Look Who’s Calling the Ketel One?

“Do you make a good martini?” Margaret asked.

Looking forward to wowing our new guest with a Hemingway’s standard “up” martini served chilled in an antique glass inkwell, which is then tucked in crushed ice, and ultimately served in a beautiful hand blown cocktail stemware, I delivered with élan, two perfect specimens along with almond stuffed olives.

“Is the martini to your liking?” I inquired minutes later.

With a decided frown and puzzled look, Margaret’s response was less than pleasing. “It’s very weak.”

“Weak? Really? Too little Vermouth? Too much stirring? (I learned to stir 26 times for the perfect martini.)

Margaret shrugged. “It’s not the Ketel One I know.” Let me have a Chardonnay instead.

Dismayed, I bring the bottle of Ketel One along with a glass of Chardonnay to prove to Margaret that this is what I used.

“Yes, it ‘s the same Ketel One we buy, but have you tasted it?” she queried.

I snuck back to the bar for a sip. Yikes! It must have been young Gene, a barkeep in training, who practiced his pours the night before, filling an empty bottle of Ketel One with water.

So, is he just another do-gooder gone wrong, or are we, management, at fault? What say you dear customer?