SCOTLAND: "GIE HER A HAGGIS!"
Past weekend = a long, boozy one in SCOTLAND. Fly fished, danced in a kilt, drank priceless Scotch, had a look at Loch Ness, hiked a very little and slept less. Flew to Newark—where I spent my layover at a Scottish sounding place called McDonald's—and then on to Florida for my grandmother's 96th (!) birthday. Above: Glenlivet master distiller Jim Cryle tends to a reproduction of the kind of small old stills bootleggers would use to make moonshine whisky in the hills around here a long while ago. The stuff bubbling straight out of the thing was surprisingly mellow and good.
posted by Sachs at 10:57 AM
6 Comments:
Mmmm... scotch.
I walked the West Highland Way from Glasgow to Ben Nevis about 9 years ago. (Man I'm getting old.) The Glengoyne Distillery (the Southernmost Highland Distillery, a proud superlative) was on the way. It was not a bad place to take a rest break on a long walk, although it left us somewhat groggy for the rest of the afternoon's hike.
The walking was very civilized, as we slept in beds every night (except for one night under a tarp in a rain storm) and drank good beer and whiskey every evening.
Dinners in rural Scotland were generally mediocre, but breakfasts were good: Greasy "full scottish breakfasts" are a little frightening, but tasty. The Scots make a mean bowl of oatmeal. At one bed and breakfast, when the proprietor found out that we were American, he made us pancakes with sweet corn in them.
Good times.
One more whiskey-related comment: Have you been down to Bardstown to check out the Maker's Mark distillery?
They let you stick your fingers into the open tubs of fermenting mash to taste it?
Sweet!
(Literally.)
Michael,
That walk sounds lovely. I need to talk to you about some good walks. And, given our proud Kentucky heritage (sort of), I'm ashamed to say I've never been to Makers or any other bourbon distillery. Got to change that. AND I owe you a "real" email. Great to hear from you again…A
Let me know if you ever want to take someone along with you. I'll even get your Grandmother a card.
Ah, this post brought back fond memories of both my trip to Scotland a few years ago and a trip to Clermont to visit the Beam Distillery. They sold us an empty half barrel (previously used) that filled the car with that sweet KY bourbon aroma so that we felt drunk off the fumes most of the drive home! Good times.
Something about that second picture practically *screams* contentment to me today.
Nice shot.
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