My heart is broken

Well, my heart is broken. Recently I have become a huge fan of Highland Park Whisky. I had enjoyed the 10 and 12 year versions several times over the last 15 years or so and finally got my hands what is being called the best whisky in the world, the Highland Park 18. I drank about 1/3 of it so far and it truly is remarkable and well I just love it.

So I heard about a week long bootcamp that Highland Park does at its distillery in the Orkney Islands. A full week of learning everything there is to learn ( or most of it) about whisky and whisky making. I wrote to them and asked how I could attend one of the bootcamps and the heart crushing answer came back that it is only for employees and distributors. They were very nice about it and most polite when they told me for sure. Ok I get it but they told me its not open to the general public. I am sorry but I am not the general public. I defy anyone to tell me they love Highland Park Whisky more than I do. I sing its praises whenever anyone will stop long enough to listen to me. I drink it, I enjoy it, and I truly love it. So my heart is broken. I told my wife of 40 years the other night that if Highland Park would agree to take me on as a non-paid employee and just provide me with some place to sleep and shower and such and a bit of food and water, I would gladly go live out the rest of my life helping to make this wonderful drink. I would happily clean the toilets and take out the trash and do it all for free just to be near this wonderful spirit. The wife would be more than welcome to come for visits of course. And I'm the general public?

As celebrity folks go, I would not walk across the street to watch a show or get an autograph from any of what passes for famous people these days. Lady Gaga or Charlie Sheen or Mick Jagger I can do without. The one exception is Gerry Tosh from Highland Park. If I won some contest and said that they would arrange dinner and and evening of conversation with anyone in the world my choice would be Gerry Tosh. He is straight forward, honest, and has a great passion for good whisky and of course Highland Park. And I'm the general public??? No Im not upset or angry or anything stupid like that but I am so very dissapointed that I cannot do the bootcamp at Highland Park. I love Highland Park and will continue to sing its praises and will have to be satisfied with the distillery tour next time I am in Scotland. But I am NOT the general public. Long live Highland Park! The finest spirit in the world.

The Whisky Warrior.