Scotland and Whisky

If there is one thing Scotland is not famous for, it is their exquisite cuisine. Unless my view of the world is all twisted, people tend to think about Fish&Chips, Haggis, Takeaway Curries and the occasional deep fried Mars Bar (which is utterly nasty and truly delicious. In my home town of Malmö, you can find a great version at  DrumBar)

Scots also tend to like crisps and the toxic looking soda/energy drink Irn Bru, which is said to cure any disease, especially hangovers.

To be fair, you can actually find fantastic food in Scotland: Fresh fish and seafood, Black Angus beef, Venison, and if you look in the right places there are lots of places where you can find it cooked to perfection.

But chips and Mars-bars aside, one thing the Scots are not sloppy with is whisky. The fact that no additives are allowed (a Malt Whisky can only contain Water, Malted Barley and Yeast) and that the liquid needs to be matured for at least three years in oak casks, speak the fact that the Scots do not take their Whisky lightly.

And the nature... Something about Scotland, whether it is the narrows and closes of Edinburgh, the tearlike streams running down the mountains in Glencoe, or a windy beach on Islay, something about the surroundings just makes it feel perfectly clear and natural that this land has to produce divine drink. Or maybe I´ve just been heavily indoctrinated.

Whatever is true, I think that regardless of how much I enjoy a dram of whisky on my city balcony, a whisky never tastes as good as it does in it´s birthplace, as a whisky is not only a produce of man, but also of it´s birthplace. The earth, the wind, the water, the people. Everything nearby helps making the whisky.

A smooth dram of Macallan will make more sense somewhere around the smooth, grassy banks of the River Spey, and a peaty, smoky Ardbeg will taste best somewhere on an Islay beachside, preferably with the wind wipping salty sprays of water in your face.

Or maybe I am just a hopeless romantic.

Jura Harbour