As a follow-up to my posting about our recent Scotch Whisky tasting, I thought I should let people in on a little local shop who seems to have an endless selection of whisk(e)y.

When we first moved to this neck of the woods, I made the rounds of all the local wine and spirit shops. I found a handful that I really liked and unfortunately, many that I felt were just not up to snuff. That was 15 years ago. I have since visited a few of the new shops that have opened, as well as a few of the original shops. My visits usually turn out to be one of two types – either very brief or fairly lengthy, the latter being a sign of good things to come.

Well, recently I stopped back at Provo Liquors in Norfolk, MA and ended up spending the better part of an hour chatting with the amiable and ever helpful owner, Bruno Formato. Hot off of my Scotch Whisky tasting, I was in search of a few special bottles and happily Bruno had them in stock. One he did not, but he thought he would be getting it soon.

I had to compliment Bruno because his selection and assortment of whisk(e)y was nothing short of amazing. The only other store that I’ve been in recently that has a more exhaustive selection is Julio’s in Westboro. Provo is less than 10 minutes from my house. Julio’s is about 35 minutes… You know where I will run to first the next time I am in search of some arcane whisk(e)y.

Bruno and I also chatted about our very consistent philosophy about wine making and we found ourselves agreeing on the high value of most European wines, especially those from Spain and Portugal. We’re both Italians that grew up with wine on the table at almost every meal. For us, wine is not an adjunct to the meal, it is essential part of the meal, like another food. We agreed that the new term being coined in the industry, “cocktail wines,” is an unfortunate reflection of how most Americans view wine.

Bruno also graciously shared a plate of his home made prosciutto – wow, was it delicious! Just the right amount of salt with a nice subtle, yet complex flavor profile.

So, I urge you, if you are in the area, or want to make the trip, to drop by Provo Liquor on Dedham Street in Norfolk, MA. Make sure you tell Bruno that I sent you over!

And, for other great places to shop check out my web site at: http://www.musingsonthevine.com/tips_shop.shtml

Cheers!