#buy australian wine

[liquorwinecave]

What is the Best Australian Wine for You

Australia is a wine powerhouse. We’re talking about the fifth-largest wine-producing country in the world! Australia is home to a talented community of winemakers championing all wine styles, from rosé wine to sweet wine and everything in between.

Australia produces a vast amount of fine wine, and although picking a nice bottle is easy, finding the right wine for you is a bit more challenging. After all, with so many alternatives, how to choose?

Here’s all you need to know about Australian wine and the grapes used to make it, from the robust Australian red wine made with Shiraz to the gentle Pinot Noir. Let’s find the right wine for you.

Australia’s Wine Regions

To understand Australian wine, one must first know how the 2156 wineries and 6000 grape growers are organized and how they label their wines.

Australia has a sophisticated yet straightforward appellation system. You’ll find distinct Geographical Indications (GI) under the umbrella term Wine Australia all along the country’s southern shore.

Vineyards run along Queensland’s southern shore, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia — grapes grow merrily in Tasmania as well! There are around 65 GIs in Australia, and they all focus on different wine styles depending on their climates, soil types and proximity to the sea.

To find the right Australian wine for you, let’s explore the most famous wine grapes where they are grown. Here’s a quick tour through Australia’s verdant vineyards. Our first stop? Australian white wine.

Australian White Wine

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is Australia’s most planted white varietal and the third most important after the red Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Chardonnay is a noble grape. The queen of white grapes is native to Burgundy, France, but arrived in Australia in 1832. Winemakers love the grape for a reason — it thrives almost everywhere.

Of course, Chardonnay vines prefer colder climates, so you’ll find the finest Australian white wines made with the grape up on the hills or near the coast, where temperatures are lower.

Expect a tight acidic backbone and scents reminiscent of golden apples, white flowers, citrus peels and oaky vanilla over a medium-bodied and creamy palate. These wines are best enjoyed with pasta, creamy sauces, chicken thighs and savoury pastries.

Regions for Australian Chardonnay:

Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Tasmania.

Wine to try:

Allandale Chardonnay 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc is the fifth most planted grape in Australia, and it’s often blended with Semillon, a style inspired by the white wines from Bordeaux. By the way, Semillon alone makes extraordinary wine in Australia as well, primarily in Hinter Valley.

Unlike Sauvignon’s European versions, these wines are brimming with tropical fruit redolent of passion fruit, lychee and kiwi, always with refreshing acidity. Enjoy Sauvignon Blanc with fresh cheese and seafood. For dry white wine, Australian white wine has you covered.

Regions for Australian Sauvignon Blanc:

Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Tumbarumba (Check the Sauv Blancs from neighbouring New Zealand as well!)

Wine to try:

Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Riesling

Riesling is the queen of cold-climate white grapes; it's easy to see why it thrives in Germany and Austria. Well, Australian grape growers have found great spots for growing the late-ripening and aromatic variety as well. The result is an elegant wine with floral and petrol aromas, often with hints of ripe peaches and mango. The sweetness in these wines may vary, so read the label carefully.

Riesling is particularly compatible with white meat, including pork and veal. It can be a great partner for spicy food like curries, too. Riesling is a wonderful summer sipper, and it’s easy to enjoy on its own as well.

Regions for Australian Riesling:

Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Tasmania, Western Australia.

Wine to try:

Pooley Butchers Hill Riesling 2021

Other Australian White Grapes

Many other white varietals show promising results in Australia, including Vermentino, Pinot Gris, Fiano, Muscat and others.

Australian Red Wine

Although Australian white wines are up there with the best in the world, the country is best known for its reds. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are the two most planted grapes in Australia and make almost half of the vineyards. Both grapes arrived in the country in the 1830s at the hands of the “Father of Wine Australia”, James Busby. Today, producers make the most acclaimed wines in the country with one of these two grapes, but there are others. Let’s get to know them.

Shiraz

Shiraz, AKA Syrah, is a red grape from the Rhône Valley, France. The rustic grape produces big and bold red wines with ripe fruit aromas and hints of freshly cracked black pepper and chocolate.

Shiraz is also commonly blended with Grenache and Mataro (Mourvedre) in the now-famous GSM blend, where Grenache plays first fiddle. These wines are complex but approachable and offer a wide range of fruit, herb and spice aromas.

Australian Shiraz is best enjoyed with hearty stews, meat pies, grilled red meat, barbecue, roasts, goat and lamb.

Regions for Australian Shiraz:

Barossa Valley, Margaret River, Hunter Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale.

Wine to try:

Turon Artist Range Syrah 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted grape globally and the second most popular in Australia. There’s no doubt the noble Bordelaise varietal produces age-worthy and structured wines across the country. You can find wines made 100% with Cabernet Sauvignon everywhere and spectacular blends, most likely Cabernet-Merlot and Cabernet-Shiraz.

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are an excellent match for thick, fatty steaks, especially rib eyes and strip steaks. Cabernet will also shine with meaty stews, casseroles and semi-hard cheese.

Regions for Australian Cabernet Sauvignon:

Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Margaret River, Victoria.

Wine to try:

Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is not amongst the most planted red grapes in Australia, not because producers don’t want to grow it, but because the thin-skinned Burgundian grape is tough to grow and only thrives in the coldest climates.

Pinot Noir produces elegant, almost silky red wines with elevated acidity and fruit purity on the nose and palate. These sensual wines pair best with mushroom dishes, oily fish like salmon and tuna, and roasted poultry. Pinot Noir is also often used to make pretty rosé wine.

Regions for Australian Pinot Noir:

Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Adelaide Hills.

Wine to try:

Quartier Pinot Noir 2021

Other Australian Red Grapes

There are dozens of other red grapes in Australia, although not nearly as popular as those described above. Tempranillo is worthy of a special mention, and it’s doing great in Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Heathcote and Margaret River.

Merlot, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Petit Sirah (Durif) and many other grapes are worth seeking out, and they’re climbing the popularity ranks at an impressive pace.

There’s an Australian Wine For You

We’ve covered the most prominent red and white varietals in the Australian repertoire and where to find them. However, this is just a drop in the bucket — there’s much more from where these came from!

From world-class sparkling wine to lusciously sweet wine, Australian winemakers make wine for all occasions, food pairings and budgets. What’s the best Australian wine? That’s up to you. And you’ll have a great time finding the answer to that question.

Enjoy the wine Australia has for you and share it with friends and family. Australian wine is better than ever, and it’s not going anywhere. Are you ready to explore the vast country through your taste buds? All you need is a wine glass!

[writers-potion]

Writing Character Accents in Fiction

Hey there, thanks for the question! I speak English as a second language; most English speakers I encounter aren’t native (yes, including fictional people); thus, this is a concern I’ve explored personally when I write. 

I think the core principle regarding accent writing is this: it shouldn’t be distracting. 

For the same reasons why Stephen King prescribes the basic dialogue tag “said” rather than fancier alternatives like “whispered”, “shouted” or “screeched”, dialogue must be first and foremost easy to read. It must flow like a real conversation – the pace and tone are a lot more important than how specific words are being pronounced by the character. 

Focus on what effect the accent has:

Using adjectives to describe their voice in general. Different types of English (American, British, Australian, etc.) will give off a different vibe, also partly dependent on how your character speaks in general:

Lilting: Having a smooth rise and falling quality; sing-song like. Welsh accent is often described as singing. 

Posh: from a high social class. This is the term generally used to describe the upper-class British accent.

Nasal: this happens when the sound goes through somebody’s nose when they’re speaking. North American accents are more nasal than, say, British pronunciations. 

Brash: harsh, loud, indicative of sounding a little rude. 

Slur: speaking indistinctly; words merging into one another.

Using metaphors.

Her voice was cotton and fluffy clouds. 

When he spoke, the ‘r’s scratched the insides of his throat. 

Mentioning their accent with a brief example(s). 

“Would you like to drink some wine?” she said, though her Indian accent gave extra vibration to her ‘w’s and ‘r’s, making the words sound more like ‘vould you like to drrrink some vine’.

“I want some chocolate.” His syllables were choppy and ‘l’s rather flat, saying ‘cho-ko-lit’. 

Some Tips:

Don’t phonically spell out everything. Perhaps give a few examples in the beginning, but stick to standard English spellings. 

Pay attention to word choice, slang, and colloquialisms. 

An Australian person would say “tram”, not “trolley; “runners” instead of “sneakers”

A Canadian may refer to a “fire hall” – what Americans call a firehouse or fire station

If your character comes from a non-Enligsh background:

Use vocabulary from other languages. 

“What time was the exam, ah? Two o’clock? Jiayou!” → putting “ah” or “la” at the end of sentences + Jiayou means “break a leg” in Singlish. 

“I can’t believe that 4-year-olds have their own SNS accounts now.” → “SNS” is short for “social networking service”, a term used to refer to social media in Korea. This would a subtle difference – even though it isn’t technically Korean at all!

Transpose grammar from different languages. 

For example, in French, plural nouns take plural adjectives (whereas in English, you would speak of ‘white cars’, not ‘whites cars’).

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💎Before you ask, check out my masterpost part 1 and part 2 

[seasidefae]

hellooo. i wanted to celebrate 100 followers somehow (thank you for following this yapper who can't drive!) i've been thinking about the carcar wag!oscar au A LOT. but since i don't have enough time and the creative energy to sort all these thoughts out into one 3k word one-shot right now, here are some more headcanons

welcome to the full throttle universe

i aged up oscar a little bit so they have a 4-year age difference. 26-year old oscar piastri, architect extraordinaire, with his passion projects that are mainly education and sports related. he also jumps at any chance to participate in pro bono projects for local charities in australia.

that’s how he met carlos, at a gala in madrid oscar wasn’t even supposed to attend but the company needed someone to proxy, kiss ass and what not, and everyone else was busy. oscar thought carlos was an obnoxious 1-percenter trust fund baby asshole who spilled wine all over him (accidentally), meanwhile carlos is the epitome of that one viral tiktok audio going “blah blah blah proper name place name back story stuff” while oscar is angrily whisper-yelling at him. the cherry on top of it all is when oscar complained about his expensive suit being ruined and carlos went, “i will just buy you a new one.” oscar almost punched him. almost.

oscar hasn’t forgotten about the whole ordeal even a year later when he and carlos met again at wimbledon. again, oscar got tickets from a friend and he was alone. carlos was also alone. unsurprisingly, he doesn’t recognize oscar at first. at that point oscar knows this is the rude guy at the gala but he’s aware that this is carlos sainz jr aka formula 1 driver carlos sainz jr. carlos is friendly and enthusiastic, talking in the general direction of oscar about tactics and carlos alcaraz. oscar blurts out, “i thought you were a golf guy.” that’s when carlos finally turns to him and recognition hits. (the attraction hasn’t changed either) he brought oscar to meet carlos alcaraz after, got his number, and the rest is history.

oscar first started appearing in carlos’ ig stories in the 2024 season. they had a year to really think about whether or not they want to commit. turns out they do. whenever carlos is asked about it, he just says, “oh that’s oscar” and redirects the question when he’s asked for details.

ig stories from carlos:

oscar’s ig is private, as well as all his other socials. he has like 50 followers, just friends and family that have been warned about leaks, so he has no trouble posting carlos.

ig stories from oscar:

has carlos ever slipped? the guy is tight lipped when he wants to. but mention oscar within his vicinity and he’ll have that smile that can’t be helped. people can speculate all they want.

oscar first started showing up to races in australia ‘24 aka 2 weeks after carlos’ surgery aka the race he won. oscar tried to talk him out of racing post-surgery but carlos insisted.

that’s also when the rumors started to really hit. like at first it’s a cute little thing that only 5 people have talked about, and the rest accepted the faceless guy in carlos’ ig stories and post as some rando friend named oscar. probably a childhood friend? his sister’s boyfriend? he’s not even tagged. but after australia, seeing oscar in the garage wearing the red headset, having his lower third be just “Oscar Piastri” when he appears on screen, and greeting Carlos at parc ferme when he won definitely raised some suspicion a lot more. it’s not like they weren’t ready for that. it took countless of meetings with pr people that oscar hated, a decision left fully in oscar’s hands and not carlos’ because carlos understands oscar’s need for privacy. “piñon and him have a lot in common.” going to the australian gp was more out of necessity. (for himself, considering he'll be sick with worry staying at home and wondering if carlos, who was 3-weeks post surgery, would fare okay. he just wants to make sure he's FINE.)

[annebd]

have you ever written a thing and had no idea where it was gonna go because you didn’t actually have a plan and then you were somehow still surprised (but pleasantly) at where it ended up anyway? yeah, me too. this is super short, just a little slice-of-life domestic maxiel moment.

They’re at the farm in Perth, nowhere to be and nothing to do for ten full days before they have to head back to Milton Keynes for the start of testing. They spend the first night sitting on the back porch, sharing a frankly terrible delivery pizza and a bottle of Daniel’s shiraz- out of disposable paper cups because Daniel can’t be bothered to unearth his actual wine glasses and because Max always claims the taste is the same as in proper glass anyway. They go to bed early, too jet lagged to do anything more than share a kiss goodnight and cuddle together under the quilt that Daniel’s nonna had given him when he’d first moved to Italy- a small reminder of home. Nowadays, the quilt stays on the farm, a reminder that this, actually, is home.

In the morning, Daniel awakens to a streak of sunlight shining brightly across his face. The quilt is thrown haphazardly across the foot of the bed, kicked off during the night as the warmth of the Australian summer melted across them in sleep. He stretches big and yawns, scratching lightly at the peach fuzz on his lower belly that he’s finally allowing to grow back in. The giant antique clock on the wall across from the window (his mum had made him buy it- said he needed some kind of interior decoration in his place, and Buffalo Bills merch emblazoned with Josh Allen’s name didn’t count) tells him that it’s just after ten. He reaches out a hand: the other side of the bed feels cool- Max must have been up for a while already.

With a groan, and a refusal to acknowledge that hopping out of bed at 35 involves much more moaning and creaking knees than it did at 22, Daniel gets up and stumbles his way towards the living room. He follows the faint sound of Dutch cursing and an even fainter whiff of coffee. Max hates coffee- says it makes him gag- but whenever he’s up first, he makes Daniel a cup exactly the way he likes it, with the tiniest splash of creamer and an even tinier bit of sugar.

He rounds the corner to the living room and sees the source of the cursing. Max has set up his Playstation and is in the middle of a FIFA match.

“Honestly, Daniel, they’re terrible. Look at this,” Max says crossly, waving his hand at the TV in a gesture that Daniel takes to be an all encompassing indicator of terribleness. “How can they be so bad?”

He’s not even looking in Daniel’s direction; the sofa faces away from the passageway to the back of the house. It’s one of the things Daniel loves about him. Max doesn’t need any preamble to a conversation. He knows that if he starts, Daniel will simply catch up.

Daniel shrugs, climbs over the back of the sofa to plop comfortably next to Max. “Dunno, Maxy. Can’t all be rockstars like you.”

Max glances at him quickly, a small frown in his brow as he assesses in an instant whether he thinks Daniel is teasing him, warring with a smile at the inherent compliment anyway. “Yeah, well, of course it takes lots of practice. Maybe they are just not putting in the time.”

“Maybe so,” Daniel agrees. He leans over to grab the cup of coffee that Max had made for him and takes a sip- perfect as always. He sinks a bit lower into the couch, getting comfortable. “Any plans for the day? Other than kicking some randos' arses in FIFA?”

“I though that we could—” Max cuts himself off to interject a string of cursing in Dutch as his player onscreen clearly does something other than what he’d intended. He mashes at the controller furiously, and a moment later, Daniel sees the screen light up with a goal. Max nods, satisfied, and continues “maybe invite Isaac and Isabella to spend the day here. Always, you’re talking about wanting to take them out on the dirt bikes. We can do that together.”

Daniel nods. “Sounds good. I’ll give Michelle a call- maybe we can swing by and pick them up. Say hi to Mum and Dad on the way.”

Max is already absorbed back into his game, but when Daniel stands to go grab his phone (slightly less groaning as he stands from the couch, no less knee creaking), Max reaches out a quick hand to squeeze his thigh gently. “Good morning, by the way.”

Daniel smiles. “Good morning, baby,” he says, and leans over to peck Max lightly on the lips.

[avaf00rd]

Leah Williamson relationship HC

A better fic will be out soon hang tight.

This is a scrap I made.

I would barely classify these as head cannons as they are very long. They are just about your relationship in general☺️

————————————————————————-

-you and Leah were best friends and crazy close when you first joined Arsenal in 2017. When you left to go to Barcelona in 2019 you both felt like a huge part of your lives were missing. When you came back to Arsenal in 2021 you both realised you were in love and started dating

-you always praise Leah for being the most fashionable person you know. You weren’t terrible yourself but you were always getting her to help you with what to wear daily

-whenever you two go to events together Leah will always make sure you get to the after party. Your pretty good at calling it a night often, which means Leah is dragging you for more drinks more often that not

-you, Leah and Alex Scott were sort of a trio. Sure Leah and Alex were a tad closer. But you had all been on multiple trips together

-your the cook of the house. She can’t go much further than toast. She tried to make frozen chicken one time for you both, but it ended up breaking the oven due to a weird setting she turned the oven on to.

-when she did her ACL you were in tears for her. When she walked off, She told you to get a goal for her. You didn’t in the end which made you sick to your stomach. You felt terrible and was just as devastated as Leah.

-your Australian. So bringing Leah over to your home was your favourite thing.

-Christmas in your house was amazing. You both decked out the house completely and danced and sung to Christmas songs all December.

-when buying your first house together. You had the biggest say. You had great taste is properties to buy so you kind of found a flat online and showed Leah. She said yes so you immediately booked an inspection. You got that flat two days later.

-You also bought all the furniture one night when you were both on international break and got it delivered to where Leah was. She was a bit shocked when she FaceTimed you after coming home to 45 delivery boxes.

-your taste in movies was so divergent. She liked the more fantasy movies like lord of the rings and Harry Potter. She also loved horror. Which was terrible for you. You loved romance movies, you’re either making Leah watch that or some stupid documentary you heard of.

-you were a huge dog person. And Leah already owned a dog when you first moved in together, but you had 2. So now it’s a crazy house 24/7.

-you love being together in the kitchen, listening to music and goofing around with a good bottle of wine. You both turn on old love songs and slow dance around the kitchen.

-she made you late to most trainings. Due to her stuffing around in the mornings. It got even worse when she cut her bangs

-one afternoon you were both chatting on how she used to have a fringe as a child. You said she would suit one (but you think she suits anything). So of course 2 weeks later she texts you to let you know she’s going to the hairdresser…

-Leah can be kinky asf. Come on we all know this

-sometimes after dinner you will beg her to play on the piano for you. She’s actually outstanding at it and you’re so proud of her. You will take your wine glass over and sit on the seat next to her while she plays.

-you tried to convince her to get Santa photos with the dogs. Which she very quickly declined.

-you were very good at makeup. You became obsessed with it as a teenage girl. So you find yourself doing Leah’s a lot for nights out and events. Even just doing a big look for fun.

-the girl couldn’t ride a bike to save her life. So you always tried to help teach her . She would somehow always say yes, Even if it was just an excuse to get a good laugh out of you.

-you and your Matilda’s team played in the World Cup and came fourth after being knocked out by her country in the semis. Your heart ached that you couldn’t finish it for your country, but it ached just the same at the fact that your girlfriend couldn’t lead her country to the grand finals like she had always dreamt of.

-every night you slept with your head tucked into the crook of her neck, arms cuddling onto her torso. It was just the best way both of your bodies melted together.

-sometimes she tried to take you on golfing dates. The first time she did, she told you she was good. Like the powerful Leah Williamson would. You were humble and said you would need her help. But when you swung your shot you actually made a great one and it had Leah’s jaw on the floor.

-you both had your first photo shoot together in 2020 just before covid. And you lived very minute of it. Now you have done heaps for brands like Calvin Klein, bikini brands, and more together, you both now being known for your hot couple photo shoots.

-you were both completely clumsy. The worst thing was when Leah and you had to screw a window nail tighter. Don’t ask why. But you apparently weren’t holding it properly. Causing it to fall out the other side of the frame. Completely shattering into the pool.

-though you were always chasing after her for outfit inspiration. You both looked phenomenal wherever you went. You would both be shot on camera court-side of a basketball game, on vacation or at dinner in the best outfits and hair.

-you though she was the hottest girl you had ever seen in your life. You had only had boyfriends who play football in your life before Leah. So you always blamed Leah for being gay.

-her love for country music was one of the things that made you fall in love with her. Along with her charming personality

-you were a striker for arsenal. When you scored in a game, you would do your celebration jump with your fists in the air and always try to look for Leah, to see if it was her arms you could jump into first. And she was always there, screaming at you for your goal with her arms wide open.

-your a bottom most of the time. But sometimes you switch it up and she lives for your dominant side.

-you suffered a severe back injury in 2022 while in Australia. You were scared you would never play again. Leah was on the next plane out to Australia, even though she was told not to. Just so she could sit next to your bed and hold your hand for hours.

-seeing Leah back in training after doing her ACL. With the brightest smile on her face, made your heart melt every time.

[blamemma]

30 maxiel!!!

things I wish you’d said - this literally does not fit this prompt at all really, it does if you squint really hard at the end, but anyway :)) - 2,072 words - yes we're out of the depressed daniel era, but sometimes u just need to sit down and re-visit it for a lil cry

In the end, Daniel has to take a break from everything. Racing. Social Media. Public Events. Every One. Michael. His parents. Max.

He buys a converted van, featuring a sofa that pulls out into a single bed, a tiny kitchen, and a shower he can just about squeeze into, and heads out along the coast of Australia. He turns his phone off for the most part, only using it for Maps and to message the group chat his family forced him to set up every two days, a small update and a selfie, so they know he's okay, alive.

He avoids tourist trap areas; he received enough sympathetic looks and kind words in Abu Dhabi, can't face strangers who barely know who he is or what he feels, coming up to him and passing on their condolences.

He drives and drives and drives and drives.

Open road. Sandy banks. Rock faces and dried out trees. Open barren land with a singular road cutting through it.

He avoids busy restaurants and sticks to quiet bars. Drinks too much whiskey and then passes out on his too small, cold, bed. Stops off at vineyards he's been meaning to visit for years, stock-piles bottles of wine to gift his mum and dad when he eventually arrives back home.

Max had hated the idea. Had come stumbling out of the door of Daniel's home, sleepy-eyed from jet lag, when Daniel had driven up in the van after heading out early to collect it.

He'd looked perplexed, cocked his head as Daniel had clambered out of the driver's seat.

"What is this Daniel?" Max had asked. He'd walked forward to Daniel, still in his sleep clothes, an over-sized Enchanté shirt and tight boxers, arms lifted a little higher than his waist, looking to curl into the side of Daniel's body in the early morning sun that was already blisteringly hot.

"It's my van," Daniel replied. "I'm going to go away for a bit."

Max stopped in his tracks, his hands instantly forming fists at his sides, before stretching out his fingers again.

"What?" He asked again.

"I'm gunna go away for a bit Maxy. Just me. And the Australian Road. Get my head straight."

"No," Max had responded. Daniel knew this would be Max's reaction. It's why Daniel hadn't told him beforehand, had kept the secret since Brazil, an impulse purchase after he'd crashed out in his second-to-last race. "We have just got here Daniel. You are not going to go away on your own. You can stay here or I will come with you!"

Despite Max's defiant attitude, Daniel had won. He'd left Max at his home in Perth, the first time he'd visited as Daniel's boyfriend, a promise of barbeques with family and chasing each other on dirt bikes forgotten. They'd argued, they'd cried, they'd pleaded with each other to understand, but ultimately, Daniel's mind was set.

He hasn't spoken to Max in two-and-a-half weeks now. Doesn't know what he'd say. I miss you. Your love isn't good enough to fix me. I love you. I can't stand the way you pity me.

He doesn't even know if Max is still in Perth. He wouldn't blame him if he'd gone back to Monaco.

His decision had been finalised when his Mum and Dad had arrived in Abu Dhabi. The tears prickling at the corner of his mum's eyes as she'd pulled him in sent guilt washing over him. He'd failed. They'd sacrificed everything for him to drive. And he couldn't give them the one thing they deserved. A Championship.

He'd marked Exmouth as his stopping point, where he'd turn around and head back home, but he arrives, camps under the stars for two days, rents a boat and sits for hours with a fishing rod that's never successful and still doesn't feel complete. Whole. He'd imagined, in the days between Brazil and Abu Dhabi, that this would fix him. That a solo trip would give him all the answers. Show him whether he's happy with this being the end, or driven to find a way back.

Instead, he just feels lost and alone.

He clambers back into his van, pulls out the beaten-up map that came with the vehicle and tries to pick a new place to go. No where strikes inspiration in him though. The big bold lettering of PERTH near the bottom of the map taunts him over and over again and he scrunches the map up, throwing it at the windshield.

Across from where he's parked, just across his van on a grassed area sits a family, at a picnic bench, fitted with a barbeque. Two dads sat side by side, a young son and daughter sat opposite them. Daniel can't tear his eyes away from them, as the kids sit eagerly awaiting their dinner, laughing, conversing. They're happy.

He'd promised Isaac and Isabella in Abu Dhabi that when they got back to Perth, they could come round to his house, and they'd spend hours in the pool and have a large barbeque, and end the night around the fire with smores.

Instead, he'd been too chicken to say goodbye to them.

He'd promised Max that he'd take him hiking at his favourite spot. Take him out on a date to his favourite Italian restaurant. Promised trips to the farmers market, and out for brunch, and endless beach days. Promised him a winter break of relaxation. A Christmas at Daniel's parents, one filled with sunshine and shorts and a mountain of presents.

Instead, he'd made Max fly all the way out here, and then abandoned him. The guilt hadn't left him, not since he'd pulled out of his dusted driveway and away from Max.

He props his feet upon the dash and watches the family as they move about their evening. Burgers eaten far too quickly by the children. A plea from their fathers to at least try the salad they'd purchased. A rugby ball emerging from their bag that they kick around and throw to each other. Small gentle kisses shared between partners, an arm around the waist, one thrown around the shoulder. Kids piling on top of their dads as they fall to the ground in a tackle. Laughter. So much laughter. And joy. And happiness.

Daniel calls Max.

It rings and rings and rings. Then Max's voicemail sets in. Daniel tries again. It rings and rings and rings. He puts his phone down on the seat and starts his engine. He'll follow a road somewhere.

His phone rings. A photo of Max curled up asleep in the sheets of their Monaco bedroom fills the screen.

He answers immediately, clutching the phone to his ear. It's silent on the other end of the line.

"Max?" Daniel asks gently.

"Daniel," Max repeats back to him.

"Max." Daniel says again. "I miss you, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, and I'm just so lonely and I hope you're okay, please tell me you're still okay. Are you still in Perth? I'm so sorry Max. I'm gunna drive home. Yeah? I'm gunna drive back okay. You'll be there right? When I get home? I'll make this up to you. Okay--I'll drive home tonight and then tomorrow we can do whatever you want. Whatever you want. " He's crying, and his words are coming out so fast, but the simple sound of Max's voice, the Dutch intonation speaking his own name, collapses him.

"Where are you?" Max asks. Daniel can hear his voice quiver on the other end of the line and a fresh wave of guilt washes over him. He should be there right now, Max shouldn't be feeling this way.

"I'm in Exmouth, it's almost at the tip of Western Australia. So it's about 13 hours to Perth but I can drive through the night Maxy, and then I'll be back home tomorrow. Yeah? Does that sound good?" Daniel selfishly, wants Max to beg him to come home, tell him how much he's missed him, and needs him. Daniel can't even tell if Max is still in Perth, too scared to outright ask.

"You should get some sleep Daniel. And then come home. You should not drive through the night you might crash. And then I will not be able to shout at you for all the horrible things you have done and I will have to attend your funeral with all these unresolved issues of course, so probably my speech would not be that good." The glimmer of teasing that comes through in Max's voice makes Daniel clutch at his chest in want.

"Yeah, okay baby, I'll see you tomorrow yeah?" Daniel asks.

"Yes Daniel. Come home. I will cook dinner for you when you get back. We can have a lovely evening."

"Sounds good. I love you." Daniel responds.

"I love you also." Max says, and Daniel has to hang up quickly before Max catches on to his desperate sobs.

---

He does what Max asks, and sleeps. Not very well, and not for very long, but the next morning, he starts the van up at 5am and drives, joins the open road and heads home. He turns the stereo up, his Max playlist on loud and proud, singing along to the lines that resonate most to him. Whenever he stops off for fuel, and snacks, he texts Max, updating him on his journey and when he'll be home. Max responds to Daniel's first message, when he'd left Max know that he was leaving Exmouth, with Drive safe ❤️, the second message with See you soon! 😁 and the third message with I hope your bum is not feeling too numb!

He pulls up onto his track road and into his driveway just after 8pm and is greeted with a house decorated and ready for Christmas. Lights strung across the porch, pretend Snowman's just beside the front door, mistletoe hanging from above the entranceway. Max had put out all his Christmas decorations from years past.

He's already crying as he fumbles to undo his seatbelt, and stumbles out the drivers door.

The tears start falling when he sees Max running out of the front door towards him, jumping over the steps of the porch and bounding towards Daniel. Max stumbles into his chest, his strong arms wrapping around Daniel and pulling him into him. Daniel collapses into him, exhaustion and want and love all seeping out of him.

"Your mum showed me where all the Christmas decorations were kept last week. I asked her if she could show me. I thought that maybe if you would come home, it would be nice for you to come home to." Max finally says, his voice shaking, speaking into Daniel's neck. "Isaac and Isabella helped. They kept on asking where you were. And I didn't have an answer for them Daniel. I had to tell them that you'd gone on a trip. And then they would ask when you were coming back and I would say I do not know. And then they would ask if we could go and join you and I said I do not think we can. You were cruel, Daniel. You were so cruel."

Daniel finally wraps his arms around Max, kisses the crown of his head and cries with him.

"I'm better now Max, I promise you, I am better." He whispers into his hair. Max's grip around his waist gets tighter, pulling him impossibly closer.

"You never said you were bad, Daniel. I could tell and I tried to help, but you would always shut me down. You never said--"

"I know baby, I know. I'm so sorry."

Max's hand comes to the back of Daniel's neck, holding him tight, his fingers moving through his hair. It's all Daniel needs, he's realised. Is Max. Is Family. Is simple moments.

They both stand there, crying, in each other's arms, birds singing above them, the last remnants of the evening sun warming their backs, until Max, pulls away, intertwining his hand into Daniel's.

"You have to come inside now and eat," Max insists, stepping forward and tugging Daniel's arm. "Your mum has been giving me food every few days and I think that Brad is going to have to work overtime."

Daniel laughs then, his first proper, from-the-gut, endearing, happy laugh, in a long time. Max watches him, the way his eyes light up and his broad smile make up his whole face.

Daniel's back.

Daniel's home.

[callmewrinkles3]

Glitch - DR3 x fem!OC

Summary: Emma’s never really found it easy to make friends before. But her next door neighbour’s grinning friend is easy to like. And flirt with. And text even when their schedules are so different. Maybe it’s a weird glitch, but she’s only young once. What could go wrong?

Words count: 3.2k

Warning: Fluff and more fluff, flirt all around, alcohol consumption and hangovers, swearing because we don’t know how to write without it, Blake being a sunshine.

A/N: Hi everyone! We can’t believe this is happening. It feels weird to leave our new little baby out in the world but we’re really happy and excited about doing it. We really hope you love our girl Emma as much as we love her. She’s feisty, fun, and hates Zak Beige as much as we do which is an Important Thing In The Future. We also hope you get to love the story as much as much we do. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy writing it. Its gonna be a wild ride full of gossip, snuggles, media post and some angst. This is the fist of we have no idea how many chapters, but its gonna be more than two for sure lol Anyway, let us know what you think?? Enjoy and see you around soon!💜

—

Glitch - January 2018

At the start of it, Emma swore they were supposed to be just friends. That’s how everything started, friends. Daniel didn’t live anywhere near her so it was impossible for them to run into each other unless they made the effort to. But then she was arriving home at the same time as the new guy who’d moved in next door had, and they ended up becoming friends. So when Blake arrived at her front door inviting her to his apartment the next night for his birthday, she couldn’t say no. He wanted to warn her about the noise, be a good neighbor because they were actually home, and the invitation fell out of his mouth. And she said yes.

Sometimes she thought saying yes to that was her best and worst decision.

That Saturday night she didn’t think about it. Instead she got dressed up in a little black dress, put on makeup, grabbed up the nicer than she’d buy for herself bottle of wine she‘d picked up for the occasion and knocked on Blake’s door. They were friendly acquaintances, the Australian trusted her with a key to his apartment because he worked for Red Bull and travelled around the world on a regular basis. She knew his last name was Friend because of a post mixup, she knew it was his birthday, and she knew he sang in the shower. But for all Emma knew he could be the new form of Jack The Ripper inviting her out to kidnap her. But his friendliness made her believe he wasn’t.

As soon as he opened the door there were people around, a mix of his friends and work colleagues waving and introducing herself. She tried to remember names, smiling and shaking hands. Until she met Daniel.

The moment she looked at his curly hair she knew he was something else. He smelled good in the busy room, a beer in his hand and a broad smile on his face. Her brain was yelling that if she walked over to him she wasn’t walking away without something happening. So of course, she grabbed a beer from the bucket on the coffee table and took the empty spot next to him.

That was her first mistake of the night.

The second one was agreeing every single time he asked if she wanted another drink. The one time she considered saying no - happy to be tipsy but not drunk - his big brown puppy eyes made her say yes. That smile and those eyes were two of the three reasons she couldn’t help but flirt with him every chance she got. The third reason she flirted was his warm body was pressed beside her on the couch, their legs touching as they played Cards against humanity and laughed at everyone's awful answers.  

Her third mistake was going with him into the kitchen to get water for everyone, standing beside the window and looking out over the London skyline. She couldn’t help drop a comment about how he looked cute under the moonlight coming in, Dan grinning and then letting out the most perfect laugh as she rambled about how the stars and that night’s blood moon made his dimples look good. He found it hilarious.

She didn’t know that he thought it was adorable how her cheeks turned red every time he complimented her. She was smiling and he told her how cute it was that her nose wrinkled as she smiled, but she just felt her cheeks flush, heating up with embarrassment. But what made everything worse was the way Daniel brushed his thumb over her nose as he said it. It was an innocent touch, like a parent cleaning a child's face, but it went straight to her heart. She took a dangerous step forward wanting to do the same, but not trusting their height difference. Instead she pinched his cheek, dropping a stupid feeling “Shut up, Dimples.”

She wasn’t going to sleep with him. She wasn’t. Emma wanted to, but she couldn’t. They’d met three hours before and he was clearly close to Blake and she wasn’t going to ruin the one good friendship she’d made in her adulthood. Even if they were taking it any further, the spell between them was broken with a shout.

“Ems! Danny! What are you doing in there?” They came back in with the drinks, Emma raising an eyebrow at Blake.

“Ems?”

“We’re Aussies, everything gets a nickname. Is it ok?” It might have been the alcohol speaking, but she’d never had someone decide to just give her a nickname. It felt more like her than Emma ever had.

“It’s good.”

She had to leave before whatever had happened between her and Daniel started again. He knew he was good looking, she knew there was flirting, but the best thing was to shut it down then and there. She said her goodbyes and hugged Blake, shrugging off his question about why she was leaving so early.

“I’m meeting friends for brunch tomorrow, if I’m having mimosas then I don’t want to drink more tonight. It was fun, invite me next time you’re home for more than a few days.”  

She waved goodbye and closed the door, putting earplugs into sleep because every time she closed her eyes she thought she could hear Daniel’s voice through the thin walls.

When she got up the next morning her head was clear, but she cursed herself for not asking for Daniel’s number. The chances of seeing him again considering Blake’s work schedule were basically non existent, and she chalked it up to a night of fun and flirting. Daniel, however, had different ideas.

A scrap of paper shoved under her front door had a phone number and messy handwriting that said “Text me anytime, Wrinkles”. Until last night there was nobody in the world who had a nickname for her, now she had two. Daniel was the only one who would call her Wrinkles, nobody else had overheard that conversation when she was fighting herself not to kiss him. It took her more than a couple of minutes to decide to actually text him.

Wrinkles?

It took a couple of hours for him to text her back, and in the meantime, she cleaned and did a couple of hours of work. But her phone buzzed with a text and Ems wouldn’t admit to anyone how quickly she picked it up to check.

Coz your nose wrinkles!

Sure thing, Dimples.

That’s how their friendship started and sustained through the weeks and months of not seeing each other, Daniel’s job taking him away from the UK for weeks at a time. He spent a lot of time in Europe judging by the random photos he’d send on the weeks that their time difference wasn’t too bad. They texted almost daily, her favorite a picture of a plate of meat sent at 4am. When she asked why the next morning it wasn’t until mid afternoon when she got back “I’m in Austin for work, Wrinkles”.

Other times it was a YouTube or Spotify link to a song he insisted she had to know, and she replied with early 2000s UK and Ireland boyband songs. If he hadn’t sent her anything by the time the early evening rolled around she’d text him a check in to tell him what time it was for her. That always got a response of the sky, a clock on the wall, or one of the intricate watches he wore so she knew roughly how far away their time ones were.

Their conversations were short and sweet and random, so she never asked what exactly he did with Blake. She knew they worked on the Formula one team and travelled, but that was it when it came to work. Even in his personal life she didn’t know a lot. His name was Daniel, he was a year older than her, he was from Perth and he loved music. She knew he was in the UK a few times before Christmas, but work was insane for both of them so they couldn’t get the coffee that they swore they would. She only saw Blake twice, and one of those times was when she opened his front door to drop his post in and he’d just arrived home.

Ems nearly groaned when she got a photo of Daniel in an airport, his boarding pass held up to his face showing he was on his way to Perth for Christmas. The timezone difference was a pain, eight hours meaning his day was half over as hers was beginning. But the snatched messages continued, videos of him on motorbikes or running down the beach that looked like it was out of a film. She’d have lied if she said the photo of him holding his baby nephew didn’t make her ‘aww’ out loud. She couldn’t help but grin every single time he sent her a selfie of himself, relaxed and tanned and happy. Even if he’d been clearly working out just before taking many of them.

In response she sent him photos of her far paler face curled up on the couch, or when she went into the hot desks she worked from when she needed away from her tiny flat. He sent her photos of Christmas trees out of place in the warm sun, and in return he got Oxford Street lights lit up. On her last day in Liverpool for the actual holiday she sent him a photo of her sad face and rain wet hair, hoping for a kind word.

Instead she got a gorgeous sunset over the beach, the kind of photo that she only thought existed in photoshop. But it wasn’t the photo that got her, it was the four words and two letters at the bottom. ‘Wish you were here xx’. As soon as she read it she’d typed out that she wished she was too, sending it before she could regret it.

As soon as she got back to London and away from family she opened a bottle of wine, pouring heavily until the bottle was nearly empty. Drinking too much wasn’t her usual coping mechanism – that was blasting Taylor Swift - but she needed to quiet the butterflies in her stomach at his text.

She couldn’t fall for a guy she barely knew. She couldn’t fall for a guy who was constantly travelling around the world. Ems wouldn’t let herself get into that mess, pining for someone who she’d never see. She knew better, she knew that she’d be fine on her own. They could be friends and that would be it. She and Blake had started becoming Good Friends, she and Daniel could do the same. Plus, a guy like him would always have some girl wanting to be on his arm. It was alright. It had to be alright.

She’d convinced herself that it really would be alright, but then what Blake called winter break was over and he was back with a Christmas present for her as a thanks for getting his post and keeping his spider plant alive. As he was turning away from her front door he stopped, and she suddenly knew what he was about to say

“There’s a group of us going out on Saturday, are you coming? It’s mostly everyone who was at my birthday, some of the guys from work.” She was all prepared to say no when he pulled out his final line. “Daniel’s coming too.”

She took a breath, biting her lip as if she was working out if she could make it. But as soon as he invited her she was going to say yes, even if it was just a chance Daniel would be there.

Saying yes to going out was the opposite of a mistake.

Once Ems arrived at the club she realized she had no idea how to handle a full night out around Daniel and his charm offensive. He wasn’t even wearing anything fancy – black skinny jeans, a white shirt, red plaid, and a pair of black vans - but with what she was learning were his ever present rings he looked too good. She thought she could keep herself together until he grinned, holding out his arms and pulling her into a hug.

“Emmy!” The new nickname didn’t make it easy for her to let go instead of wrapping her legs around his waist and holding him close.

“New nickname?” She asked, struggling to be heard over the music even with how close they were holding each other.

“I know Blake’s calling you Ems, but I figured you deserved a proper one from me.”  

He didn’t just look good, he smelled amazing and his hugs were the best she’d ever had. They felt like being home after a long trip, lighting her favorite candle and sitting down with a burger from the greasy spoon around the corner. It was warm and cozy and familiar despite the fact she’d never had one from him before. It felt so damn good that it nearly hurt to let him go.

Emmy was so focused on hiding the electricity she felt from his hand on her hip as they walked through the club that she didn’t realize they’d been brought to the VIP area. It wasn’t the kind of place she’d usually go, a pub with a couple of drinks was her usual thing instead of loud music. But she smiled and nodded, glad that the thumping beat was quieter in there as they got drinks. But then Daniel and his friend were talking about how this was the last heavy night until the summer break apart from wins, that full season boot camp was starting Monday.

She knew she looked utterly clueless but focused on her drink until the other Australian who’d been talking to Daniel caught her attention.

“Everything ok? I’m Michael, we didn’t talk much at Blake’s birthday.”

“Em. Yeah, fine, just not sure what you and Daniel were talking about.”

“Just his race preparedness, making sure he’s fit enough for the g forces and the laps in Melbourne. Can’t have an issue in his home race!”

“Race?”

The group went silent as they realized that Em had no idea about Daniel’s actual job, and it was quickly explained that he didn’t just work with Blake. He drove the car for the Formula one team.  

“You know you’ll have to tell me the full story?” She asked Daniel as he gave her the very broad strokes, and he grinned back at her.

“Not tonight, but soon Wrinkles. Pinkie promise?”

“Promise.”

They exchanged the promise with their pinkies locked and a wry smile before Dan pulled her up to go to the bar for a drink. Which turned into another. And another. And another. Which then turned into looking at each other and Daniel trying to pull her onto the dance floor.

“I’ll dance with you, but that’s all that’s happening Dimples.”

They moved together, their own little bubble away from everyone else dancing. Daniel was careful not to touch her until she let him, his hands going to her waist and barely moving from there. They went to the curve of her hips, but after that they stayed still as they swayed out of time to the song. She wanted to get him to move them further, grab her ass and make it clear she wasn’t going home with anyone else. But even while she was tipsy as hell she found the strength not to jump into his arms, not to reach her head up and push a kiss to his lips like she wanted to. Even though he was the funniest and most charming man she’d ever met, who made her smile even during the week she hated every year. But she kept it together as they left the dance floor for another drink before going back to their friends.

Blake was her excuse to leave, her chance to run out and not drag Daniel home with her. It was clear they both wanted it, but it was a Bad Idea. Instead they hugged goodbye, Blake getting in the taxi and insisting on paying the fare when they got in. She said goodbye to him with a hug before collapsing into her own bed, alone.

What she did do was send him a text in the morning. As soon as she had the ability to open her eyes back she grabbed her phone and turned the brightness down to the lowest it would go. Once she could semi focus her text thread with Daniel came up, and she dictated it as voice to text instead of trying to tap on the screen.

Damn you and your fancy drinks, Dimples.

He hadn’t let her pay for a single round of drinks, as much as she tried to. Instead he batted away her hand with cash and held out his card, telling her it was fine. She was positive he wouldn’t answer considering she and Blake had been the first two to leave, but ten minutes later her phone buzzed again. Ems ignored it, but the third buzz meant she didn’t and made herself concentrate on the texts with Dimples. The pain eased as she saw the three messages, telling her to open her front door. Then seriously. Open it now.

She wasn’t fully sure how she managed to make it to her door, pulling an oversized hoodie around her for warmth on the cold January morning. But when she looked out her peephole the hallway was empty.

It was stupid to imagine Daniel would be there. She felt ridiculous for thinking he’d be standing there, even though he told her to open her door. But because he told her to, she decided to follow his instructions and pulled it open to find a brown paper bag from her favorite bakery sitting there.

It was mid-November and he’d been in Brazil when they’d been sharing hangover remedies and she’d told him about the lemon drizzle cake and Chelsea buns from a bakery near her flat that always made her feel better when she’d drank too much. Too many baked goods and a caramel latte from the overpriced hipster place next door always helped make her feel human. She’d told him as a recommendation, somewhere to keep in mind the next time he was in London. Daniel had told her he would, but she had to promise to try his favorite bakery in Perth that somehow managed to make the cheesiest focaccia he’d eaten in his life.

That was more than two months ago, and they hadn’t mentioned anything about it since. The last thing she’d expected was to open the door and find a bag with still warm baked goods in it. Two pieces of lemon drizzle cake, two Chelsea buns, and three chocolate chip cookies that were warm and gooey as she ripped a bite from one. There was a perfectly made caramel latte in a takeout cup, and at the bottom of the bag was a box of painkillers. There was nearly everything she could have asked for right there, and she texted him a slightly embarrassing selfie of her grinning face and the cookie she’d taken a hunk out of already.

The only thing he hadn’t brought was something to stop her falling head over heels for him. But if Emmy was being true to herself, she knew it was already too late to stop it.

[callsign-daydream]

Penny: I’m gonna open another bottle of wine. Where’s that Australian bottle with the dog on the label? Maverick: You mean the white zinfan-dingo? Penny, to the Daggers: He buys wine based on how funny the labels are. I drink a lot of bad wine.

[enchantedtomeethyun]

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐊𝐢𝐝𝐬: 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 -------------------------------

Ｃｈａｎ:

+Super excited to hang out because he is always working

+ Doesn't sleep and probably goes back to the studio after you fall asleep

+ Feels super bad though and comes back to leave a note at least

+ You guys were building with legos and left them on the floor so when he comes back he steps on them and Ouchie. You wake up.

+ Plz force him to sleep after that!

𝓛𝓮𝓮 𝓚𝓷𝓸𝔀:

+ Yay someone can watch the cats with him!

+ “hey can we go and do something else?” “ without the cats???”

+ He will take a late night walk with you but you gotta carry dori in a lil wrap thing around you.

+ buys you pudding ( complains tho)

+ Hogs all the blankets fr

+ Wants to do it next weekend because it was so fun for him ( say yes)

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗶𝗻

+ “ wanna go to the gym?” “ can we just watch a movie or something?”

+ makes you go to the gym with him so you can be his spotter ( I googled what that was)

+ Buys you lots of food after but complains about his muscles hurting

+ Falls asleep during the movie and wakes up at the end type of dude

+ Lets you sleep on the bed and takes the couch

♥ Hyunjin ♥

+ Pillow fights are violent but then you're both so tired after you take a nap

+ Wants to watch dramas with you and cry about love and stuff

+drinks wine with you and eats croissants he bought from the bakery across the street

+ accidentally will say he's in love with you while drunk and falls asleep after

+ Wakes up like (0-0) “ so about last night....”

【Ｈａｎ】

+ You're watching anime even if you don't want to watch anime.

+ He is so loud and it is like 3 am and you're on season two already

+ If you fall asleep he will tuck you in but draw on your face

+ “ good morning princess!” then gets scared seeing your face because he forgot he drew on you

+ Steals Hyunjin's sheet masks for a spa morning in hopes you won't notice your face

ᖴEᒪI᙭

+ Baking ! Buddies!

+ Brownies and cookies and cupcakes

+ Gossiper tbh

+Super sweet until you play video games and he cusses you out like the Australian he is

+probably bought you guys matching pjs :(

+ Wants to cuddle in his sleep and you can't say no to him because he is Felix

🅂🄴🅄🄽🄶🄼🄸🄽

+ the most normal sleepover finally

+ scary movie and popcorn night and he laughs at the people who die

+ doesn't want you to use him shower so you have to use the one on the other side of the apartment

+ sleeps like a corpse and doesn't move

+ will make fun of you if you snore ( and film it for the other members to see)

+ buys you a toothbrush so your breath doesn't smell in the morning in his face

𝙹𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚗

+Shopping at the mall until it closes

+ Takes so many pictures with you ( you're in his ootd post omg)

+ Is excited to see puss in boots and holds your hand during the “scary parts”

+ You get home at 11 pm and he wants to take his bubble bath

+ you fall asleep waiting for him and he falls asleep in the bath

[historia-vitae-magistras]

💯🔺 aus for the ask thing?

🔺 RED TRIANGLE POINTED UP — does your oc know how to use any weapons?

He knows how to shoot, box, and use the bush tools to deadly effect if necessary. The wadi or waddy too. He must have fiddled around with boomerangs at some point. He had periods when he desperately wanted to be blooded, to join the ranks of the imperial powers, and he got there in his way, but I don't think violence ever sat quite right with him. He's part of the British imperial system; god knows he's capable, but pushing him headlong into that ease with violence like Matt or Arthur doesn't sit right. The sheer length and breadth of protest history in multiple facets of Australian culture have me lean more towards 'will throw a brick at someone in a fit of rage or grief,' but putting discipline and time into learning a weapons system makes him incredibly uncomfortable.

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

He's turned into a borderline insufferable food and drink snob over his life. Penal colony baby was just happy to eat, but it wasn't long before he ALWAYS had thoughts on what the cooks could do better. He will rip apart a chiko roll or a meat pie without complaint, but he will seriously ponder a wine pairing for dino nuggets. Coffee snob, too. An adventurous coffee snob, but a coffee snob. Straight-up British-style instant coffee will make him gag. He's almost in the Mediterranean club now, and his preference shows it.

He can be ungodly surly when he's hungry. Like no one in this family is a light eater, but he is a fricken vacuum cleaner. He spends WAY too much on eating out just because he does not stay in very much and always needs a snack.

He's pretty fricken reckless. Like there's a very thin line between brave and stupid, and this shithead has had Zee going, 'Can you keep some fucking blood in your body for fifteen minutes?" and he's just like, "Can we stop at the pub before the ER? I'll buy ya a pint."

Character Detail Ask Game

[fernwebs]

TF2 OC Infodump... About this silly guy

Minion's relationships with the mercs

Engineer - Engie is like one of the only people that can understand him (literally not emotionally) because of his thick ass accent. Minion likes to talk to him. Minion yaps to him a LOT, about almost everything.

Medic - Minion WILL find any way possible to be the one to deliver Medics orders personally. He also likes to include extra organs in almost every shipment. Minion makes his feelings towards Medic very obvious, but Medic continues to play dumb to keep getting those extra organs. Minions bird is the cause of at least 3 archimedes going missing.

Spy - Spy has photo evidence of Minion doing weird shit (staring at medics ass or smth idk). Minion is VERY aware of this and gets very nervous when hes doing anything at all because hes afraid that Spy is taking a picture of him.

Soldier -  Soldier is one of Minion's best friends, but Minion is scared that Soldier will grab him. Because he did, once. Minion got accused of not being faithful to America.

Sniper - Minion thinks he's weird because of the jarate thing. Hes scared that Sniper will throw jarate at him. Theyre probably buddies though, because they are both from places that have like weird animals, and they'd probably talk about that.

Scout - Theyre probably buddies because they both are falling for someone who barely likes them back. They encourage eachother. They're also relatively around the same age.

Demoman - Demoman is one of Minion's best friends along with Soldier. They'd also be drinking buddies, maybe not too often but they would. Minion gets really emotional when hes drunk, so he'd probably overshare to Demoman.

Heavy- I think theyre only acquaintances because they both cant quite understand each other (considering they both dont speak fluent english, and their native languages are different) BUT i think if they ever hung out they would cook for each other / bond over food.

Pyro - He probably hangs out a lot with Pyro because of Louise, he draws with Pyro when hanging out with them and Louise.

Bonus: Miss Pauling - I think he respects her a lot as a person and thinks she's cool. He probably tries to convince her just a little bit that scout is cool.

Louise - They are literally the father daughter duo EVER!! minion loves louise as a daughter so much and he cares so much he would take a bullet for her.

Eddy - Even though they might argue or have their differences sometimes, Eddy is always Minion's best friend. Minion truly appreciates Eddy and is grateful that Eddy is in his life.

Smissmass Presents

Spy - Lint, like he WRAPS IT to make it look like an extravagant cool gift but he actualy needle felted to lint to make it into a middle finger

Soldier - a tabo becuz he heard that soldier like bucket

Medic - he would buy him like 8 presents and make him custom advent calendar but its just pics of him and its the same picture each time for 12 days

Demoman - probably a nice bottle of wine or a case of his favorite alcohol

Scout - shitty art supplies because Scouf draws a lot, minion thinks those are the best art supplies in the world

Heavy - He would try to make a sandwich but with hawaiian rolls

Engineer - a book on how to learn tagalog

Pyro - 200 pack of jumbo crayons

Sniper - something very australian related

Bonus: Miss Pauling - A world globe you color in places for everywhere you've been.

Louise - Literally ANY toy besides a puzzle because he knows shes sick of if

Eddy - joke gifts like a mug or t-shirt that says something retarded, but if a real gift he'd buy something that was on eddys wishlist or something

on the bonus ones.. Louise and Eddy are my friend's OCs

@ilikesimsfour

thanks for reading chat!!

[ghostradiodylan]

Which Hacketteers do you think are pro Christmas music and who do you think is totally against it?

Okay this is a great question and such a hard one for me because I’m kind of ambivalent about Christmas music myself! I like it fine for a couple of days beforehand but when it starts playing in stores right after Halloween? I’m still in spooky mode, stop trying to make me be merry for the sake of capitalism! 😂

Also given the setting of New York state, I wonder if any of them come from Jewish or otherwise non-Christian families. Idk who’s most likely to fit into that category but it’s a consideration. Christmas culture infects everyone though lol.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

I feel like Jacob is a literal child so he probably gets super excited about everything Christmas and is like helping his parents put up elaborate light displays and buying Christmas themed snacks and stuff, so he’s probably listening to Christmas music the day after Halloween and I feel like Emma might be similar. Emma might come Christmas caroling at your house because she loves performing so much! Emma doesn’t mind a pop cover or a bit of Mariah Carey at all.

Kaitlyn might be a total Grinch if left to her own devices but she can’t help indulging Jacob a little. She doesn’t mind Christmas music in the context of Christmas movies but she probably wouldn’t listen to it on purpose just for fun. She has a secret soft spot for the soundtrack to The Muppet Christmas Carol.

I feel like the holidays might be complicated for Ryan. We don’t know why his mom isn’t around, though I obviously have my headcanons for fiction, but that might make it a little bit of a tough time for him. At the same time, he seems really invested in his sister so he probably wants to make Christmas special for her. He lives with his grandparents, so maybe they’re listening to the more classic, old school Christmas music and jazz covers and he’s probably fine with that.

Dylan I think could go either way, either he’s rolling his eyes about it altogether or he’s making massive playlists of indie and alt rock covers and then throwing in annoying goofy songs like “Dominick the Donkey” and “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” I think he probably does not want to hear Christmas music prior to Thanksgiving. But maybe I’m just projecting as I often do.

Abi’s watching The Nightmare Before Christmas on repeat to match her Hot Topic aesthetic. 😂 She likes that original soundtrack and the various artist cover versions and “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” by Fall Out Boy. But when it’s actually the week of Christmas she gives in and gets into the regular cheery stuff.

I wonder how long Nick has been in the US because I always think it has to be so weird for Australians to have all this wintery themed Christmas music when it’s summer in their hemisphere at Christmas time! Maybe he gets really into it because it’s so different from what he’s used to. Or maybe he gets cranky and misses the summer and listens to Tim Minchin’s “White Wine in the Sun” to remember warmer holidays. Could go either way.

Maybe it’s his 50’s fit talking, but I imagine Max being into the old crooner type Christmas music, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and more recently stuff like Michael Bublé that’s copying that style. I feel like he starts terribly serenading Laura with that music in early November.

I feel like Laura might not get super into Christmas until school is out because she’s so driven, so maybe she pushes all that out of her mind until then, except when Max is badly crooning “White Christmas” in the shower. But then again, I also headcanoned her as a choir kid in high school so she probably had concerts to practice for too that made her get into the spirit earlier than she really wanted.

Thanks for the asks today y’all! I think my brain is tapped out but I will be meditating on some I can send back! 💜💜💜

[indie-brokenarm]

Everything in no particular order including head shaving incense burning HSP eating hot Chip craving VCA attending carlton gardens frequenting gallery owning polyamoursly being commitment avoiding camper shoe wearing Instagram posting trash art making Centrelink receiving University failing gutter sitting bar wall leaning cocktail buying Europe visiting art hating share house living ambition reclaiming middriff exposing group show having footscray inhabiting MDMA taking heartbreak feeling grad show after partying cask wine sipping opening avoiding scene worshipping friendship disintegrating suddenly hustling fine dining designer buying steak frites eating cathedral haunting Flinders st meeting coffee depending hell's kitchen attending nonchalantly intoning Australian drawling Jeans loosely hanging park fountain swimming is a rite of passage

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Anonymous asked: I enjoy your tumblr tremendously. You manifest an appreciation, perhaps passion, for Scotch Whiskey. Firstly, do you consider fine Japanese or Australian whiskey equally good? Secondly, do you also enjoy Armagnac and Cognac? Personally, I find the former often overlooked and, generally, better value. What do you think? Thanks!

I’m very much a wine drinker these days and being a co-owner of a French vineyard has made me more immersive in that world of appreciating fine wines, its traditions passed down from generation to generation on wine making, social customs that are the fabric of particular way of living and enjoying life. By the very act of drinking the wine you are being a part of the terroir (a hard word to define but generally meaning ‘of the soil’) of where the wine was made.

There are a lot of similar reasons to drink whisky of which I used to drink a lot, especially when I was an army officer and drinking games in the officers mess was the done thing. But these days I drink in extreme moderation and often with a well deserved cigar. Some people like the way it makes them feel fuzzy and warm, when laughing comes a little easier. Maybe it takes the edge off a long day or helps hype the anticipation for what might be a long night. For me, the reasons why I love whisky are much more than that.

Like wine, whisky tells us a story. In my case a Scottish story as one side of my family have strong roots in that part of the world, and are still thriving there. It tells a story of a certain time and a certain place, of a distillery and those who work in it. I love the idea that an entire team of people worked every day to grow barley, distill whisky, maintain a distillery, patiently watch over barrels, and the million other minute tasks that go into creating a single bottle of whisky that is then transported locally and all over the world for me to enjoy. And when I’m holding a 20 year old Aberfeldy single malt in a Glencairn glass on the other side of the world, I can take one sip and feel myself transported all the way back to the central Highlands.

And it tells a story on an individual level, too. What inspired me to buy the bottle and where I got it. Maybe it starts with how I learned about it or where I first tried it and weaves until here and now, to who I’m drinking it with and when. So when I sip on any Dalmore whisky I sometimes think of meeting Dalmore’s master distiller, Richard Paterson, who wowed me with his infectious love of his craft and old school bonhomie as he led a sampling some of Dalmore’s finest single malts at the distillery.

Like wine, whisky is a life time journey of discovery from following the aromas and flavours of each dram. From the Scottish Lowlands where whiskies are often light bodied, delicate, soft, smooth, and have very little peat, and they’re malty and citrusy with flavours of grass, honeysuckle, cream, ginger, toffee, toast and cinnamon; to the Scottish Highlands where whiskies are full bodied and spicy whiskies, lighter and fruity whiskies and those that are full bodied, peaty with a salty tang from the sea. From Speyside where its famed single malts are both light and bold whiskies that are sweet, fruity and spicy with hints of apple, nutmeg, vanilla and smoke; to Islay where the famed Scotch can be peaty, smoky, earthy and oily with a hint of salty sea air, brine and seaweed. Whiskies then need to be explored and as one becomes more skilled at detecting aromas and flavours; and as one tries more whiskies, one finds more aromas, flavours, and even more whiskies that tantalise the palate.

Which is why I’m not particularly tribal about whisky.

I wish I could compare Japanese and Australian whisky and give you my opinion if they are equally good. But I can’t. My knowledge and experience of drinking Australian whisky is dire compared to how much I’ve enjoyed Japanese whisky over the years. I’ve been to Australia on a few occasions and I’ve even gone on a few wine trails to widen my knowledge of the Australian wine making industry and learn lessons from them for our own wine making back in France. But on the side I did sample some its home grown whiskies.

I recently had a tipple of the Starward Two Fold, given to me by an Aussie work colleague and I tried it more out of curiosity than any real knowledge. The one I had had spent time in Aussie shiraz and pinot noir wine barrels before it was bottled, making for a blend of spicy and caramel notes. Apparently it won five gold medals at the World Whiskies Masters (2022). Hailing from Victoria’s New World Whisky Distillery, Starward have been favoured by many for their innovative approach to modern whisky production, eschewing the traditions that bind so many other distillers and producing consistently interesting whisky. Their whiskies are all made from Australian barley, aged in Australian barrels and reflect the terroir with subtlety. And then finished in Australian wine casks. I think it’s an excellent entry point into Australian whisky and at a decent price too.

I’ve had the Lark’s Classic Single Malt with its hints of citrus and butterscotch and it’s peated too with a lovely balanced smoky woodiness and vanilla. Also from the Lark’s stable I’ve had tipple of Lark 9 year old Bourbon cask whisky which has a lot more complex notes. Lark of course is at forefront of Tasmania’s whisky growing region with other whiskies such as Sullivan’s Cove and Bakery Hill, also adding to the growing prestige of whiskies made in Tasmania.

I love the story of how Lark began. Apparently, founder Bill Lark was trout fishing with his father-in-law Max in the Tassie highlands that the two scratched their heads and said: “I wonder why there isn’t anyone making malt whisky in Tasmania.” The climate, access to barley, natural peat bogs and pure, soft water were all in abundance, but nobody had connected the dots for over a hundred years due to archaic licensing laws. Since then, Bill Lark worked tirelessly to promote the Southern island as one of the world’s best whisky-producing regions, all the while expanding his eponymous distillery from a small apparatus in his kitchen to a huge copper still which gets put through its paces to keep up with demand. Apparently, the operation is still a family affair and the distillery itself has undergone a recent world-class makeover. Now that’s a story to worth raising your dram to.

Of course Australian whisky is still startlingly a niche thing, even within Australia, with Starward its leading domestic producer accounting for 66% of Australian whiskies 1% share of the market. What I understand from Aussie work colleagues who are whisky aficionados is that 50% of the Australian whisky market has been bourbon. Jack Daniels accounts for over a quarter of the market with 26% and it accounts for 52% of American whiskies sold in Australia. Jim Beam has a respectable 10% and 20% across those sectors, and Makers Mark is third. Rye whisky accounts for just 0.72% of the total sales, with Woodford Reserve (34%), Bulleit (32%) and Michters (11%) the leaders.

Scotland holds 27% of the total market - blends and malts. Johnnie Walker dominates with 15%. Chivas Regal represents 2% of total sales. Glenfiddich 12-Year-Old Single Malt leads the Single Malts (Scotland) category with 1.7% (6% of total Scotch, including blends). Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Talisker all equate to around 1% each. Given that these are relatively small and distant distilleries, it does suggest that the smoky/peaty style from Islay is beloved by malt drinkers in Australia.

Japan comes in with 1.5%, with Hibiki dominating - their 12-Year-Old has 25% of the market and their 17-Year-Old has 30%.

It would seem that the era of Covid, closures, cuts and chaos is proving to be an exciting time for whisky in Australia. The story seems to be Australian whisky is enjoying dynamic growth. The growing demand through volume for Australian whisky is primarily in Asia. Australian producers are now entering partnerships with specialist whisky markets like Japan and Taiwan which has seen an incredible uplift on single cask requirements (cask strength, finishes, aged statements).

Australian Distillers Association figures reflect this growth. The number of registered Australian distilleries almost doubles from 2021-2022, growing from 200 in January 2021 to 380 in February 2022. There is no question that Australia could be the next break out whisky nation once prices become more competitive to other foreign producers and it has greater market visibility outside of Australia. Just as importantly the whisky market is young. The number of 25-34 year olds drinking whisky has doubled in the past six years and around 19 million glasses of whisky are drink every month.

What it also has going for it is the land’s natural resources ie the earth (or the terroir as the French winemakers call it). Australia is one of the largest malting-grade barley producers in the world, with many varieties unique to the country. Whisky producers increasingly work more closely with a number of New South Wales’ farmers to get hold of unique malts which demonstrate regional terroir. It allows all concerned to develop a relationship with the land and their custodians, exploring ancient and heirloom varieties. Surely, that’s a good thing.

It also allows for these whisky producers to experiment and take creative risks both in the way they can source the variety of grains and also explore ‘paddock to bottle’ with barley. The end result is Australian whisky can frustrate anyone to categorise it into easy tick boxes. That’s a good thing too.

Finally, it would be remiss to talk about Australia’s natural resources without alluding to its vineyards. The country’s winemaking history has granted distillers access to some truly fantastic ex-fortified wine casks, particularly Apera. Australia’s answer to sherry, Apera, is made from a different blend of grapes, but still has many similarities in style. Many of these casks have been around for decades  - indeed, whisky producer Archie Rose has filled casks that contained Apera for more than 70 years.

Australia can learn from Japan’s experience of whisky, namely, concentrate on producing great whisky for the world to enjoy and most importantly, take your time.

I know a lot more about Japanese whisky as I grew up partly in that culture as a child when we lived overseas but also been a frequent visitor there for work reasons. I think a good explanation for why Japanese whisky is so good is that Japan’s distilleries typically adhere to Scotch methods, but the country’s distinct seasons have a significant impact on the maturation process - the cold winters slow the ageing of the spirit, while the humid summers speed it up.  A variety of casks are used in the ageing process, but the country’s indigenous lumber, most famously mizunara (Japanese oak), ages unique whisky that’s subtle, yet strong. Unlike their Scottish counterparts, Suntory and Nikka, the two giants of Japanese whisky, distil a mind-boggling array of whiskies in-house, giving them great control over their products and enabling them to experiment with different whisky-making techniques.

The history of Japanese whisky is shrouded in mystery, since very little is recorded in whisky making before the famed establishment of Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery in the early 20th century. What we do know is that a few shochu and sake breweries produced Japanese whisky on the side as early as the 1850s. Whisky took a historical turn in Japan in 1923, when Suntory established the first official whisky distillery. But it was when Suntory’s domestic market for whisky collapsed and it and other rival producers such as Nikka focused on producing the best single malt whiskies it could did Japanese whisky gain global recognition with countless international awards and has been in high demand from whisky lovers everywhere.

Today, the companies of Masataka Taketsuru (Nikki) and Shinjiro Torii (Suntory) still represent their founders’ passion for Japanese whisky. Masataka Taketsuru was known as the “Father of Japanese Whisky” and studied the intricate whisky-making process in Scotland. He took his knowledge and his newly wed Scottish wife, Rita, back to Japan and established one of the most popular Japanese Whisky companies: Nikka Whisky. Shinjiro Torii was the founder of Suntory, known as Kotobukiya back then, and built Yamazaki in 1923. However, Taketsuru and Torii had a history before these two companies were born. Taketsuru actually worked in Torii’s company for over 10 years, so the Suntory and Nikka whisky companies have a background story that is linked to each other. Taketsuru came from a family who had a sake brewery for Japanese alcoholic beverages. He studied chemistry at the University of Glasgow to improve his understanding of creating alcoholic beverages.

Taketsuru and Torii became business partners. But their search to find a whisky that the Japanese people could like and claim as their own came to nought. Torri, the business brains, wanted the distillery to be near as possible to Tokyo and have billboards plastered at key points where trains would go by. Taketsuru, the perfectionist, wanted to move further north to produce whisky as he was convinced the climate and soil up there would be more conducive to great whisky. Eventually they went their separate ways. Taketsuru ventured out on his own in 1934 and established the Yoichi Distillery in Hokkaido in 1940.

Suntory originally offered an alcoholic beverage called Akadama Sweet Wine, which was a huge success for the company and continues to be produced today. However, Shinjiro Torii wanted to create a whisky that suited the Japanese people’s preferences and moved forward with the establishment of Yamazaki Distillery, despite the opposition he received from his business partners. In 1929, Torii created the first whisky from Suntory called Suntory Shirofuda (‘White Label’), but it turned out to be unsuccessful because it didn’t fit the tastes of the Japanese consumer base. The second whisky released from Suntory was the Suntory Kakubin, which became a hit and continues to be Japan’s #1 best-selling whisky.

To spread the knowledge and passion for Japanese whisky, Suntory opened whisky bars around the country in 1955. In 1970, Suntory revolutionised how the Japanese food and drinking culture by creating the “Mizuwari,” a water-and-whisky drink that was easy to drink and enjoy with Japanese cuisine. However domestic whisky market began to collapse for not just Suntory but other domestic whisky producers in the 1990s. The culture was changing. No longer were young salaried men drinking whisky as their bosses did - it was seen as a rite of passage. They instead preferred vodka and other spirits now making inroads into the Japanese drinks market. Increasingly whisky came to be seen as ‘an old man’s drink’. Sales plateaued and Suntory focused on other parts of their drinks and food empire. Suntory, along with Nikka, began to focus on producing high end single malt whiskies that could makes its debut to the outside world. This only bore fruit a decade later in the 2000s when Japanese whisky started to winning prestigious awards for its whiskies.

It’s an open question whether the rise of Japanese whisky was also due to the product placement of tis whisky in the cult movie ‘Lost in Translation’ in 2003 which featured Bill Murray’s character advertising Suntory’s whisky with the memorable quote: “For relaxing times, make it Suntory time!” Some have argued that the movie helped in boosting the exposure of Japanese whisky as international whisky lovers gradually discovered this luxury spirit from Japan. At the very least, the Hollywood exposure it didn’t hurt. In 2003, Suntory’s Yamazaki 12 Year Old won the Gold Award at the International Spirits Challenge in the UK and it was part of a wave of outstanding awards for Japanese whiskies.

Oddly enough, whisky is back in favour with the Japanese. In more recent years, the Japanese whisky business has boomed and become even more popular within Japan and out of the country. The Highball drink, a simple mixture of Japanese whisky and soda, has become a staple to drink with Japanese dishes.

Suntory's Yamazaki 12 Year Old continues to impress with its well-balanced fruity sweetness, something that appeals to novice and experienced whisky drinkers alike. I would say it’s the original Japanese whisky and remains Suntory’s flagship single malt. Yamazaki is multi-layered with the aromas of fruit and Mizunara Oak. Even today, Yamazaki is the leading single malt whisky sold in Japan, and enjoyed in more than 35 countries. It’s an excellent entry point into Japanese whisky. 

I would also recommend the Hibiki Blossom Harmony. Blending is a key component of the craft of making Japanese whisky. Great care and attention is paid to flavours and proportions, with some distilleries producing dozens of different whiskies that are combined into the final product. Hibiki, a blend from Suntory, launched in 1989, and there are now several different expressions in the range. The 17-year-old version is probably the best, an incredibly well-rounded sipper with lovely notes of orange peel, caramel, and toffee.

As for armagnac and cognac, I would agree with you that generally the former is overlooked when actually it is better (my opinion).  It is the only spirit that can really become more refined with age. Before I moved to France and before I decided to invest in a vineyard with my cousins, I was quite happy drinking cognac as an after dinner drink - to go with my cigar that I smoked with the men. I wasn’t really aware of armagnac until I saw it increasingly being served around the French dinner table. I enjoyed the experience and it set me off on a little side journey of exploration.

I hadn’t realised that it was France’s oldest brandy for over 700 years but talk to locals and they derisive of calling armagnac a brandy. It’s closer to wine. The production of Armagnac has been documented since 1310, when Vital Dufour, prior of the town of Eauze, described in his ‘Livre très utile pour garder la santé et rester en bonne forme’ the advantages of a brandy known as aygue ardente. Armagnac appeared thanks to the meeting of two civilisations: that of the Arab world and its still, and that of the Christian world and its monks who planted vines. It does not yet bear the name of today. It was then an apothecary’s remedy. In 1461 it was found on the market of Saint Sever. It became a drink that was appreciated for its gustatory qualities, a drink called “le merveilleux”. Historically, Armagnac is a precious brandy, but confined in the margin of the wine production of the region.

As you well know Armagnac is produced in the South-West region of France, the Gers department, the East of the Landes, and the South of the Lot-et-Garonne; whereas Cognac is produced 300 km further North in Charente, Charente-Maritime, parts of the Dordogne and Deux-Sèvres - where it so happens a lot of British expatriates reside permanently or have a second home.

The terroirs are distinguished by their soils and climate, which give their brandy their typical character. The Cognac soil is mainly limestone, while the Armagnac soil is sandy, clayey-siliceous and clayey-limestone. The Armagnac region has a continental climate, while the Cognac region has a more oceanic climate. Part of the reason why I was drawn to armagnac was variety of grapes used. You know that cognac is made from the Ugni Blanc grape only, whereas Armagnac is made from 10 different grape varieties, including Ugni Blanc. The diversity of grape varieties authorised by the AOC Armagnac decree is due to the viticultural tradition of the region which also produces tasting wines. The Cognac region only produces wine for distillation.

Where the full flavour of armagnac comes out above cognac is how they are made. Armagnac is column-distilled, which is a process where the alcohol is continuously heated between two vertical columns and then aged in French oak barrels or casks for a minimum of 1 year. Though Armagnac and Cognac are both are brandies distilled from wine, Armagnac is distilled once while Cognac is distilled twice. Indeed the still used for the distillation of Cognac is different from the one used for Armagnac. The Cognac or “Charentais” alembic is a basic copper alembic c” (double heating): the alcohol is distilled twice and the brandy comes out with a higher alcohol content (72°). The Armagnac still is a double-column copper still with trays, for a continuous distillation: the wine is distilled only once and the brandy comes out with a low alcohol content (54°).

The plates of the Armagnac still allow the alcohol vapours to bathe in the fresh wine and extract its aromas: this is the bubbling. This step does not exist in the Cognac still where the alcohol vapours do not meet the fresh wine. Its ageing links it to the culture of wine and distinguishes it from other brandies. Like wine, Armagnac can be vintage to reflect the history of the year. Cognac is gradually diluted with distilled water to reach its 40-45° for sale. The brandy, “burned” by the alcohol, cannot evolve.

To my mind, armagnac and cognac have two singular historical trajectories, which influence their current reputation. Armagnac has developed on a French consumption model. Its more confidential artisanal production perpetuates ancestral know-how. Cognac was conceived for an export market to the Netherlands and England. It mirrors the story of the battle between Bordeaux wines and Burgundy (or Bourgogne) wines. Bordeaux wines were made from a blend of grapes and produced for an export market to the English primarily whilst Bourgogne has been a single grape and very much towards a home grown market.

If I have any visitors to France I always introduce them to armagnac if I can. Armagnacs exalt the richness of that South West region’s gastronomy: foie gras, chicken in a pot, duck breast. They go particularly well with dark chocolate cake, almonds and dried fruits, walnut pie or orange macaroons.

It’s great as an after dinner liqueur. The sweet flavours of Armagnac make it a perfect after-dinner drink. I would also choose an older armagnac as a rule older is always better so go with a vintage armagnac. But not always as when drinking clear Armagnacs - known as Armagnac blancs or Haut-Armagnacs - which have spent less time in the oak ageing barrels - one can enjoy them on the rocks or chilled in the fridge. I particularly love to end a meal at a restaurant having an Armagnac Brûlot - in other words, flambé, using sugar to set it on fire. It’s a great way to end a pleasant dining experience.

But armagnacs are also perfect for cocktails as a pre-dinner aperitif or lounging around a swanky hotel bar. I would highly recommend the Armagnac Stinger, a cocktail,  originally served with Cognac, was a pre-Prohibition American favourite. It combines Armagnac, crème de menthe, orange bitters, and garnish with a sprig of mint. There is also the D’Artagnan, which combines armagnac, orange liqueur, orange juice, simple syrup, and finished off with a splash of champagne - perfect for partying. The Continental Sour is another cool one which mixes together armagnac, egg whites, simple syrup, lemon juice, and red wine.

Whatever one drinks, be it armagnac or cognac, I believe in its conviviality for cultured conversation and good natured laughter (at your own expense) over a shared meal with like minded people, be they family and friends. The French love arguing over a fine meal. The arguments can be heated and robust but they are never personal and drink is the balm to bring people together again. If you bear that in mind then you can’t go wrong.

Thanks for your question.

[doonarose]

Annnndddd Christmas (at least the fraught part) is done. Both sisters and partners and grandparents and random family friends have all gone home. Just me and the tricky parents and both mostly in good spirits and I’m not helping enough to clean up and I’ve actually, literally just been accused of being too generous like it’s an actual hate crime and idk. So she me that I try to buy my family’s love when it’s never been given freely lol?

There has been a lot of wine. And seafood and roasts and proper homemade gravy that I’ve been too complimentary of and the Australian weather has been blissfully cool and stormy which I entirely enjoy. I walked every single person out just to savour the puddles seeping up the legs of my jeans.

Merry Christmas void.

[audio-luddite]

Tripping Down Under.

Just got back and am unpacking my jet lag. In Sydney I met a guy who has 35 guitars and more than a few amps for same. He is a collector so frets about using genuine NOS tubes, but strangely has not put them in his amps and tried them out. It may be all about labels. He also had a large box packed with a lot of tube he did not want. I left it with having his son, my virtual son-in-law, to photograph and make a list so I can figure if there is any treasure there. Unfortunately no KT88s or 6550s for me. So sad Wa Waaa.

In Brisbane I told my brother's best friend that a blue tooth speaker is not really enough for his man cave (in Oz a "man shed") and he should get a real system. His wife agreed. Another potential victim of this hobby.

I looked at the local ads in the Australian Audio Mart and in Gumtree their classified ad thing. Generally the prices are similar to NA. but some stuff is very expensive.

All that said I did no high end activity at all except for attending a concert presentation of Das Rheingold in the Sydney Opera House. It was a long night, even though that is the shortest ring opera. We had decent seats about centered in the first balcony (circle). The sound was good and very realistic.

Wagner had a lot of brass and well loud stuff. The acoustic treatments worked well and the sound was clear and natural.

I tried to explain to my daughter that my audio hobby was an attempt to bring this kind of experience into my home. Great music without having to dress fancy and pay $200 bucks for 4 glasses of wine and some finger sandwiches.

While I was in Australia I got a notice of a black Friday deal for new 6550s at a substantial discount. Good ones apparently as they were new production from China but triple tested in Canada. I was not going to order it from Oz, but once home the deal was gone.

I am in a bit of a fret about getting a new tube set. 8 large power tubes are around $1k right now. The CL60 is voiced for Russian tubes and supply is tricky with that FN war Putin started. There is stock at my reliable supplier for now. In one or two years......

I would like to get a full set of power tubes while the current ones are still good. I figure at least one year is in the cards, maybe two before it is time to replace them. I can wait, but I am nervous.

This is a serious issue with tube electronics. Tubes wear out and are expensive. Golden ear writers can buy sets as a business expense. Affluent people can keep multiple sets for rolling. I just want consistent reliability with good quality. I do not like the idea of swapping tubes to adjust the sound of a system. That is just wrong in my universe.

In other news I read a thing by Frank Doris about imperfect audio systems.

This guy was the house tech at Absolute Sound during the HP years. He has heard it all. I think he is actually getting it. He hints at my thesis that there is no best just preferences but then kinda drifts into his preferences as best.

The title image is an example of Wabi-sabi the Japanese acceptance of imperfection. Call that Ironic given that much of the best audio stuff comes from Japan. Kaisen is the Japanese process of continual improvement.

I have preferences. I like detail and clarity. I made my speakers to minimize room reflections. I like ARC stuff that I can afford. So old stuff. That guided my preamp selection for years. And yes I have now snagged an ARC tube amp. These products speak to me. Yes they need a tiny tweak in the phono loading to work properly with non-mc pickups, but otherwise none. I do not care for McIntosh for irrational reasons. Hell I admit that this is an irrational hobby.

But it is fun.