Have ye ever seen anything more flippin’ adorable than drunk Jamie Fraser? (Aside from his arse, which will merit it’s own blog post…patience, my preciouses). Almost peed my pants watching this scene. And can we give some props to Sam? Movie night in the meadow has shown more bad renditions of actors overdoing drunk on film than I care to recount. But not our Sam…well-played, big guy. Well-played. Just a touch of word-slurring, the hopping on one foot trying to get the boot off (who hasna experienced that?), the unrealistic over-confidence that only the truly inebriated possess…genuinely funny performance. Must have been all that practice as the Tennent’s lager guy (along with the lovely and talented Tim “The Enchanter” Downie. WootWoot!)
Now, as most of ye ken, book Jamie says that yer drunk only if ye canna stand anymore. Sitting on the bed, doesna count. C’mon, Sam, ye lightweight! Buck up, man, no passing out!
“Jamie,” I said, “how, exactly, do you decide whether you’re drunk?”
Aroused by my voice, he swayed alarmingly to one side, but caught himself on the edge of the mantelpiece. His eyes drifted around the room, then fixed on my face. For an instant, they blazed clear and pellucid with intelligence.
“Och, easy, Sassenach, If ye can stand up, you’re not drunk.” He let go of the mantelpiece, took a step toward me, and crumpled slowly onto the hearth, eyes blank, and a wide, sweet smile on his dreaming face.”
― Diana Gabaldon, Dragonfly in Amber
So all of this drunkenness and debauchery got me to thinking about the sublime pleasure that is Whisk(e)y. the subject of this week’s blog.
So, How DO You Spell It?
Here’s what they had to say over at masterofmalt.com (hey, Àdhamh Ó Broin
@Gaeliconsultant, little help with the pronunciation, if ye dinna mind. Wee coos have a tough time with the Gàidhlig, ye ken. Especially after we’ve had a few drams. Does make the milk taste good, though!)
“The term ‘whisky’ derives from the Gaelic usquebaugh – itself from the Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha, or the Irish Gaelic spelling uisce beatha. Uisce comes from the Old Irish for ‘water’ and beatha from bethad, meaning ‘of life’. With this in mind, whisky is etymologically linked with a great number of spirits, all of which refer to the origins of the spirit – the quest for the elixir of life.” A worthy goal if ever I heard one.
Survey says: Whisky if you’re a Scot; Whiskey if you’re Irish. (Oh, who the fuck cares…pass the bottle). I’m going with the Scottish spelling ’cause I’m lazy and currently obsessed with all things Scot/Scots/Scottish/Scotch.
One Bourbon, One Scotch and one Beer Rye
What is the difference, you ask? Well, first, they are all whisky, which means simply that they are made of fermented grain mash. The differences lie in which grain is used.
Scotch Whisky
To qualify as a Scotch the spirit must be made from malted barley, with many Scotches using nothing more than barley, water and yeast. It is aged in oak casks for no less than three years, and must have an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) at less than 94.8%. Finally, and most importantly, you cannot call your drink Scotch unless it was made 100% in Scotland by hot and well-defined Scotsmen with amazing pecs and thighs that can crack walnuts. Sam Heughan and Thom Evans come to mind:
(ok, aye, I made that last part up)
For a little more on the regional differences of Scotch Whiskey, here’s Sam (taste-testing whisky at 10:30 am on a Monday – which I would highly recommend. Side note: Coos do NOT like Mondays…we want to shoot, shoot, shoot ’em all down) with the E’s Kristin Dos Santos:
Laphroaig is my current favorite Scotch whisky (NOOOO, NOT JUST BECAUSE SAM LIKES IT. JEEZ). It took me some time to come around to it…it’s verra peaty and a wee bit of an acquired taste. The first time I had it, dinna like it much at all. (Of course, it may have just been that the name kind of reminded me of Laoghaire…that’ll leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth, aye?) Be patient…it’ll grow on ye. One last thing…here’s a handy pronunciation guide for some of the more challenging Scotch names: www.dcs.ed.ac.uk/home/jhb/whisky/pronounc.html
This may sound incredibly silly, but Irish whiskey is pretty much any whiskey aged in the Republic of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. Really…that’s what makes it Irish. I dinna ken why it’s nae more complicated..it just isna! I never said it wasna tasty! Like Scotch, it must be distilled to an ABV of less than 94.8. However, the distilling standards are much less particular than in Scotland.
“It must be made from yeast-fermented grain mash in such a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavor derived from the materials used”. (Aye, I know…that says absolutely nothing. I copied that line directly from Wikipedia). From what I gather, you can use any cereal grains, but if you mix two or more it must be labelled as “blended”. Finally, the whiskey must be aged for at least three years in “wooden casks” (apparently any old maggot-ridden wood will do in Ireland). Och, I’m kidding! Don’t get yer knickers in a bunch. Actually, Irish whiskey differs from Scotch in the distilling processes. The three main types are Single Pot, which uses unmalted barley along with the malted barley mash. (this type of whiskey is unique to Ireland); Double distilled and Triple distilled. The vagaries of distillation are beyond my ken. If ye really want to know, look it up yer damn selves. I’m no yer maither!
Moo’s recommendation from Eire is Teeling Small Batch. It’s aged in rum casks, which gives it a lovely flavor.
American Whiskys
Bourbon: Bourbon is made with at least 51% corn, plus rye, wheat and barley. By law, it must be aged in new, charred oak barrels, and must be made and aged in the US (but not specifically in Kentucky, contrary to popular belief). The taste of bourbon is often described as “spicy” and “fiery.”
Moo’s personal favorite is Maker’s Mark (which is a “wheated” bourbon). If you want a traditional bourbon, I have it on good authority that Evan Williams Single Barrel is excellent.
The other “corn” oriented whisky comes from Tennesee and is made with corn, rye and barley (usually 60% corn to 40% other grain ratio). It is made with the “Lincoln County Process (which involves pre-aging charcoal “mellowing”). It has a sweet, smooth flavor with a lot of “corn character.” Moo recommends the classic Jack Daniels Old No. 7. Dougal would love it, aye?
Rye: Rye is more or less the same as bourbon, except that it is made with rye (Duh), not corn. It is described as herbal, grassy, fiery and spicy. It will kick your ass, but in a good way.
I don’t often drink rye, but I once had Whistlepig Straight Rye. It was verra tasty.
So there ye have it. Have ye enjoyed this wee trip into the world of whisky? I hope ye will go try it. In the immortal words of that witty American, Mark Twain: “Too much of anything is bad. Too much of good whisky is barely enough.”
Beware though…here’s what happens when you have a bit too much (thank you again, Sam)
Slàinte Mhath!
Moolach Ard 