Roddy smiled, eyes wide. ‘That was quite something, eh? Felt the blood pumping, didn’t you? I know I fucking did.’
He rubbed his shoulder and grimaced, then pulled a bottle of pills out of his pocket. He shook out four and put them in his mouth. He got his hipflask out and took a glug to wash them down.
‘Codeine,’ he said. ‘Got ’em by chatting up one of those nice nurses. Bollocks weak compared to the morphine, but they take the edge off. Fancy some?’
Adam looked at the bottle. Take the edge off. That sounded like something he could use.
‘Why not.’
He popped four in his mouth and Roddy held out the hipflask.
‘I got the barman downstairs to fill up with something special from under the bar,’ he said. ‘See if you can nail it.’
Adam shook his head but took the flask, swigging quickly to wash the pills down. He took a long sniff then another big sip, letting the malt roll around and over his tongue, his tasting skills kicking in instinctively. He lost himself in the process, letting the aromas curl over his tongue, the taste sensations coming at him thick and fast, a blast of salty sea breeze to match the wind buffeting them, huge flavours developing, sticky sweetness of toffee, a kick of mustard, oak smoke and worn leather. It was a thing of beauty, one of the finest malts he’d ever tasted, definitely one of the big guns.
‘Ardbeg,’ he said.
‘Which one?’
‘It’s old. Maybe twenty-five years. From a vintage year like ’74 or ’77.’
Roddy smiled. ‘Come on, then.’
‘The ’74 Provenance?’
Roddy shook his head. ‘You are a fucking enigma, Strachan. I seriously don’t know how you do it.’
Adam shrugged and took a big hit from the flask, this time drinking it straight down. He hoped it would warm his chest. He waited for the effect to kick in, but he still felt cold.
Roddy took the flask off him and put a hand on his shoulder.
‘Come on, let’s get in out of this fucking wind, I’m freezing my bollocks off out here.’
Roddy turned and went inside, holding the door open. Adam stared one last time out to sea then followed Roddy into the lounge.
