Water of Life

Famous Grouse

Scottish whiskey, Scotch for short, or, in Latin, "Water of Life." Call it what you will, it seems to be an integral part of Scottish history, economy, and culture. All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years and made in a manner specified by law; no shortcuts here. The minimum bottling strength according to the regulation is 40% alcohol by volume. And, it is popular; there are 133 Scotch whisky distilleries operating in Scotland. That is all the more remarkable when you consider that Scotland is considerably smaller in area than the state of Virginia.

Although Mike has a taste for bourbon whiskey, he has never tried Scotch whiskey. That explains one of his objectives for this trip, learning to drink Scotch. Everyone need a purpose in life. So, when grocery shopping recently he opted to buy a bottle of the most popular brand of Scotch, Famous Grouse. His first taste, neat in a glass, did not go well. Bitter. Strong. Burns. However, Mike does not give up easily. So, he tried again. This time with a bit of honey. Not sure what the real Scotch drinkers would say about that, but he liked the taste. Now he can have the occasional dram; a term coined in Scotland that refers to a single serving of Scotch. Curiously, a dram has no specific size; depends on who is pouring. Gotta love Scotland.