Food and Drink
Scotland is a fertile country that is blessed with good soil and pure water. Consequently, it produces some of the finest food and drink in the world.
Whisky is the best known Scottish drink and is consumed in every corner of the globe. You'll note that in Scotland whisky is spelt without an "e". The Irish make a similar (but vastly inferior) spirit that they call whiskey with an "e". Don't confuse the two!
The name "whisky" come from the Gaelic "uisge beatha", which means "water of life". Whisky is known to have been distilled in Scotland as far back as the 15th century. It was generally made in illicit or illegal stills and smuggled around the country until legal distilling was sanctioned in the 19th century.
You will usually be offered two different types of whisky -a single malt or a blend. A single malt is the produce of a single distillery and each malt has a distinctive taste that it gains during its distillation. A blend is a mixture of different types of whisky.
Porridge was a traditional staple of the Scots for many centuries. Made with oats and water and/or milk, nowadays it is mainly eaten at breakfast as a hot cereal. However, originally it would be cooked in vast quantities and solidified in blocks from which slices would be cut to be mixed with water to provide a meal at any time of day.
Many people add sugar to their porridge to flavour it, but it is said that a true Scotsman adds salt for flavour. Try it - you might enjoy it!
Haggis is a food of many myths. Stories are told of haggis being wild and reclusive creatures that lurk in remote glens. The truth is more prosaic. Haggis is the innards of sheep mixed with oats and spices and boiled in a sheep's stomach. As such, it can perhaps best be described as being like a moist, spicy sausage.
Haggis was celebrated by our national poet, Robert Burns, in his "Address to a Haggis" in which he described it as the "great chieftain of the pudding race" (although it is normally a main course and certainly never a desert!). It is traditionally eaten with neeps (mashed turnip) and tatties (mashed potatoes).
Salmon has long been a mainstay of the Scottish diet as our rivers offer some of the finest salmon fishing in the world. In medieval times, King James of Scotland had to issue a decree to his nobles banning them from feeding their servants salmon more than three times a week.
Today, you will find salmon on the menus of many top restaurants as either smoked salmon, which has been cured over peat or wood, or fresh salmon, which is usually served with a variety of sauces.
List Of Distilleries
* Aberfeldy, Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross/Highlands (Midlands)
* Aberlour, in Charlestown-of-Aberlour, Speyside
* Allt-á-Bhainne, Glenrinnes/Speyside, 2002 closed since 28 May 2005, still in business.
* Ardbeg, Port Ellen/Isle of Islay
* Ardmore, Kennethmont, Speyside
* Arran, Lochranza/Isle of Arran
* Auchentoshan Dalmuir/Lowlands, the only Lowland whisky distilled with Highland water from Cochna Loch
* Auchroisk, Mulben/Highlands
* Aultmore, Banffshire/Speyside
* Balblair, Edderton/Northern Highlands just nine miles (14 km) from Glenmorangie
* Balmenach, Cromdale/Speyside, on the southern border of the region
* Balvenie, Dufftown, Speyside, founded by William Grant, owner of Glenfiddich
* Ben Nevis, Fort William/Western Highlands
* BenRiach, Morayshire/Speyside, back in business since 2004
* Benrinnes, Banffshire/Speyside
* Benromach, Speyside
* Bladnoch near Wigtown/Lowlands, Scotland's southern-most distillery, back in business as of 2000
* Blair Athol, Pitlochry, Perthshire/Highlands, not to be confused with place and castle Blair Atholl Castle, about five miles (8 km) north of Pitlochry
* Bowmore, Isle of Islay, founded 1779, oldest Scottish distillery
* Brackla, Nairn/Speyside, also "Royal Brackla"
* Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay, once again privately-owned; pronounced (orig. Islay): Bruch-lat-tich (also: Bruch-lade-di(ch))
* Bunnahabhain, Port Askaig/Isle of Islay, pronounced Buh-na-haa-venn
* Cardhu, Knockando/Speyside, most important division of Johnnie Walker Blends
* Caol Ila, Port Askaig/Isle of Islay
* Clynelish, Brora/Northern Highlands, built across from the now-dormant Brora
* Cragganmore, Speyside, on the Ballindalloch
* Craigellachie, Speyside
* Dailuaine, Aberlour/Speyside, important division of Johnnie Walker Blends
* Dalmore, Alness/Northern Highlands
* Dalwhinnie, Dalwhinnie/Highlands
* Deanston, Doune/Highlands
* Drumguish, Kingussie/Speyside
* Dufftown, Banffshire/Speyside
* Edradour, Pitlochry/Highlands, Scotland's smallest distillery
* Fettercairn, Laurencekirk/Highlands
* Glenallachie, Banffshire/Speyside
* Glenburgie, Morayshire/Speyside
* Glendronach, Aberdeenshire/Speyside, since 14 May 2002 back in business after a seven year lull
* Glendullan, Banffshire/Speyside
* Glen Elgin, Morayshire/Speyside
* Glen Grant, Rothes/Speyside
* Glenfarclas, Ballindollach/Speyside, at the foot of Ben Rinnes
* Glenfiddich, Dufftown/Speyside
* Glen Garioch, Oldmeldrum/Highlands, pronounced Glen-gih-ri
* Glengoyne Dumgoyne/Highlands, twelve miles (19 km) from Glasgow, right on the Highland Line
* Glen Keith, Keith/Speyside
* Glenkinchie, Pencaitland/Lowlands
* The Glenlivet, Ballindalloch/Speyside, in the moorlands of Minmore
* Glenlossie, Elgin/Speyside
* Glenmorangie, Tain/Northern Highlands
* Glen Moray, Elgin/Speyside
* Glen Ord, Muir of Ord/Northern Highlands, formally Ord and Glenordie
* Glenrothes, Rothes/Speyside
* Glen Scotia, Campbeltown, Mull of Kintyre
* Glen Spey, Speyside
* Glentauchers Keith/Speyside
* Glenturret north of Crieff/Highlands, on the banks of the Turret
* Highland Park, Kirkwall/Isles of Orkney
* Inchgower, Buckie/Speyside
* Isle of Jura, Jura/Isle of Jura
* Kilchoman, Kilchoman/Islay
* Knockando, Knockando/Speyside
* Knockdhu, in Huntly/Speyside, the 12-year malt is called An Cnoc
* Lagavulin, Port Ellen/Isle of Islay
* Laphroaig, Port Ellen/Isle of Islay (pronounced (orig. Islay)): La-frúe , but also La-fraig
* Linkwood, south of Elgin/Speyside
* Loch Lomond, Alexandria/Highlands
* Lochnagar Ballater/Highlands also Royal Lochnagar
* Longmorn, between Rothes and Elgin/Speyside
* The Macallan, Craigellachie/Speyside, known as the best in Speysides
* Macduff, Banff/Speyside
* Mannochmore, Elgin/Speyside, also sold as "Loch Dhu"
* Miltonduff, Elign/Speyside
* Mortlach, Keith/Speyside
* Oban, Oban/Western Highlands
* Port Charlotte, Port Charlotte/Islay
* Pulteney Wick/Northern Highlands, northernmost distillery on the Scottish Festland
* Scapa, Kirkwall, Isles of Orkney
* Speyburn, Rothes/Highlands
* The Speyside, Speyside
* Springbank, in Campbeltown, Mull of Kintyre
* Strathisla, Keith/Speyside oldest distillery in Speyside still in operation, since 1786, also called the most beautiful one by some
* Strathmill, Speyside
* Talisker, Carbost/Isle of Skye.
* Tamdhu, Aberlour/Speyside
* Teaninich, Alness/Highlands
* Tobermory, Isle of Mull, the "smoky" version from Tobermory is called Ledaig
* Tomatin, Tomatin/Speyside
* Tomintoul, Ballindalloch/Speyside
* Tormore, Grantown N Spey/Speyside
* Tullibardine, Blackford/Highlands, after 8 years in respite, back in operation in 2003
