The August, OF adventure’s here,
Off to Winchester we go
With group discounted cheer
By train to the whisky show
A day is also remembered for
Adventures of one year ago
Fyne Ales and Cal Mac ferry to
Islay shores where whisky flows
At King Alfred’s ancient city
Through sunlit streets and down
To ‘Spoons - the former Goal House
Where food and ale abound
A Stonehenge Great Dane lager
Oh, if I’d know it so
I would have chose that pale ale
They call ‘Arapaho’
Well I think that’s what they call it
But perhaps it does not flow
I heard a punter order
Pint of ay-are-apa-ho
Incarceration ended, and
On to the grand Guildhall
Terror check for rucksack, and,
Glass and vouchers for all
Whisky galore! Scottish and Welsh,
Japanese, Indian and Dutch
Sherried and peated, bourbon and rye
Though not keen on Moonshine much
Which one to choose, I have a plan
This one is good, have a try
Whisky is free at Paul John
And Benromach, my oh my!
Daryl plays Led Zep with Sid
Are we all Dazed and Confused?
Show soon ends in whisky haze
And a voucher still unused.
Golden spirit’s warming glow
Steers four to oldest bar
Where Greene King decor’s been applied
And plastic and pastels jarr
Four pints of ale and make it real
Summer Lightening will be fine
Here’s Hophouse 13 instead
That’s lager they all whine
Vacating GK’s new-old bar
Outside and into fresher air
It’s soon apparent Mike’s not right
His wobbly legs - a useless pair
Homeward-bound our mission now
To stabilise, we sandwich Mike
With six good legs from eight
Like extra wheels on early bike
Reaching station, wait for train
Coffee bought with hopeful aim
To clear the whisky fuddled brain
So errant legs could walk again
Train arrives we climb aboard
At Southampton need the loo
Off with helpers to the ‘gents’
Then number 9 bus queue
Bus dismounted at Butts Ash
Day recapped, and farewells said
One more walk to home and wife
Welcomed in and sent to bed
What happened? It’s a mystery
What then the answer, I think maybe
Benromach whisky going for free.
Speak of this day,? If you dare
to mention, the ‘Whisky Affair’.
Glyn Smith
© 2017
