I have written before about my love of whisky; not just drinking it but the nostalgic imagery that surrounds and swaddles it. Hills, heathers and kilts. Fortunately for me (and the tourist trade) even the biggest and most modern distilleries can still accurately be described as quaint and picturesque.
As a whisky enthusiast I am often asked what my favourite whisky is. This is not an easy question as my favourite whisky depends rather a lot on the situation. For my hip flask then whatever is on special offer will do just fine. A cold winter night however will be better suited to a nice, peaty malt from Islay. However on a sunny summer afternoon I might instead opt for a lighter Speyside malt.
Amongst all of this is one constant. A lasting favourite is Edradour. This dram will satisfy me pretty much regardless of time of mood. As well as the dubious honour of being one of my favourite whiskies, Edradour is also the smallest legal distillery in Scotland. In terms of output, Edradour produces in a year what bigger distilleries produce in a week. Not just that. The distillery is little more than a collection of small farm buildings hiding in a glen at then end of an anonymous-looking farm track. Recently they have added a conference centre added to their repertoire but it is genuinely invisible from most parts of the distillery. Combine this with the stunning views it commands over the Highlands and you have a true hidden gem.
From the last few paragraphs you can probably tell that I've tasted my fair share of whiskies however there is one that has, so far, evaded my palette and one I would dearly love to try... moonshine whisky. Moonshine is whisky that has been produced illegally (in Britain, it is illegal to distil alcoholic spirits. This is to ensure that the tax man gets his cut). I love the idea of drinking whisky distilled on a small scale over and open fire in a glen somewhere; hidden from everywhere. Ideally it should then be aged in a barrel in the back of a shed or barn well away from prying eyes. Forgotten about for years while magic happens.
I am well aware of the potential for things to go horribly wrong. Almost inevitably, the products of hobbyists is unlikely to be of a similar standard to those produced by the professionals. If nothing else, any tweaks that are made will take years to mature before the effect can be judged (legally whisky can only be whisky after three years in an oak barrel. For it to be any good, it needs about eight). It takes literally generations to fine-tune a whisky.
Objective assessment aside, I still love the idea of the charm and mystery of trying a moonshine malt in somewhere secluded and combining my passion for drinking whisky with the distiller's passion for making (and presumably drinking) it.
I'm not going to lie, as well as the product of passion angle, sampling moonshine also appeals to my rebellious streak. The whisky that evaporates during the maturation process is known as the angel's share. I don't begrudge the angels a drop, especially since they smile on the distilleries and help produce one of the most magnificent drinks in the world. I do however grudge the tax man the enormous cut he takes of the whisky maker's profits. I understand the need for taxation and, on balance, am rather proud of being a taxpayer. However I object to this throttling of an industry I hold in great regard and and the placement of a product I love and want to share beyond the means of many.
Moonshine gets round this (albeit slightly illegally). The process of making whisky under the radar claims a little bit of our national drink back for Scottish nationals. As well as providing a hearty drink, it caters to the innately subversive nature of most Scots and for that it should be respected.
Now, anyone know of anywhere I can begin looking for an illicit still?
JR
Showing posts with label whisky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label whisky. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 March 2013
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Mr Favourite Books
I was asked the other day for some book recommendations to pass on for use as Christmas presents. Naturally this made me think of books I have read and enjoyed over the years. Now being the type of person that I am, I rather like lists so I thought I would compile a list of my 10 favourite books. Although this list will appear as a numbered list, it does not particularly reflect the ranking of the book within the list. As the title of the blog suggests, it's more of a stream of consciousness and the titles are noted down as they occur to me. So without further ado:
1. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming. Bond has been a life long passion for me. I love just about everything about it and this book was the starting point. Ian Fleming sat down to write the best spy story ever written and this is the result. Whether it is the best Bond book or not is a subject for discussion another day but as the start of something wonderful it deserves a place.
2. Looking for Trouble - General Sir Peter De La Billiere. I am a huge fan of the military autobiography genre and there are many books that have a good case to be on this list. I picked this particular for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because it is so incredible. The truth really does beat fiction in some cases and this is one. If some of the feats achieved in this book were shown in the cinema, audiences would scoff at how utterly impossible they were. Secondly, the narrative throughout the book is fantastic. Not only is the author an excellent storyteller, recounting events from his own life, he expertly puts them in a wider social and military context.
3. Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. Again I love the genre of crime fiction and I had to be quite strict with my self to stop myself picking more than one "whodunit". Sherlock Holmes was picked because, in my opinion, he was one of the best and no doubt has subtle influences on contemporary crime fiction. Most lifeguards will secretly (or drunkenly) admit that Baywatch played a part in them becoming a lifeguard and likewise I'll bet most crime novelists will give Conan-Doyle some of the credit.
4. Chart Throb - Ben Elton. I think this is a fantastic comic novel (but from the man who wrote Blackadder do you expect much less?) For those of you who haven't read it, it's an amusing satire on Britain's got Talent/X-factor style programmes. Elton has written a lot of satirical novels in the past where current affairs of the day are only thinly disguised by the characters however I think this one is one of the best.
5. Schott's Whisky Miscellany. As you may have guessed I love lists, trivia and wondering off on interesting little tangents. This book provides all three in buckets and combines them with a vast amount of fascinating information about whisky... something about which I'm passionate. There is the perfect balance between basic knowledge, detailed technical stuff, funny asides and misty heather-strewn hillsides.
6. Whisky Kitchen. Continuing the whisky theme, this book is my favourite cook book. Even if the recipes didn't contain whisky, the food suggested is incredible, easy to prepare but still challenging if even one feels like pushing one's boundaries. Having learned a lot of basic techniques from this book I have gained confidence to start experimenting.
7. Vander's Human Physiology. My degree was in Human Biology and I still remain fascinated by the subject. This is one of the text books that I used throughout my degree and for that alone I view it with a great deal of fondness. But even stripping away the nostalgia I think it's a great book. It's clear, well laid out and explains most complex concepts now.
8. The Witches - Roald Dahl. When I was younger I absolutely adored pretty much anything which emerged from Dahl's pen. The Witches was one of my favourites (although trying to pick an out and out favourite from his work is like trying to pick the most adorable puppy in a litter). This one was chosen also because it was a personal milestone for me. When I was younger I had this as a talking book. My young self was terrified by the spooky theme music until one day I decided to face my fears and listen to the rest of the tape. Naturally I found out that the rest of the story was rather good and for a long time afterwards I felt rather proud of myself for daring to listen.
9. Five go to Billycock Hill - Enid Blyton. Enid Blyton was another favourite childhood author and contributed greatly to my love of books. She is probably also directly responsible for my love of crime fiction. This particular tome was chosen for no other reason that I can remember the title and vaguely remember the plot.
10. My 10th book I really struggled with; not because of my lack of inspiration but because there are so many I would love to put in this post. I will settly for Billy by Pamela Stephenson. A book about a comedian was always going to be funny but this is a book about a comedian by his wife who is also a comedian. As you can imagine, it's hilarious; even the bits that aren't meant to be. An example of this was when I was on the bus reading about the child abuse he suffered when he was younger... with tears of laughter running down my face. There are times when his wife puts on her psychiatrist's hat too giving one a fascinating insight into Billy's consciousness.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed my ramble through what I would consider as some great books. If you have read/are thinking of reading any of them, let me know what you think of them.
JR
1. Casino Royale - Ian Fleming. Bond has been a life long passion for me. I love just about everything about it and this book was the starting point. Ian Fleming sat down to write the best spy story ever written and this is the result. Whether it is the best Bond book or not is a subject for discussion another day but as the start of something wonderful it deserves a place.
2. Looking for Trouble - General Sir Peter De La Billiere. I am a huge fan of the military autobiography genre and there are many books that have a good case to be on this list. I picked this particular for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because it is so incredible. The truth really does beat fiction in some cases and this is one. If some of the feats achieved in this book were shown in the cinema, audiences would scoff at how utterly impossible they were. Secondly, the narrative throughout the book is fantastic. Not only is the author an excellent storyteller, recounting events from his own life, he expertly puts them in a wider social and military context.
3. Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. Again I love the genre of crime fiction and I had to be quite strict with my self to stop myself picking more than one "whodunit". Sherlock Holmes was picked because, in my opinion, he was one of the best and no doubt has subtle influences on contemporary crime fiction. Most lifeguards will secretly (or drunkenly) admit that Baywatch played a part in them becoming a lifeguard and likewise I'll bet most crime novelists will give Conan-Doyle some of the credit.
4. Chart Throb - Ben Elton. I think this is a fantastic comic novel (but from the man who wrote Blackadder do you expect much less?) For those of you who haven't read it, it's an amusing satire on Britain's got Talent/X-factor style programmes. Elton has written a lot of satirical novels in the past where current affairs of the day are only thinly disguised by the characters however I think this one is one of the best.
5. Schott's Whisky Miscellany. As you may have guessed I love lists, trivia and wondering off on interesting little tangents. This book provides all three in buckets and combines them with a vast amount of fascinating information about whisky... something about which I'm passionate. There is the perfect balance between basic knowledge, detailed technical stuff, funny asides and misty heather-strewn hillsides.
6. Whisky Kitchen. Continuing the whisky theme, this book is my favourite cook book. Even if the recipes didn't contain whisky, the food suggested is incredible, easy to prepare but still challenging if even one feels like pushing one's boundaries. Having learned a lot of basic techniques from this book I have gained confidence to start experimenting.
7. Vander's Human Physiology. My degree was in Human Biology and I still remain fascinated by the subject. This is one of the text books that I used throughout my degree and for that alone I view it with a great deal of fondness. But even stripping away the nostalgia I think it's a great book. It's clear, well laid out and explains most complex concepts now.
8. The Witches - Roald Dahl. When I was younger I absolutely adored pretty much anything which emerged from Dahl's pen. The Witches was one of my favourites (although trying to pick an out and out favourite from his work is like trying to pick the most adorable puppy in a litter). This one was chosen also because it was a personal milestone for me. When I was younger I had this as a talking book. My young self was terrified by the spooky theme music until one day I decided to face my fears and listen to the rest of the tape. Naturally I found out that the rest of the story was rather good and for a long time afterwards I felt rather proud of myself for daring to listen.
9. Five go to Billycock Hill - Enid Blyton. Enid Blyton was another favourite childhood author and contributed greatly to my love of books. She is probably also directly responsible for my love of crime fiction. This particular tome was chosen for no other reason that I can remember the title and vaguely remember the plot.
10. My 10th book I really struggled with; not because of my lack of inspiration but because there are so many I would love to put in this post. I will settly for Billy by Pamela Stephenson. A book about a comedian was always going to be funny but this is a book about a comedian by his wife who is also a comedian. As you can imagine, it's hilarious; even the bits that aren't meant to be. An example of this was when I was on the bus reading about the child abuse he suffered when he was younger... with tears of laughter running down my face. There are times when his wife puts on her psychiatrist's hat too giving one a fascinating insight into Billy's consciousness.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed my ramble through what I would consider as some great books. If you have read/are thinking of reading any of them, let me know what you think of them.
JR
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