, not comparable to Laphroaig or Talisker. And yes, whiskey with an e! Ireland because. I strike up a conversation with the visitor manager and beg for a mini‑tasting of the good spirit that was placed in the visitor room exactly for that reason. Not bad, even if it doesn’t knock me off my seat. But, if I’ve understood the thing correctly with my broken English, they not only produce their own, but also fill from others. Or maybe not, I didn’t quite get it. I could have, for example, bought a bottle from Pierce Brosnan, who apparently lives only 4 miles away. Oh, by the way, the name of the distillery is Croithi and it’s just 5 years old. I’m advised to also visit the bar, which is really nicely done. So we chat there further and I get to taste the three house labels as well. The first one is fruity and excellent, a summer whiskey, as the bartender says. The second is something for winter, because there’s also a hint of clove. I agree, this one is also a fine distillate. The third is aged in American barrels and leans towards bourbon, which is definitely not my thing. We chatter a bit more, then I take a flyer to remember the distillery and wobble off to the motorcycle. The rest of the day is just motorcycle touring. I don’t cover many kilometres, but there’s plenty of nature. Also because I pieced together a route almost entirely on small side roads. Apart from the already beautiful mountain‑and‑coastal region, I also crossed two especially beautiful valleys today, perfect for having a holiday house. I don’t know the names of the valleys, it doesn’t matter. It’s just beautiful. The weather was on my side today, even though I had to battle rain while breaking down the tent. It could be a few degrees warmer sometime, but I won’t complain. After all it’s Ireland, not Italy. And in the evening cinema there’s “The Sea” again today. Today again Director’s Cut with sunset! Plus a Laphroaig, the Irish may forgive me.