In 1999, Steve Zimmermann organized a gift of some very special brandy and whiskey to Patrick O'Brian from members of the Gunroom. Here is the email that Steve sent to his fellow donors announcing the success of the project. It includes a charming thank-you note from PO'B himself at the end.
From: Steve Zimmerman
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 at 17:26
Subject: POB Gift Wine update
To: Adam Quinan, Bill Nyden, Bob Fleisher, Bob Jernigan, C. Mark Smith, Charles Munoz, David Critchley, David Philips, Don Goyette, Donni Call, Donnis Hobson, Ed McDevitt, Faith Ingles, Ginny Granade, Hank Burchard, Jane Skinner, Jeff Logsdon, Jim Klein, Kaye Downing, Ken Ringle, Lois Montbertrand, Louis Cohen, Lynn Steele, Margaret Heath, Matt Cranor, Michael Kirby, Mike Ward, Paisley Griffin, Paul Murphy, Peter Theune, Philip Sellew, Richard Ward, Roberta Lovatelli, Ruth Boysworth, Sarah Scott, Scott Powell, Scott Wilson, Susan Wenger
Cc: Steve Zimmermann, Daphne Gill
February 26, landlocked in Colorado
Hello, all -
The thing is done!
I am happy to report the complete success of our project. Today, at 2:30 Dublin time, Daphne Gill of the Provost's Office at Trinity College Dublin hand-delivered the Gunroom's gift to Dr. Patrick O'Brian (they always call him 'Doctor' around TCD, it appears).
You may recall that when it came to choosing exactly what wines to give PO'B, there was no end of debate, and in the end a vote. That vote came down, nearly unanimously, on the side of cognac over claret. Bowing to the wishes of the contributors, and factoring in Paul Murphy's assessment of the rarities on hand at Mitchell and Son, Dublin's premier wine merchant, in the end I selected two items for our gift. The first was a bottle of Prunier "Empire" Tres Veille Grand Champagne Cognac in a hand-blown crystal presentation decanter, exclusive to Mitchell's; the second an extremely rare 1951 Knappogue Castle Irish whiskey, in cask for 36 years and bottled in 1987. Of the latter, no more than 200 bottles were produced and fewer than a dozen remain for sale. The whiskey was packed simply, wrapped in tissue in a wooden box with a set of tasting notes and a history of the...'vintage' doesn't do it; what's the word I'm looking for, 'malt'? The cognac was rather more ornately presented in a royal blue velvet lined box-within-a-box with a gold exterior overwrap. The hand-lettered card said:
"To Patrick O'Brian with sincere good wishes and thanks, from those of his grateful readers who congregate on-line, in the electronic Gunroom provided by W.W. Norton. Slainte."
In appreciation for her efforts, and with a punt or two left in the kitty, I had Mitchell's send along a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for Daphne and her office mates, with a card reading:
"Daphne - Many thanks to you and the others in the Provost's office; for your hospitality to Mr. O'Brian, and for your assistance in delivering our gift."
Shipmates, it has been my honor and privilege to serve you all in this matter. Many thanks for your contributions of hard-earned cash, and your assistance and encouragement throughout.
SteveZ
P.S. I have had two emails from Daphne today, the first announcing the delivery of our gift to PO'B, and -- very generously, since our gift card was anonymous -- his dictated note of thanks in return. They are reproduced below.
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Steve,
The gift for Dr O'Brian was delivered by hand (mine) today at 2.30 p.m. He has telephoned in the last few minutes to say he is delighted and is going to let me have a note which I will type on this machine and email to you (before tea) so that should be shortly.
But now to MY thank you note - how very kind of you and your friends, I am most grateful to you all. And what a coincidence - I mentioned to you that I was on holiday last week - and I happened to be staying with two friends both of whom are recipients of the Veuve Clicquot award* in Ireland - we went for a picnic in the hills in the south of Portugal and hopefully I will have a photograph of the two of them drinking our health in Veuve Clicquot sitting on a picnic rug on top of a hill overlooking a delightful Portugese town, the name of which I cannot spell. So you can see it has very special significance for me - you could not have sent me a nicer gift. It will be shared with Dr O'Brian before he returns home to France. A VERY BIG THANK YOU to all concerned.
(*Are you familiar with the award?)
(I am not sure if gun room is one or two words - please forgive if I have not written it correctly).
Daphne
Daphne Gill,
Provost's Office,
Trinity College,
Dublin
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As dictated by Dr O'Brian on Friday 26 February 1999:
Patrick O'Brian presents his best compliments to Mr Zimmermann and the members of the electronic gunroom and thanks them with the utmost sincerity for their very handsome present of 1951 Knappogue whiskey and Prunier Grande Champagne brandy, the first of which he will drink before dinner blessing the gunroom, and the second after dinner, blessing the gunroom again. The sincerity of his thanks is enhanced, if possible, by the fact that he has no Irish whiskey in his rooms at present, nor any brandy; and after tea he was going to creep through the rain to the best wine merchant in Dublin, Mitchell's, to renew his store -- the very same shop that sent him both at Trinity College. What could have been more timely?