Our trip is rather less ambitious; we are to sail only a couple of hundred metres between Bristol’s Arnolfini and The Watershed, a pair of much loved city arts centres. Beside me on deck are the mayor and sheriff of Bristol, the latter dressed flamboyantly in a frilly sleeved shirt and knee-high boots. I give a royal wave for them both to an eager audience lining the shore as a footbridge is raised for our passage.
‘I love this boat and am so proud of its history’, Caption Rob Salvage tells the passengers made up of journalists, local dignitaries and members of the Harveys’ family – them of sherry fame, who have played such a key role in Bristol’s rich history. We are en route to attend the much-anticipated launch of the new Harveys Cellars.
12 Denmark Street has been the original home of world famous sherry since it was first imported to the city in 1796 from across Europe. Once the site of one of Bristol’s most iconic restaurants, Harveys Cellars designed by Sir Terrence Conran, it is steeped in the history as the birthplace of Harveys Bristol Cream, known as the world’s first cream sherry.
Once again, Dutch is on hand to share his seemingly encyclopedic, yet never dry, knowledge of fine sherry and cocktails. Surrounded by Harveys memorabilia which form a small museum, we are told that behind the bar a network of tunnels running all the way to the dockside were once used to transport sherry barrels to the docks and back.
For those unsure of which sherry to choose, I highly recommend a Harveys Cellars Sherry Flight with tapas as an enjoyable introduction to the wonderful possibilities of this much-maligned drink. An aperitif of Harveys Bristol Cream Signature Serve is followed by a chilled crisp Fino and accompanied by roasted almonds and marinated olives. A glass of warming, Fine Old Oloroso is perfectly matched with flavour-rich Spanish cheeses and quince jelly on fig and almond cake.
It seemed only right to toast this momentous occasion with one – or two – of the fine sherry cocktails from Harveys Cellars’ extensive drinks menu. A couple of our party went for a New Yorker Martini of Fino, Bols Genever, Noilly Pratt & Cointreau shaken over ice & served straight up – a fine and imaginative interpretation of the cocktail classic. I plumped for the prettily and aptly named Daisy’s Dream, a lovely frothy, ladylike mix of Harvey’s Bristol Cream, Martin Millers, lemon, egg white, rhubarb bitters & Fraise de Bois.