What To Do In Scotland
Scotland which is a part of the United Kingdom occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Small in its size compared with other countries in Europe, Scotland is home to some natural and historical wonders. Always have a to- do list when visiting Scotland since it will help you not to miss the most important activities that you should try out.
You should always consider taking a ferry ride to the Orkney Islands which is an archipelago of about 70 islands and the largest being the mainland. The stone village of Skara Brae in Orkney has a history of more than 6000 years. If you can head towards the Highlands you can climb Scotlands highest peak which is Ben Nevis as well as explore the mysterious waters of the Loch Ness and the Loch Lomond. You can also visit the Isle of Skye which has a breathtaking landscape or take the Hogwarts Express which was made famous by the popular Harry Potter series. The stunning views that you will witness will be a memorable experience.
Aberdeen which is known as the Granite City or the Silver City with the Colden Sands is another must visit. The city has long sandy coastlines and buildings that have been built using locally quarried gray granite whose mica deposits in turn sparkle like silver. You can gaze across the North Sea while in Aberdeen and enjoy food and drink in its much welcomed pubs and restaurants.
When you think of Scotland one more thing comes into your mind. You guessed it right. You should have a sip of the Scotch whisky if you are in Scotland to taste the true essence of life. Known as the home of golf, with over five hundred and fifty golf courses, you can enjoy memorable golfing breaks in Scotland. The oldest golfing course in the world which is the Old Links at Musselburgh is also found here.
There are plenty of castles that you can explore in this mysterious and rich cultural land. You can check into castle hotels in Scotland if you are a history buff and for a more literary exploration you can take a tour of Robert Burns birthplace as well as be inspired by Sir Walter Scott fine teachings. Outdoor activities that you can enjoy include walking, adventure sports, Scottish fishing, cycling and mountain biking, sailing, wildlife expeditions as well as kayaking.
Published in categories: Whisky
What Defines Great Whisky?
There is nothing like a good whisky to revive your spirits and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is scientifically proven that whisky can protect you against cancer. Single malt whisky is said to have more ellagic acid, which is a natural antioxidant, which can prevent the formation of cancerous cells. Over indulgence of alcohol, especially with smoking is not healthy, but a glass of good quality whisky can be beneficial in many ways. Whisky is distilled and produced all over the world. Irish, American, Danish, English, Finnish, German, Indian, Japanese, Swedish, Welsh and many others have their own version of the whisky. Irish and Scottish whiskies are known to be of original quality. But when it comes to a supreme glass of best quality whisky, the scotch takes its place proudly.
Although the art of distilling was in practice in the ancient Celtic lands, the first distillation of Scotch whisky started with the monastic Irish monks who passed through Scotland. Since then scotch has evolved into one of the best drinks in the world. The reputation of the Scottish whisky is of the highest quality and standard and it is protected by law. The Scotch whisky regulation of 2009 explicitly defines what scotch is. All Scotch whisky must be made on the Scottish land and matured for three years on Scottish soil. Scotch is distilled in the highlands, the lowlands, Islay and Campbeltown of Scotland. Most of the malt whisky distilleries are in the Scottish lowlands. Malt whisky contains only malted barley, where as grain whisky consists of unmalted barley or malted or unmalted maize and wheat. Originally whisky was made using pot stills. Continuous distillation came about in later years. According to the 2009 Scotch whisky regulations, single malt Scotch whisky must be made using only pot sills.
Scottish whisky is produced retaining the taste, aroma and the colour of the natural ingredients used. It has no other substances added except water and caramel colouring and the fermentation is done only by adding yeast. Scotch whisky is a distinctive product in the whisky industry and it is what you can undoubtedly call a good whisky. Having a bottle of scotch in your possession for special occasions or for a drink once in a way is delightful. Make sure to buy original products that are produced, labelled and bottled in Scotland to taste the best of Scotch whisky.
Published in categories: Whisky
What Makes Cognac Popular
If you are a liquor lover, you must have heard about Cognac brandy. This is a liquid spirit refined exclusively from a wine that is produced in the Cognac region of France. It is one of the most popular brandies that are produced in the wine-growing area of coastal South Western France. Normal brandy can be produced anywhere across the globe but when it comes to this particular liquor France is the only place.
In order to produce this brandy, the production methods require a special legal permission. It should be made from some particular grapes of that coastal region of Cognac. Among the most popular ones, Ugnic Blance is the most widely used grapes required to prepare the spirit. Also known as Saint-Emilion in local terms, this grape must be at least distilled twice in copper vessel stills and aged minimum two years in French oak barrels. Usually such liquors are aged significantly longer than the minimum legal prerequisite. When ripened in barrel, like other spirits like wine and whisky, this brandy also matures in the same way.
The regions that are authorized to produce Cognac brandy is segregated into six zones. The five largely covering a huge part of Charente department, the department of Charente-Maritime, and a few areas in the Dordonge and Deux-Sevres. The sixth includes Petite Champagne, Fins Bois, Grande Champagne, Bois Ordinaire, Borderies and Bon Bois. Make sure you do not confuse with the wine region of Champagne that is quite popular in the north-eastern part of France.
We all know that wine is quite acidic and dry. However, it is considered to be excellent for aging and distillation. Distillation, fermentation, aging and blending is very important when it comes to making of perfect alcohol. If you are looking for the worlds best brandy, then you have to drink Cognac at least once. There are different types of such brandy bottles available in market. Each of them comes with diverse combination of letters like C, O, S, V, F, E, P and X. These letters speaks about the distillation and bottling process. Each of the characters holds different meanings like V- very, E- especial, O- old, F fine, S- superior, X- extra and P- pale.
Among the wide varieties of brandy made in that particular wine region of France, Remy Martin needs a special mention. This has been one of the most in demand liquor brand names since ages. Centuries of studies and finest productions have resulted in making unparalleled taste and flavor of the brandy.
Published in categories: Whisky
The Unique Scotch Whisky
Whisky means water of life in Gaelic and Scots claim the earliest recorded history of distilling, although the distillation of the first is still unknown. Distillation already existed among the ancient Celts and the Scots could have learnt the art of distillation of whisky from Christian missionary monks from Ireland. The term Scotch is secured by Scotland and only whisky produced in Scotland can be called Scotch whisky. Whisky is distilled in many countries but nothing is unique and captivating like scotch.
The Scots, through the centuries, have perfected the art of distilling whisky. Nature has provided Scotland with the natural ingredients to produce the best whiskies. Barley and fresh peat are available in abundance and the peaty water flow down from Scottish hills and mountains. Good quality barley means good quality whisky and the selection of type of barley is of utmost importance. Traditional distillers like to use Scottish barley for their whiskies but where they come from does not matter to most producers as long as it is the right quality. The sugar content in the barley must be higher for a better taste. Barley from England and South Africa are mostly used to produce Scotch whisky. The purity of water is essential in the production of good quality whisky and Scotland has some of the purest forms of water. The water from the highlands is peaty and gives a unique taste to the Scotch whisky.
It takes three years to complete the process of production of whisky. It has to stay inside an oak cask for three full years to be called whisky. To be called scotch, the spirits have to remain in an oak cask for three years on Scottish ground. Single malt whiskies take 8 to 10 years of aging. Older whiskies are more expensive and considered better in taste. Whisky does not mature in bottles like wine does; it only matures in the casks. Most whiskies are chill-filtered before bottling to remove the residue produced during distillation. It prevents the whisky getting hazy and cloudy. Single malt and single grain scotch whiskies are the main types and blends, which are made from these two basic types. When it comes to whisky there is nothing like scotch, which is unique and has remained original throughout the centuries.
Published in categories: Whisky
Whiskey World Tour
Scotch whiskey is one of the most popular drinks worldwide. Although brands like Johnny Walker and Jameson have dominated markets for long time, nowadays a lot of nations are starting to produce their own whiskey. It is interesting to see how a country can take whiskey and incorporate it into their food and drink history. How they can add their own flavors and produce some really wild tasting stuff.
Purists will tell you the real thing has to come from here or there but you should be adventurous and try some global whiskey brands. Although you may not like everything you try, you are bound to taste some really unique stuff.
Japan for example has been a longtime consumer of whiskey. Although American and Scottish brands are popular there, they also have their own brands of whiskey that are making waves in the world of whiskey. The Suntory Malt Distilleries of Japan produces a number of tasty whiskeys.
The Suntory Yamazaki 12 year old and 18 year old whiskey are the most well known, and are available in the United States. Whiskey from Japan is gaining clout in the world and in its home country. Anyone who thinks of themselves as a whiskey enthusiast should try at least one whiskey from Suntory.
India is another developing market that has a taste for scotch whiskey and is also brewing up some of its own additions. Although none of these are yet to take prominence on the world stage you can’t blame them for trying. A lot of Indian scotch whiskey would technically be classified as rum because they are made of molasses but they are called whiskeys in India nonetheless. These are harder to get in the United States.
Let’s not forget our neighbor to the north, Canada. They also have a long tradition of brewing up whiskey. Crown Royal and Seagram’s come from Canada and are both highly regarded. These whiskeys are more traditional in taste then some of the whiskeys from more exotic lands. If you are trying to taste whiskey from the world over, however, why not start with Canada?
So take your taste buds on a whiskey world tour. You will expand your palate and maybe learn a thing or two about another nation’s culture.
Published in categories: Whisky
A Brief History Of Whiskey
Whiskey has an interesting history. It dates back to either ancient China or ancient Babylonia (thought to be the birth places of distillation). At first distillation was used as a means of making medicine and perfume. It is not clear exactly when but sometime around 800 BC people realized they could use the distillation process on wheat and rice alcohol. The practice was spread through Europe by the Moors and by Christian missionaries. The whiskey of old was nothing like the smooth scotch whiskey we enjoy today. It was more like raw grain alcohol. The idea of aging whiskey did not come around until the mid-1700s.
Whiskey production in Ireland was almost defiantly brought to the country by missionaries. The term whiskey is actually derived from the Gaelic word Uisge.
Two historical events are charged with giving whiskey the popularity it enjoys today. One was King Henry the 8th’s dissolving of monasteries in the 1530′s and 1540′s. The monks had to make a living out of their monasteries so many used their expertise to make whiskey. The other was the merging of Scotland and England in 1707. This lead to higher tax on the barley used to make whiskey. This drove the trade of whiskey underground and lead to a lot of home brewing.
Another important development in the growth of whiskey came in 1831 with the invention of the twin-column still. This allowed for use of malted and un-malted barley as well as corn. More importantly, however, it allowed for much higher volumes of production. Although the products of this method of distillation where inferior in quality, people quickly realized that they could blend twin stilled whiskey with single malt whiskey to create a more palatable blended drink.
One final historical event that really established whiskey as a bellowed spirit worldwide was a brandy shortage in the 1880′s caused by the grape-destroying pest, phylloxera. The French where forced to drink whiskey in lieu of brandy but by the time the grape crop recovered whiskey had already cemented itself as a beloved beverage.
From then on it has been all success for whiskey. Whiskey was even legal during prohibition (by a doctor’s prescription). Today it is one of the most widely enjoyed hard alcohols on the market, and for good reason. You should stock up now before it gets too cold. Some nice warm whiskey on a cold day can really heat your up inside.
Published in categories: Whisky
Coctails With Whisky
For many people Scotch whisky is a drink drunk best on its own. For them single malt whisky should not be mixed with anything else but drunk neat for a pure experience. Even mixing water or adding ice is faux pax in their eyes, believing it dilutes the experience. However, these purists are missing out on some of the best pleasures in life which are the mouth watering cocktails that are made using malt whisky.
Cocktails are the ideal drink for those looking for a little adventure. They incorporate a blend of different flavours mixing and matching and pairing so that the end result is something totally new and completely tasty. Cocktails are all about finding your own blend that suits your palate and taste buds. For some cocktails make it easier to try a range of different alcohols that would normally be tough for a person to drink neat, unless a veteran drinker. That is the magic of a cocktail.
For example how about the ever so yummy cocktail, that has whisky, coffee, sambuca and chocolate, a recipe straight from heaven! For a more fruity mix, try something that has lemon juice and orange juice and of course whisky. For some fizz try a cocktail which has lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda. Of course the wonderful thing is each person is free to try out different combinations using whisky, to create a cocktail that is unique to that person. To create your own wonder cocktails stock up on “cocktail accessories” such as soda water, sweet and sour mixes, grenadine syrup, coconut milk, sugar syrup, margarita mixes, just to list a few. With these in hand it is up to the chemist in you to experiment! What could be more fun than gathering together a group of close friends and creating your own whisky cocktails and sampling them? By the end of the night though you may not remember the combinations!
No matter how you decide to enjoy your whisky, enjoy it you must. With its rich aroma and taste whisky is a drink that needs no explanation and should simply be experienced. Your whisky experience is your own, whether you decide to drink it neat, with ice or water or as part of a cocktail, it is completely your decision. Life is too short to worry about what others would do, so enjoy your whisky your own way.
Published in categories: Whisky
What The Heck Is Eggnog?!
It’s Christmas time and that raises the age old question, what the heck is eggnog?! Now this is arguably a simple question for our transatlantic readers, for the beverage is common fare during the winter holiday season in the US. However, for those on the European side of the pond, it’s a little trickier, we know it exists, and we know it’s a drink drunk at Christmas, but what actually is it? Well, here’s the answer…
Eggnog is essentially a sweetened dairy-based beverage made from milk, cream, sugar and beaten eggs. It is then garnished with ground cinnamon or nutmeg. As you’d expect it is thick and has a frothy texture making it rich and substantial. Obviously this is the non-alcoholic version, but commonly a bit, or a lot, of booze will be added making it, erm… more festive. The liquor of choice to be mixed varies, and can be brandy, rum, moonshine, bourbon, cognac or whisky. Eggnog is also often added to warm drinks, such as coffee or tea to add flavour and it will also double up as a great custard replacement.
A little bit of history? Well, despite it being less common on England’s green and pleasant shores it is believed to have originated here, possibly in East Anglia. As for how it got its name, it gets its froth from one of its constituent parts, and therefore its name too, egg. The ‘nog’ though, that’s less straight-forward. It may be related to the word ‘noggin’, a word used in Middle English to describe a wooden mug used for serving alcohol. Or, it may come from a truncating of the phrase ‘egg ‘n’ grog’, a term that referred to the rum laced variation of the milky tipple.
So now you know about eggnog, except how to make it, you didn’t think I was going to leave you hanging did you? Ingredients and instructions below:
- 6 large eggs
- 2 extra egg yolks
- 4 cups of whole milk
- 3/4 cup of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
- 1 cup of bourbon/rum/whisky/brandy
Got all that together? Excellent. Whisk together the eggs, the extra egg yolks, sugar and salt. Do this in a pan and keep going until it is well blended. Keep stirring while slowly adding the milk, don’t stop until all the milk is in and everything is merged together.
Now place the pan on some heat. Keep that heat as low as possible though. While it’s heating up keep whisking, after 25 mins or so the mixture should be at about 160F, and should stick to the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and pour through a sieve into a large bowl, this should remove any cooked egg, if not do so by hand. Add to the bowl the vanilla, nutmeg and alcohol of choice and stir. You’ll need to then cover this and put it in the fridge for about four hours.
When you’re ready to serve your eggnog, whip up the heavy cream, fold in the eggnog mixture and you’re ready to go. Pop it into some fancy glasses and serve. Beautiful! And to think you weren’t even sure what eggnog was when you began reading this. Good work.
Published in categories: Whisky
Brewing Whisky Cask Aged Beers
Walk into an old-fashioned pub with its own craft brewery and you are likely to be served with beers aged in oak casks. The beer styles like ales and lagers are the same as with any modern pub serving bottled beers but there ends the similarities. Take a good sip of the beer aged in white oak casks usually reserved for whisky and taste the difference – a delightful beer with hints of whisky.
Reasons for Ageing in Whisky Casks:
What exactly are the reasons for brewing beer in whisky barrels? There are two basic aims in the process:
To impart the unique character of the wood to the barrel. Take note that wood contributes at least 50% of the flavours and aromas of whisky, a process that also happened with beers. New oak wood imparts a blend of woodiness coupled with vanilla to the beverage.
To incorporate the subtle flavours and aromas of the beverage that was previously placed inside the oak barrel. In this case, a craft brewery uses oaken barrels with whisky aged in them before being used in brewing beer.
The results are astonishing! The uniqueness of the beer itself is enhanced by the complexity of the flavours and aromas coming from the oak barrel and the residual whisky. Of course, the type of wood used (new or old, white oak or European oak) as well as the type of barrel used will influence the marriage of flavours and aromas.
Brewers are also discovering new combinations between beer and whiskey styles. For example, the bourbon barrels are best for stouts, bocks and barley wines mainly because the malty character of these beer styles can stand up to the powerful flavours in the oak.
Steps in Using Whisky Oaks:
The next question will be: What are the steps that a craft brewery undertakes to impart the complexity of whisky and oak barrels into beer? To summarise:
Primary fermentation should be completed in the stainless steel tanks. Then, the brew is transferred to the oak barrels for ageing. The oak barrels can either be new or already used for ageing whisky although it must be emphasised that these wooden barrels are best used only once.
The oak barrels must then be moved to the conditioning cellars for the secondary fermentation. The maturation period should only be 8 weeks for best results.
The beer is then pumped back into the stainless steel tank. Additional ingredients like yeast are added.
The beer is poured into bottles and then corked, caged and labelled. These bottles should then be returned to the warm cellars for the process known as bottle conditioning, which will result in the final carbonation and alcohol levels.
The best craft brewery will produce whisky cask-aged beer with a delicate balance of flavours and aromas. We can mention vanilla, coconut, spicy black pepper, sweet ripe fruit, smoke and wood in the beer. It can then be enjoyed with many types of food although the best pairings are with smoked and grilled meats and fishes as well as with desserts like custard.
With the right tools, techniques and ingredients, any craft brewery that desire to produce the best whisky cask-aged beer can accomplish the purpose. Use your imagination by experimenting with oak cask for stouts, ales and lagers, among other beer styles.
Published in categories: Whisky
A Brief History Of The Cocktail
Nobody would seem to understand how the word cocktail came to be associated with a beverage that is a blend of ingredients (at least one of which being alcoholic!). The very first recorded reference in writing appears to be about 1862 when a bartenders manual was written. It included suggestions for all varieties of drinks for instance punches, toddies and flips but also ten recipes for drinks that were referred to as cocktails.
Cocktails were initially any beverages which involved spirits, water, sugar and bitters; but this has nowadays come to indicate all kinds of mixed drink and the addition of bitters appears to have dropped out of vogue. Throughout Prohibition in The United States, drinking still happened in unlawful dens or speakeasies but as spirits were harder to get hold of the shift occurred from whisky to gin as it was less complicated to produce illicitly.
Currently cocktails have become part of bar culture and a lot appear to have a good deal of choice on offer, regularly with a unique one created on the premises.
The conventional conical-shape stemmed cocktail glass has a specific function; the bulk of cocktails are consumed chilled, so holding the cocktail glass with the shaft means the heat from the hand shouldn’t adjust the temperature in the drink. The pleasant smell of the mix is subsequently positioned under the drinkers nose as a result of the wide diameter of the cocktail glass. Lately cocktail bars not only use this conventional form but also use high and fancy-shaped glasses to serve up their creations.
There exist several types of cocktail shakers too, all designed for a number of agitation and chilling actions. These generally are made up of two or three interlocking vessels that enable the alcohol to get mixed along with whole or crushed ice, an inbuilt seive retains the ice and any fruit or aromatics to make a perfectly cold and flavoursome cocktail when put in the glass.
Names of cocktails may also be as complicated as the listing of ingredients and are occasionally bawdy and suggestive. The International Bartenders Association recognises most of the well-liked cocktails from around the world as official and the components for them have hardly been altered since their initial creation. Here are several you might recognise:- Screwdriver and Harvey Wallbanger containing vodka; Singapore Sling made from both brandy and gin; Martini and Tom Collins which also include gin; Daiquiri and Pina Colada which contain rum and Margarita and Tequila Sunrise that as the title indicates involve tequila.
Status of the cocktail fell throughout the 60s and 70s yet started to make a slow comeback throughout the 80s. Tom Cruise headlined in the motion picture Cocktail in 1988 which involves scenes of the two barmen producing unusual mixes and chucking shakers and bottles around, a practice named flair bartending, undertaken to bring in the drinkers. More recently shooters are starting to be far more preferred, they are usually small beverages served in a shot glass and are designed to be drunk quick, preferably downed in one shot.
A Martini can be purely finished off with an olive yet there could be a number of alternative garnishes including sliced fruit, little umbrellas and sugar frosting around the top of the glass. A few are perhaps even served having a high-proof alcohol floating on the top thats then ignited to produce a brilliant flame effect.
What ever way you appreciate your cocktail remember to drink with moderation and also to intersperse your cocktails along with glasses of water and have a safe and sound journey back home.
Published in categories: Whisky
