Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Kirkwall, Orkneys, Day 29 Friday June 19th
Trying to plan our visit so that we include all of those things we want to see/hear/study did not prove too difficult. However, having planned our days we immediately forgot one odd, unusual event we wanted to include. Thus a replan which meant that much of the day became focused upon an overlap involving Gin, Burgundy Wine, Kirkness and Gorie, and finally theatre.
Strolling around Kirkwall on Thursday we had come across a small shop, hidden down a narrow alley off the main street. This shop was called Kirkness & Gorie. It sold wine and whiskey, as well as having a delicatessen selling local cheese and other goodies. But it was the wine that attracted my attention as I mentioned earlier.
As we were looking at the items on he shelves, mainly some expensive, and in some case, rare whiskeys the owner, a man called Duncan McLean, was telling another customer about a bottling of wine that would take place the following day. Now I thought he said the wine was from Orkney, however improbable that might seem. Even more improbable since I missed him also saying it was Burgundian! My somewhat startled question of, 'Orkney wine??' produced and even more startled response! Nevertheless it led on to an explanation of what would be happening.
He explained that the 225 litre barrel resting on the floor of the shop would be bottled by the maker on Friday at 1 pm and then sold. This he said was a rare occurrence: probably it had never happened before! The idea was born of an incident 140 years earlier when an Orkadian, the owner's great-great-great father -in-law, had bought a barrel of gin from Holland and imported it into Kirkwall, an incident that led to a famous court case as the importer had forgotten to inform HM Customs or, indeed, pay the tax!
Thus, we returned to the shop to observe the ceremony. The wine maker was one hand and duly proceeded to prepare the barrel and then bottle the wine. Corks were inserted, labels attached and the bottles suitable wax closed by dipping the tops into some melted red wax. The ceremony was well attended, some wine was tasted and some was bought. Before the ritual bottling Duncan told me that he had already sold 180 bottles of the 300 he anticipated. After the bottling he had sold more than 200!
As part of the St Magnus Festival a play had been written by Duncan about the incident of the gin. Thus at 6.30 pm we went to a night club in the town to see it performed by 5 actors. The stage was the floor, a gap between the audience so it was very close and intimate. It was great fun, well written with some songs and humour. In the audience were some of the relatives of the Kirkness and Gorie families which all added to the occasion.
- comments