Last night, the MaltCon crew (whisk(e)y sub-events at northeast US SciFi events, as featured in WCVT when we were across a small river from a Regrettably Dry Town and somehow didn't conflict with NB festival) honored our late friend, 💔 Joe Howell of Federal W&S (Boston) as part of our (alas regular) Toast to Absent Friends and F**k C****r rant. We toasted Joe with two bottles he helped create. The Bruichladdich 20yo 3rdEd (Malmsey Madeira finish) was re-casked into the ACE Madeira cask by Joe himself, who was doing the old Vacation Intern week with Jim McEwan. The private-cask 'laddie, a Steward's Golden Harvest varietal titled "Golden Nectar" 12y was facilitated by Joe for a regular customer, who donated back several cases of the cask to Joe's Chemo & Hospice GoFundMe as premiums for larger donations. Those not visiting Boston may remember Joe as the Liquor Store Clerk in Paul Giamatti's "The Holdvers" (2024) 🎥; stealing a scene written for Giamatti! Len R., the store owner of FW&S, when asked if they could shoot the scene in his un-reconstructed off-license opposite the Boston Massacre historic site, gave one condition: let his counter & Scotch manager Joe play himself. (Our resident film critic commented that the Press Preview was held in the Somerville Theatre, which is the cinema attended by the characters in the movie!)

Posted by bill.n1vux at 2026-02-15 21:21:06 UTC