A Wee Dram Guide - Scottish Whisky

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough.”

Dear Diary,

Got a new word for you today: Aqua Vitae. 

Sounds quite impressive, right?

Like something you need in your life to be satisfied and to stay healthy. Maybe you know already what I’m talking about here, depending on your Latin knowledge…

If not try this Gaelic one: Uisge Beatha. A wee dram (or even two) might help you to pronounce it properly.

Best to say it quickly. Got it? Aye, this is all about our nation’s water of life: Whisky *.

* Remember - dare you to call it whiskey. Just don’t. That’s what the Irish do.

All You Need is Whisky

Believe me, whisky can cure (almost) anything.

When it’s dreich outside and your throat is sore. Whisky. When your tummy isn’t happy. Whisky. When you’re in a bad mood. Whisky. Stressed? Whisky. To kill any filthy germs - whisky.

You get where I’m going here. All you really need is … Whisky. 

Whisky is a bit like liquid sunshine. And we certainly won’t say no to that here in Scotland.

3 Simple Ingredients

Barley, water and yeast.

This is all it takes for your perfect wee dram.

How complicated can it be to produce whisky you might think? Well, if it would be that easy, we would probably all have our own distillery in the backyard.

Whisky Production [Short Version]

To start off, the barley is mixed with water and left to dry. This is also where it might come in contact with some peat, which gives it the familiar strong smoky taste.

Lastly, the third ingredient will join, the yeast. This will kickstart the fermenting before the spirit distilling process can begin.

Now you need to be a bit patient. Sorry.

The law requires the whisky to mature for at least three years in oak barrels in Scotland. It’s only after this time period that the whisky can be called Scotch. And as with everything in life, the older the better it gets. 

But hang on, before you indulge in your wee dram now. There is a proper procedure to be followed for the tasting.

Whisky Tasting

All you need is a tulip-shaped glass and a jug of still-spring water. If you’re brave, forget about the water at all.

Should you ever put an ice cube in your single malt? (What about adding water to white wine? …) Well, each their own I’d say. I’d always go for water as I think adding ice will dilute the flavour.

Right. Hang on, did I say sláinte yet?

First things first. Take a look at the colour. Anything is possible here, from light golden to amber or dark ochre. It’s heavily influenced by the wood and the time it has matured in the barrel. 

Second, swirl it around to coat the inside of your glass. Now take a close look at the legs streaking down the glass. Lots of quick running legs - young whisky. Few, slow legs - old and bodied whisky. Like in real life… Jokes aside. Bear with me. 

On to the third step. Stick your nose in your glass and take a deep breath. And? A bouquet of flowers? A day at the sea? Or a bonfire with friends? No right or wrong here. 

Ok, no need to hold you back any further now.

Off you go, take a sip of your dram. Sláinte!

My Personal Favourites

Over the years I started to appreciate whisky more and more.

My dad always loved it. I remember when we went to visit a distillery in Oban about 15 years ago. Hated it. Why would anyone drink whisky? And the smell is disgusting. Well, taste changes over time….

I personally like it smoky. With a proper aftertaste, which reminds me of the typical dried and smoked Black Forest bacon. So, Ardbeg and Laphroaig are great!

But I also won’t say no to a Highland Park, a more smooth single malt.

What’s your favourite?