Scotland: Amidlife Traveler

Advice for tourists and travelers on how to embarrass yourself in Scotland if you decide to order single malt whiskey in a bar in Scotland.

Advice for tourists and travelers on how to embarrass yourself in Scotland if you decide to order single malt whiskey in a bar in Scotland.

Hear a Scotsman (who is passionate about his whiskey) explain why he and other Scots are heartbroken over Scottish distilleries selling out to global beverage companies. Learn the story one acquired whiskey brand that has lost a 140 year old market of drinkers in Scotland as a result.   Plus... Hello Asia ! So Japan won the whiskey in the world competition? What's up with that?From this episode:"We're a little bit heartbroken that some of these distilleries sold themselves out, really, you know?""We can only produce with how much barley we have, and we can only produce what the traditional methods will allow.""In order to be classed a single malt Scottish whisky company, all the ingredients must be grown in Scotland.""In February of last year I could have bought a bottle of McCallen's 10 year standard for about 35 pounds a bottle. By the June the same year, it was 230 pounds a bottle, because they had flooded the foreign market with this whisky.""So if McCallen's don't do well on the foreign market, they've lost their customer base in Scotland. 'Cause we felt that was quite, well, quite rude.""Any time very expensive, private bottles of whisky went to auction, it's also been Japan that's bought them. So they've been perfecting their techniques in making single malt whisky.""The rules of the best single malt whisky in the world competition is a bit silly. You can only ever win it once. Which means, unfortunately, that at some point in time, the worst whisky in the world is going to win the best whisky in the world award."

Hear a Scotsman (who is passionate about his whiskey) explain why he and other Scots are heartbroken over Scottish distilleries selling out to global beverage companies. Learn the story one acquired whiskey brand that has lost a 140 year old market of drinkers in Scotland as a result.   Plus... Hello Asia ! So Japan won the whiskey in the world competition? What's up with that?From this episode:"We're a little bit heartbroken that some of these distilleries sold themselves out, really, you know?""We can only produce with how much barley we have, and we can only produce what the traditional methods will allow.""In order to be classed a single malt Scottish whisky company, all the ingredients must be grown in Scotland.""In February of last year I could have bought a bottle of McCallen's 10 year standard for about 35 pounds a bottle. By the June the same year, it was 230 pounds a bottle, because they had flooded the foreign market with this whisky.""So if McCallen's don't do well on the foreign market, they've lost their customer base in Scotland. 'Cause we felt that was quite, well, quite rude.""Any time very expensive, private bottles of whisky went to auction, it's also been Japan that's bought them. So they've been perfecting their techniques in making single malt whisky.""The rules of the best single malt whisky in the world competition is a bit silly. You can only ever win it once. Which means, unfortunately, that at some point in time, the worst whisky in the world is going to win the best whisky in the world award."

Listen to our Scottish friend James explain whiskey aging and bottling dates, why bottling dates are precisely tracked and what the "Angel's Share" of whiskey is. Learn why it is such a big risk it is for whiskey distillers to go for that prized, high-value 50-year single malt whiskey. From this episode: "..the Government official can then take the count of the literage that went through that day and then count the bottles. If they don't add up, that whisky does not leave the distillery until they find the missing whisky." A 10 year cask will lose a third of the contents of the barrel to evaporation. We refer to that as the Angel's Share. It's quite nice. Hopefully I've lived a good enough life, I'll become a whisky angel. "If they unearth a 50 year and it tests below 39.5% alcohol it will not be classed as a neat spirit, therefore it cannot be classed as single malt and you've just wasted 50 years." "So it can be, you know, quite a skill, quite an art to make the whisky."

Listen to our Scottish friend James explain whiskey aging and bottling dates, why bottling dates are precisely tracked and what the "Angel's Share" of whiskey is. Learn why it is such a big risk it is for whiskey distillers to go for that prized, high-value 50-year single malt whiskey. From this episode: "..the Government official can then take the count of the literage that went through that day and then count the bottles. If they don't add up, that whisky does not leave the distillery until they find the missing whisky." A 10 year cask will lose a third of the contents of the barrel to evaporation. We refer to that as the Angel's Share. It's quite nice. Hopefully I've lived a good enough life, I'll become a whisky angel. "If they unearth a 50 year and it tests below 39.5% alcohol it will not be classed as a neat spirit, therefore it cannot be classed as single malt and you've just wasted 50 years." "So it can be, you know, quite a skill, quite an art to make the whisky."

It does work. Whiskey is like a little time machine... just look at the bottling date and reminisce on your past about what you were doing at that time in your life. Then, the more that you drink, the more powerful the emotions will feel from that day. If you get to the very, very bottom of the bottle, whoa, the time machine is so powerful that you will have regressed right back to very early childhood. It's absolutely amazing, quite a romantic drink.

It does work. Whiskey is like a little time machine... just look at the bottling date and reminisce on your past about what you were doing at that time in your life. Then, the more that you drink, the more powerful the emotions will feel from that day. If you get to the very, very bottom of the bottle, whoa, the time machine is so powerful that you will have regressed right back to very early childhood. It's absolutely amazing, quite a romantic drink.

What is this podcast about? Who is this for? Why are we doing this? What will you hear? And WHY Scotland? A quick intro to these burning questions and more, in this short but awkward first podcast episode 000...

What is this podcast about? Who is this for? Why are we doing this? What will you hear? And WHY Scotland? A quick intro to these burning questions and more, in this short but awkward first podcast episode 000...