When we’re traveling, I post my little travelogues on the go and off the cuff. Instagram only allows 2,200 characters per post, so I have to be stingy with words. Maybe that’s a good thing. 😉 One of the reasons I started this blog is so I can take a pause after our trips, and look at something(s) more in depth. Enter, the drinks report.

One of my favorite things to do when we travel is to explore the local drinks (alcoholic and not) situation. I could spend hours in the local grocery/wine/liquor store just studying the shelves. Ken is not as enthusiastic about this activity, so I usually send him off to climb a mountain or something.

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Without further delay, here is my Scotland drinks culture report:

Scotch

I cannot stand Scotch. That peaty smoky profile so many people love is kryptonite to me. Back when I was taking my WSET spirit exams, I used to hope for Scotch on the blind tasting exams. Because all I had to do was stick my nose in the glass it to know exactly what it was. Yuuucck. I didn’t even taste it – just made up a tasting note.

Every time I tell someone who loves Scotch that I don’t share their questionable taste in spirits, the response is inevitably, “you just haven’t found the right one”. So, while we were in Scotland, I went on mission impossible: find one Scotch that I can tolerate.

On a visit to John Dickson & Sons (a Scottish gunmaker) in Dunkeld, we were offered a wee dram of Edradour Whisky. Maybe it was the fact that I had used up all of my “looking at bespoke sporting guns” patience, and I was looking for a distraction, but you know what? It was pretty damn good. Not smoky or peaty. Mission accomplished.

We also had a Scotch tasting back at our house. I smelled a few smoky peaty ones that I couldn’t even bring myself to taste. Shock of all shocks, though, I did find another Scotch that I actually like – Lindores Single Malt.

When we travel, I try to buy only spirits/wine that I know I can’t get at home. I took a gamble on the two Scotches, and bought two bottles of Edradour. And none of the Lindores. Guess which one I can’t get in the US? Annoying.

Note: Even though I managed to find not one, but two Scotches I liked, I remain a bourbon girl, through and through.

Gin

To be fair, I used to hate gin. (Don’t get your hopes up, Scotch.) It tasted like I imagine one of those pine tree shaped car air fresheners would taste. Terrible. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve acquired a taste for it. Most of it. Save for the category of gins that are infused with coriander (cilantro). Those gins are undrinkable.

While in Edinburgh, we did a lovely gin tasting at Edinburgh Gin. We tasted the Christmas gin, the Cannonball Navy strength gin, and raspberry gin. The Christmas gin is infused with frankincense and myrrh, which I got to see and smell in their natural state – a first for me. Myrrh smells like warm lumber and anise. Frankincense smells like a really old church. The Christmas gin is delicious when paired with ginger ale. Raspberry gin (which is not sweet at all) is perfect in a gin and tonic with lime. And Cannonball Navy strength makes a powerful martini.

Note: garnishing a gin and tonic with apple slices is brilliant.

Irn Bru

My Scottish daughter (the young gal who did my facial and reminded me so much of my own daughter), told me I needed to try a popular Scottish soda called Irn Bru. It’s apparently Scotland’s second national beverage, after whisky. Tried it, and, well, I should know better than to take beverage recommendations from 20 year olds. Wow, is this terrible. Remember Fruit Stripe gum? Irn-Bru tastes like someone liquified, and then carbonated Fruit Stripe gum.

Cider

I drank quite a bit of cider in Scotland. It’s the perfect lunch beverage. In restaurants, we saw a ton of Strongbow (England) and Magners (Ireland) ciders. We discovered a cider called Cairn O’Mohr, which is made in Perthshire, Scotland. Twas delicious.

Tea

I nearly caused an international incident one morning when I asked for a cup of hot tea and a cup of ice. Reaction: “Yer gon pour yer tea over tha ice, are ye?” Yes. Yes I am.

Beer & Wine

Honestly, we didn’t drink much of either on this trip. Too busy with delicious gin and cider.

Here’s our drinks (and glassware!) haul from this trip:

And that’s a wrap on my drinks report from Scotland.

Cheers, or Slàinte Mhath! (This is Scottish Gaelic, and is pronounced something like, “slawn-cha va”. As far as I know.)