Day 6: Last Night At Sea! Our First Disney Cruise 2021!
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The Index of Our First Disney Cruise 2021! Disney Magic At Sea (UK Staycation) tells you a bit about the planning of this trip, as well as some info about us – me, Michelle; and my husband, Steve. It also, of course, has the full list of days for the trip.
Day 6: Chocolate & Liquors Seminar
Breakfast from Cabanas, Dinner at Lumiere’s
September 19, 2021
And just like that, it’s our last full day and night at sea! I’m so glad we added the second back-to-back cruise, as we felt a lot more relaxed in the second part, and felt like we had gotten to know the ship and where everything is by that point.
Steve popped to Cabanas to grab us some breakfast. Mickey Waffles are a must on a Disney vacation, and they serve them up for breakfast in Cabanas!
Other offerings include usual breakfast foods like eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, corned beef hash, cereals, fruit, yogurt, bread, pastries, meats, and cheeses.
Chocolate & Liquors Seminar
We wanted to have a good breakfast as we had another Beverage Tasting Seminar – Chocolate & Liquors – in the Keys Lounge on Deck 3, Forward. I told you all about this bar yesterday, so I won’t go into that all again.
Disney Cruise Line describes this seminar: Indulge in the exquisite pairings of rich chocolates with premium Champagne and liquors—c’est magnifique!
When I first booked this seminar, and up until we went into Keys, I thought it was chocolate and liqueurs, so was looking forward to maybe a tipple of after-dinner liqueurs such as Tia Maria or Grand Marnier with some different chocolates.
However, it was liquors which are basically anything alcoholic! So instead it was Champagne, red wine, Porto, and whisky. And it was just pairing with chocolate but cheese too. This was going to be interesting because I am not a big fan of Champagne (unless it is mixed in a cocktail), and don’t like the other three!
But, we put our trust in the sommelier and were actually surprised! His name was Robert (from Romania) and he is a Palo Sommelier.
As in our Mixology Seminar yesterday, everything was laid out for us, with four glasses of liquor, a little martini glass of white chocolate, a little cup of milk chocolate, and a glass with a chunk of parmesan and a dark chocolate roll/stick.
Before telling us about the various alcohols, Robert explained the history of chocolate, which I got top marks in because it was part of my A-Level course in Food & Nutrition!
Taittinger Prestige Rosé Champagne
This pretty pink fizz gets its color from the addition of 15% still red wine from the vineyards of Ambonnay and Bouzy, to a blend of white wine comprising at least 30% Chardonnay. With its subtle balance of soft red fruits and crisp acidity, this wine is velvety, full-bodied, and refined.
Always hold a stemmed glass by the stem so that you don’t warm up the drink, and so that you can swirl it around to examine the drink for impurities. When tasting, swirl the Champagne in your mouth for 2-3 seconds to get the full flavor.
Chappellet Mountain Cuvée 2017
A red wine from Napa Valley, California, with a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc.
As red wines go, this wasn’t as vinegary as I usually feel wine tastes like, but after swirling, smelling, and tasting, it was one of the nicer red wines I’ve tried (I’m really not a fan!).
Robert explained about the different notes which were fruity and spicy, and how that comes from the barrels, and that as his nose is so well trained, he can tell by the smell if a wine is from California, France, Italy, etc. Amazing right?
After tasting the wine on its own, we then sipped a little of the melted white chocolate, then tried the wine again, and the taste was so different! It tasted better, and of course sweeter because of the white chocolate. We then tasted the wine with a nibble of Parmesan, and again a change in flavor – and very different from the chocolate.
I preferred the red wine with the white chocolate and Steve with the cheese. A really interesting concept and I won’t think of Cheese & Wine Parties the same again! I honestly didn’t realise how much pairing wines properly did for the wine!
Quinta do Noval Late Bottled Vintage Porto 2013
Port is a fortified wine made from grapes exclusively grown in Quinta do Noval’s own vineyards. It has a deep rich red colour with ripe aromas of cherries on the nose, a mouthful of fresh red fruits with a fine and silky tannic structure, and a long harmonious finish,
Once again, we were invited to try the port with the cheese and chocolate to see how the taste changed and which we preferred. I said cheese, Steve said chocolate!
Signet Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
And now we come to the Whisky, which was so strong, that I choked on it! In fact, just smelling it before drinking was enough to knock you out. I had a short coughing fit after swallowing a sip, and needed a glass of water!
It smelled beautiful, almost like an apple pie, and I at first thought it was brandy, but nope, it was a Scottish Whisky.
The 30-year old Scotch is a marriage of rare high roast malt, our own single estate Cadboll barley and maturation in bespoke casks. It is 46% alcohol, and it wasn’t very popular among everyone in the group. It sells for $46 a shot on the ship, so along with the help of some chocolate, I was able to get the rest down!
Listening back to our audio of the seminar, it was truly fascinating and well worth attending if wines are your thing. The cost was $37 per person, which considering the Whisky alone, it’s excellent value for money.