Slainte!

In God's infinite goodness, Scotland was gifted all the good things in life. (There is a bad joke about that - but I wouldn't want to upset my lovely English friends by mentioning the neighbours.)

Particularly we have the makings of whisky - and up and down the country in distilleries small and large the magic is performed over and over again. Single malts of infinite variety are produced in the North, on Speyside, on the islands, even in the Lowlands. Some is blended for those who like such things. Even less palatably, some is made into de luxe whisky.

But sadly, because we have a great sense of marketing (just look what we do with haggis, kilts, and Granny's Heilan Hame) we also stick whisky into ridiculous containers, and mix it with ridiculous things too.

I am not a whisky snob, really - I remember talking to a Diageo distillery manager who said "They can mix it with Coke if they like, as long as they buy it" No, let people do as they wish - they will have my indulgent blessing. But for me, a glass from Islay with the tiniest splash of water to release the magic - that will do fine. So - sláinte mhaith, slàinte mhòr !