The Man With the Best Job in the World. Meet Michel. He works in Shtaura... (Domaine Des Tourelles)
The Man With the Best Job in the World. Meet Michel. He works in Shtaura and - so his co-workers tell me - he’s drunk every day of the week. And possibly the weekend too, but for that, they cannot vouch. Apparently, most days, Micho is reeling before noon. I’m curious to meet him and am secretly hoping to come face-to-face with a bonafide libertine, a somewhat too bon viveur. Instead, I discover that Michel is entirely avuncular, both courteous and kindly of demeanour. Hard as I look, the only outward sign he gives of his purported state of permanent inebriation are two heavily-lidded and slightly bloodshot eyes and a smile that lingers at the corners of his mouth, even when he’s being serious - which (so I am told again), isn’t often. You see Michel is a card, a crack-up, a wag, a jester, in short, a gentleman of excellent humour. Ascribe this (and his terminal tipsiness) to occupational hazard. For you see, Michel is the man in charge of the stills at the Domaine des Tourelles, where he’s responsible for ensuring that region’s oldest commercial producer of arak remains as toothsome as it has for the last 149 years. Immersed in alcoholic fumes from morning until evening and forced (forced, I say!) to sample output in the name of quality control, it’s little wonder that his nickname is ‘el Sekran’ (or ‘the tipsy’) or that over the years, Michel has mastered the art of slowly pouring water into the first run so that (as in this photo), the arak separates into its constituent parts; water on top, aniseed beneath and at the bottom, a layer of pure alcohol. At this stage, that’s close to 80% proof. With a swirl, he recombines the layers, producing a crystal-clear arak so potent, I’m soon more than a little sekran myself. Kesak, Michel!
by wsinghbartlett / Instagram