The first drink I ever ordered at a restaurant was scotch and soda (wanting to sound grown up as I was underage at the time), and it was horrid and left me wondering what the hell people were thinking. Now Scotch, most notably single malt, is a right of passage, a digestif, a collector’s item, and often used as a medicinal elixir. Having had an opportunity to experience Highland Park (18yr) at a whisky tasting festival this past weekend was a wonderful reminder as to how far I had come from my first scotch experience. I am not sure if it is an age thing or not, but the floral smell with a slightly heathery peat and honey taste, paired with the Harris Tweed hearts, a legacy cloth woven in the Outer Hebrides, leaves me with a longing to return to Scotland and a subtle reminder that Valentines is near.
Gregory