A Guide to Alcohol

Whisky has been produced in Scotland in one form or another for countless centuries, the formal documentation alone of the practice dating back more than five hundred years. The name is derived from the ancient Celtic term, "uisge beatha" - the water of life. It was originally believed to hold special medicinal qualities and was used to "treat" a great many ailments and afflictions.

When the popularity of whisky and its production was fully realised by the Scottish and subsequently UK Parliaments, however, ever increasing taxation was the almost inevitable result. This led to a great many distillers being forced underground until, in the 1820's, a proposition by the Duke of Gordon in the House of Lords led to the passing of The Excise Act and the establishment of the duty system that largely remains in place to this day.

Advances in still technology in the 19th century led to the production of grain whisky for the first time, which was soon being "blended" with the traditional malt to form that new variety which remains so popular in modern times. Brands such as Teacher's, Bell's and The Famous Grouse have become household names the world over.

To the puritan or connoisseur, however, the single malt remains the true whisky experience. Whether your taste is for the strong, "peaty" varieties such as Laphroiag or Ardbeg or the smoother Bowmore or Glenmorangie, there is one among the many hundreds of types to suit almost every palate.

Finally, it has become common practice in the modern era to add the likes of water, lemonade or even cola to whisky but as any true Scotsman will tell you, the only thing that should ever be added - particularly to a fine, single malt - is more whisky!

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The beautiful Isle of Islay, the ancient seat of the Lord of the Isles, is the most southerly of the Hebriddean Isles and is considered by many to be the malt whisky capital of Scotland. The "Illeachs," as the islanders are known, are a wonderfully friendly, lyrical and embracing group of people who will generally go out of their way to make your visit as enjoyable as possible.

Islay currently has seven working distilleries and its whiskies are of an incredibly varied nature considering the modest size of the island, from the peaty Laphroaig in the south, to the smoother production that is Bruichladdich further north.

It may not be to my individual taste to "mix and match" a quality single malt in particular but I am aware that such does happen. This is my take on what I believe is a popular creation.

The "Rusty Nail" is a very simple, after dinner cocktail, devised in the 1950's. It is traditionally a mixture of single malt whisky, Drambuie, a twist of lemon and ice but there are a few basic measures which can be taken to ensure the drink is enjoyed at its very best.

The first thing to do is to chop a lemon in to one inch chunks and reserving one piece, put the remainder in to a plastic container and in to the freezer compartment. Take a whisky glass and with the remaining piece of lemon, smear the outer rim only with the juice. Dip it in to some caster sugar to create a thin frosting and place the glass in the refrigerator.

There are of course a great many single malts to choose from and it is important to pick one that suits your individual taste. If you prefer peaty, smoky malts, try one of the Southern Islay ones such as Laphroaig or Ardbeg; if you prefer a milder, more delicate variety, try something like a Bowmore, Bruichladdich or Glenmorangie.

Put one of the frozen lemon chunks in to the whisky glass in lieu of ice. This prevents melting ice from effectively watering down your drink. It also perhaps leads to the drink being classed as a, "Straight Up Nail," which is the term employed when ice is not used. It is vitally important that the malt be added next, then pour the Drambuie in carefully over the back of a teaspoon so that it "floats" on top of the whisky. The ratio of whisky to Drambuie is something that is much debated and varied and effectively comes down to personal preference but as a general rule, the quantity of the liquer should never be greater than the malt.

There is an alternative recipe for this cocktail which involves using vodka as opposed to malt whisky and is known as an "Aberfoyle," but it is my personal belief that we should never tinker with perfection...

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The origins of gin lie in Holland, in the mid 17th century. A Dr Sylvius of the University of Leyden produced the spirit as a means of treating kidney disorders. He named it "genever," derived from the French word "genievre," meaning juniper, the berries from which it was made.

Gin was popularised - if not in fact introduced - to Great Britain by Prince William of Orange when he and his wife, Queen Mary, ascended to the throne in 1689. Its cheap and simple production, aligned with rising beer taxes, made it not only very popular but subject to considerable abuse by the working classes. It was not indeed until Victorian times that gin again attained an air of respectability in the country, when among other practices, it was mixed with angostura bitter to produce the famous "pink gin" cocktail.

The origins of the gin and tonic, or "G & T," also lie within the field of medicine. British subjects in the far eastern reaches of the Empire - particularly India - were regularly falling victim to Malaria. They subsequently developed "Indian Tonic Water," a substance containing quinnine, which largely proved effective in treating the disease. The somewhat unpalateable nature of the drink, however, led to it being mixed with the faithful old gin and one of the world's most popular alcoholic combinations coming in to existence.

There are three common theories regarding the origins of the gin martini. The first two relate to the American town of Martinez in the 1860's and 70's. On the first occasion, a drink was mixed by a San Francisco bartender for a traveller bound for that particular destination. On the second, a gold miner within the town is reputed to have paid for an extra special drink with a nugget so large that the bartender prepared him something totally unique. The third proposed explanation relates to the bartender Martini di Annia Di Taggia at the Hotel Knickerbocker in New York in 1912 and his personal creation.

It has become common practice of course to add ice and a slice of citrus fruit to a gin concoction - particularly when served with tonic. Instead of adding ice, however, which ultimately only melts and "waters down" your drink, why not simply freeze the slices or chunks of lemon or lime and "kill two birds with one stone" in a most refreshing beverage.

The Singapore Sling was created by Ngiam Tong Boon for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The exact year is in dispute, the hotel claiming that it was prior to 1910 but some sources quoting 1913 or even as late as 1915. In the 1930's, the recipe had actually fallen in to disuse and was forgotten but from the collective memories of some former bartenders and some old papers it was recreated as best as possible. No one can of course be sure that the recipe used by the hotel nowadays is precisely the same as the original but it is as follows:

1 1/2 oz of gin
1/2 oz of Heering cherry brandy
1/4 oz of Cointreau
1/4 oz of Benedictine
4 oz of pineapple juice
1/2 oz of lime juice
1/3 oz of Grenadine
Dash of angostura bitters

The ingredients should be shaken with ice then poured in to a long glass full of ice and served with a cherry and a slice of pineapple.

That is the official hotel recipe but there have of course been a great many variations practised over the years. A whole host of ingredients have been added - or indeed omitted - in the endless quest for improvement. Cold soda water is a frequent addition, as is sweet and sour. The type of cherry brandy used is much varied. The omitted ingredients include almost all but the gin in one recipe or another but what we have to be careful of here is that if the contents of the cocktail are altered so radically, surely however appealing and enjoyable the end result may be, it at some stage ceases to warrant the labelling, "Singapore Sling?"

Regardless of which recipe you prefer for this flavoursome and refreshing drink, take the time to savour and enjoy it - the cost of making or buying it alone demands such respect!

It is a common way to drink gin and tonic, to add both ice and a slice of either lemon or lime. But what actually happens when we do so?

Effectively, the ice melts and "waters down" our drink. Why not, therefore, freeze the fruit slice and use it for the double purpose of flavouring and chilling our drink? It is a simple yet effective idea. Why does no-one believe me...?

There are several countries which claim the credit for the invention of vodka. Sweden, Finland and even the former state of Persia have all put forth their case, but the most realistic and feasible claims have to be those made by Russia and Poland. The name is in fact thought to be derived from the Russian word, "voda," meaning water.

Vodka is believed to have first been produced in Russia as early as the 8th century but it was not until the 12th century that the first recognised distillery was established. It was initially used as an anaesthetic and disinfectant and it was not actually until around the 14th century that its consumption and popularity as a beverage began to develop, an English ambassador to Moscow actually referring to it as, "Russia's national drink." It was originally distilled from rye but potato soon became its preferred production ingredient due to its wider availability. The quality of the spirit suffered considerably, however, and a variety of fruits, herbs and spices were therefore employed to mask its impaired flavour, until - in the 18th century - a scientist in St Petersburg developed an innovative charcoal filtration process which enhanced the quality and taste. It is today made from a variety of grains such as rye, barley and wheat, but most commonly from corn.

The drink soon became a part of Russian religious practices and doctrines, and was actually believed to contain its own unique "spirit." It became symbolic at Imperial Banquets and was served along with bread as a form of aperitif. When the Napoleonic Wars gripped Europe and Russian soldiers spread through the continent, so too did a much greater awareness of vodka.

The Russian Revolution and the seizure of the privately owned distilleries by the state led to many vodka producers scattering far and wide around the globe. One such gentleman re-established his family business in Paris in 1934 - his name was Smirnoff.

Polish vodka formed a very similar development pattern to its Russian equivalent but as it was originally distilled from wine, it is likely that this version would be more likely to have fallen in to the category of brandy as opposed to vodka.

It was in the 1960's that vodka began to attain its present popularity in the West, with a host of cocktails being devised and the drink starting to replace gin in martini recipes. It has since grown in status to compete with all other spirits virtually worldwide and assure itself of a place in history.

I remember once being under the impression that the Bloody Mary was simply a combination of vodka and tomato juice and nothing else. How wrong could I have been? I have since learned just what a variety of recipes exist for this very refreshing drink, with the only ever present ingredient apparently being the tomato juice.

My own favourite interpretation and combination incorporates the following:

2 fl oz Smirnoff vodka
4 fl oz tomato juice
1 garlic clove (crushed)
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
Splash of Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
3 frozen lemon wedges
Ice for shaking the cocktail
Sprig of basil leaves for garnish

Put the vodka, tomato juice, garlic, sauces, pepper and ice in to a cocktail shaker and shake well. The frozen lemon wedges should be placed in to a highball glass and the drink carefully poured on top, minus the ice. The wedges have the effect of both cooling the drink and adding a touch of lemon flavour without "watering down" the finished product. Add the basil to garnish and enjoy.

Sugarcane, the principal ingredient of rum, was first introduced to the Americas and particularly the Caribbean by Christopher Columbus, where the climate was found to provide ideal growing conditions. It was not until the development of the plantations by the British in the 17th century, however, that the product originally named, "rumbullion," began its journey to its present day popularity. The lucrative "triangle trade" evolved, whereby ships would load up with rum in New England, set sail for West Africa and barter the spirit in exchange for slaves to work in the ever expanding plantations. The slaves would then be taken to the Caribbean and sold for molasses, which was in turn taken to New England and the whole cycle began again.

Rum is made by boiling down sugarcane in water then the residue is spun until the crystallised sugar can be removed. The sticky remains - or molasses - is then mixed with fresh water and yeast and transferred to casks. There are four basic types of rum, as follows:

1) White rum
This is the very basic rum, aged for a period of at least six months.

2) Golden (or amber) rum
Aged for a period of three to seven years.

3) Dark rum
Caramel is added to the rum in this instance and the spirit is aged for anything
from three to twelve years. This rum, like brandy, should always be drunk neat and
at room temperature.

4) Spiced rum
Any of the above can be turned in to spiced rum simply by adding fruit and/or
spices.

The perceived medicinal values of "rumbullion" led to it being introduced by the Royal Navy in 1655 as each sailor's daily right, in place of beer. Originally, each man received a half pint, twice daily, but the level of drunkenness which resulted soon led to each half pint being diluted with two pints of water to form "old grog" and reduce each sailor's alcohol intake accordingly. It was a practice, which although amended several times, actually continued in the service right up until 1970.

Although rum is today distilled far and wide, from South America to Australia, it is the islands of the Caribbean which remain the prominent producers and the area with which most of us continue to associate all those delicious rums and rum-based recipes.

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