She slipped on a pair of ck gloves before carefully lifting the ice block. Standing tall behind the counter, she faced Victor, with Luke, Dave, and Rafael now gathered around the bar, watching her every move. Hera deftly shaved the ice into a diamond shape using an ice shaver, disying a surprising skill. Once finished, she ced the ice into an elegant ss and gave it a gentle spin before elegantly pouring the Isabe’s Iy whiskey into the ss.
The aroma wafted up to Hera’s nostrils, intriguing her senses. Unlike the overpowering scent of typical whiskey, this one was lighter, yet fragrant. Even from the smell alone, she could discern its potential for a smoother, lighter vor profile—a mellowness close to delicate. However, she knew its alcohol content remained as robust as any other whiskey, if not stronger.
As Victor swirled the ss and took in the fragrance, a small smile graced his lips, followed by a sip that elicited merryughter. "This is truly exceptional! Absolutely worth the price!"
Hera returned the smile, pleased to see Victor enjoying the drink. "I’m delighted that my first customer appreciated my choice." With practiced poise, she began to tidy her station, maintaining her role as the bartender.
Luke joined in their y, addressing Hera with a yful tone. "Miss Manager, could I trouble you for a ster rmendation of a red wine?" His gaze swept over the impressive wine collection, each bottle seemingly worth a small fortune. Luke, a wine enthusiast himself, couldn’t help but marvel at the array before him. Despite his own wine collection and custom-built cer, it paled inparison to Hera’s selection. His curiosity piqued, he attempted to gauge Hera’s reaction but found her expression inscrutable.
Hera gracefully stepped away from the bar, her gaze scanning the exquisite wine racks adorning the room’s side. Her keen eye sought out the bottle that exuded the aura of age and refinement, a testament to the adage that older wines often held superior vor. With a gentle touch, she selected the Screaming Eagle Cabe 1992, cradling it with utmost care. Because now that she knew that one whiskey in her bar was about $6.2 million, it only meant that everything in this room was expensive and she was not going to be foolish enough to be as clumsy as letting one break in front of her or she might even vomit blood from heartache.
Luke observed Hera’s cautious demeanor as she returned with the bottle of wine, her movements delicate and deliberate. It seemed as though she held a priceless artifact in her hands, her caution palpable in every step she took. When she finally ced the red wine before him, Luke’s throat tightened, a surge of understanding flooding over him as he realized the significance of her earlier actions.
For years, Luke had pursued a bottle of the same wine, but it remained an elusive prize. Despite offering substantial sums, he found himself thwarted by the limited supply and ferventpetition among collectors. The Screaming Eagle Cabe 1992manded a base price of half a million, but in the hands of collectors like Luke, its value soared into the millions. He vividly recalled a recent auction where a single bottle from the same year fetched a staggering $12 million. As he observed Hera deftly uncorking the bottle, a tantalizing thought crossed his mind. ’Was this the bottle that was sold that time?’
Luke shook his head, dismissing the thought as mere spection, and refocused his attention on Hera. With practiced elegance, she retrieved a wine ss from the cab and poured a generous measure before presenting it to him. Luke acknowledged her with a smile and a word of thanks, then proceeded to assess the wine. Swirling the ss, he inhaled deeply, allowing theplex bouquet to envelop his senses. The wine’s intricateyers of fermentation imparted a rich yet subtle aroma that lingered tantalizingly in the air. Savoring the moment, Luke took a sip, relishing the velvety texture and nuanced vors like a seasoned sommelier. As he savored the lingering taste on his pte, a contented smile graced his lips, and as he sighed he could still taste the wine through his breath. He met Hera’s gaze with a meaningful expression, brimming with satisfaction and appreciation.