In August I will review some whiskies distilled and matured in Scotland and Ireland. That’s as specific as I can get on that front. This month I am not asking you to help me choose what to review as I don’t really have much of a plan beyond the highlands whiskies on the docket for this week. I do have some single malt reviews on the bench but I had hoped to review more Irish whiskies while in Dublin and am still hoping I might have the time and opportunity to do. The former is in shorter supply than the latter. The excellent Celtic Whiskey Shop certainly has enough miniatures of Irish whiskies I have never tasted (or in many cases, heard of) to keep me going all month. But the program I am directing here is running me ragged and most evenings I am too tired to drink whiskey, leave alone review it. Let’s see how it goes.

The restaurant reports, however, have a clear trajectory. The Florence reports will take up this week and at least the next. They’ll be followed by reports from Tuscany, and then from Padua, Venice and Milan. That will take us well into September. I may start sprinkling some Dublin meal reports in among those as well. We’ll be back in Minnesota by the end of the month, in case you’re wondering. Might take us a while to start eating out again though: we’re looking forward to being back in our own kitchen after what will have been more than two months.

This has not been much of a look ahead. You’re welcome.