Calvados Week : Tasting & Charcuterie @ the Vintage

Tuesday’s are good for date nights. The bars are quiet. Restaurants have got fresh food delivered. Head Chefs are preparing their weekly fare and are willing to deviate from the menu.
Also. in order to drum up local customers, some bars hold a ‘Special Tastings’. Now if you have all of the above in one venue, you are definitely onto an ultimate winner. Unfortunately the bar wasn’t quite as low on customers as I would have hoped for.
This week is Calvados week and «Ed the Calvados Man» has teamed up with the chefs and the manageress of the Vintage. They personally tasted and paired several Charcuterie choices with his 6 bottle variety of the world famous apple based drink.
The 12 guests were seated in a French farmer family manner, all on a big hard wooden table with benches and chairs, filled with glasses, water and cutlery. We got an introduction and an apéritif — 2 months ages apple wine. Very sharp and tasty. That bottle went round the table and was empty in no time.
We were supplied with the Vintage Charcuterie Selection: there was duck, pork belly, some white oily rubbery thingy, a stewed apple with currents and lamb (?) — all with some bread & butter, but to be honest after 3 glasses of Calvados I was loosing grip on what I was eating.
We had free flow and a free go at the bottles after their introduction and they swiftly went the same way as the apéritif. There was a young age one a not so young aged one, a 12 year old, an Extra Old produce and as the «piece de resistance» — 20 year old Calvados. Whoop.
Lots of questions answered, many participants sloshed.
Why not 5 stars?
The ambiance was brilliant but load, all his fine and funny stories were lost in the background noise. –½
The Charcuterie was nice, but not enough of it. –½
And I would have liked a bit more interactivity (apart from drinking)
It was a good evening and I am most definitely a fan of Calvados!