Our Strategic Director, Alan Hong was invited on behalf of Dappertude to attend the launch of Kingsman: The Golden Circle on Blu-ray, courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
Naturally, we attended for the Kingsman code is the suit is a modern gentlemen’s armour and we’re the new knights; an ethos very much embodied at Dappertude.
Amongst the knights attending were some of Australia’s leading men’s dapper influencers @samwines @cardinalman @thisismalice and others. All here as Agent Galahad would put it, true nobility is being superior to your former self and so it was where each of us, old and new friends drank and made merry in the pursuit of being better gents.
But like any good story, let’s hear the story from Alan himself.
I waited downstairs in the lobby of my hotel, at 6 pm on a Tuesday night where the light was still out with a cool breeze when my driver pulled up in a Black London Taxi Cab to whisk me to Hunter & Barrel, a delightful venue inspired by the hunter in hearth and home. A warm, ambient gem that brightened up the local atmosphere.
About 20 sartorial gents were already there, mingling amongst our gracious host, Lauren Braid from 21st Century and Mona of Hunter & Barrel and gents who kindly supplied tonight’s entertainment in the form of scotch and whisky from the distilleries of Forgue by Huntly, Aberdeenshire in Scotland.
If honey was an alcohol, then Glendronach was Manuka as the glendronach gents gave us the option of a Statesmen or Kingsman blend which I said yes to both and we all in agreement nodded that this liquid was as definitive to gentlemen class as was pocket squares and lapel pins.
As being a gentleman is a choice, so was our menu tonight as we could choose from classy Kingsman-inspired cuisine to suave stateman.
On arrival was an old fashion Kingsman scotch and Black Raspberry and Vanilla Whiskey Stateman Smash. Don’t ask me to pick favourites because it wouldn’t be fair, rather be quite intimate with both.
Bottoms up is a term relegated to the boys as those in attendance took the time to enjoy our drinks as a smooth warm velvety to complement and elevate our dishes for the night; a feast fit for a Kingsman.
For the Kingsman, the appetizer was a trout cured in Old Forester with cauliflower custard roe, the starter was a leek mousse, truffle, new season asparagus, quail and the main was a mouth-watering Beef Wellington, pomme puree, jus, sorrel finished with a Kingsman Trifle for dessert.
For the Stateman, the appetizer was a Colone’s chicken, Old forest smoked maple and crisp bacon, the starter was shrimp and grits, with the main coming straight from venomous villain Poppy’s diner, hand ground cheeseburger (hopefully it was just good old American beef instead of treacherous south American henchman) with a Peach Cobbler in rusty(-looking) frying pan to top it off.
Between meals, we sampled more liquids as our palettes were sated with exquisite flavours expedited by their visual appeal.
The meals were set before us on a long table fit for 20 people with chandeliers inspired from a time of kings and legends, and thrones of mahogany as we tucked into a meal of the finest ingredients.
The night kicked on, elevating and escalating in hearth and home as gents took time for introductions and re-acquaintances between behind-the-scene shots of the making of Kingsman, for a man isn’t his suit but rather the suit is a manifestation of the man.
As the night began to wane and the event came to a close, we had famed Aussie comedian, Simon, indulge us with his vibrant and unique sense of humour that left most of us with cracked ribs and ripped abs. Hearty laughs with whiskeys in hand amongst Australia’s best dressed made for a magical chivalrous night.
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True Nobility is being superior to your former self.
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Kingsman: The Golden Circle from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is new to buy or rent Blu-ray, DVD & Digital
