Pub Life

Scotland is known for its scotch, of course.  And I wish I could speak in detail to all the scotches that we drank, their specific flavor profiles, the distilleries we visited and so on and so forth. I drink a good amount of whiskey and rye and dabble in scotch from time to time, enjoying the less peaty varieties, but willing to try anything.  

On our third night in Glasgow, we had our eye on a visit to The Pot Still, a pub overflowing with 800+ scotch whiskies.  After a full day of traipsing by foot across the city and a huge late afternoon lunch of kebabs, we found ourselves at long last at The Pot Still.  One of the expert bartenders asked us about our tastes and presented us with 10 options curated to our palates.  I couldn’t wait to jump in!  After snagging a table upstairs, Ian and I settled in for our first tasting.  A few minutes later, I got HOT.  REALLY, REALLY HOT.  As in “I need to get outdoors into the fresh air immediately” hot.  So, I drank the rest of my scotch and ignored what my body was clearly telling me.   Then, I made my way outside to recalibrate only to find that everything was going downhill.  I told Ian I was heading back to the hotel and a few hours later, I was experiencing what so many folks dread during their international travels.  Was it food poisoning from the kebab?  Was it an allergic reaction to an ingredient in the scotch or a dirty glass?  Or not properly washing my hands?  I’ll still never know, but that night was terrible.

So, I didn’t get to drink much scotch because I was put off it for the rest of the trip. But guess what?  I got to experience the glory that is Scottish beer!  Holy cow, Scotland puts out some fine craft beer.  If it wasn’t for my reaction to the whisky, I likely would have never experienced the many fine craft beers at all of the various pubs we frequented. 

Pubs are a major feature of life in rural Scotland.  In smaller villages, they are often the only public gathering place for food, drink, and watching football matches.  Visiting pubs is a great way to meet locals and get a flavor for the culture of a particular village.  Every day when we were done with our hiking, we would freshen up and meander to a nearby pub for a beer and dinner.  We even ate dinner at the oldest pub in the UK, where the locals brought their dogs and caught up on the news of the day.  The Clachlan Inn in Drymen is the oldest licensed pub, dating back to 1734.  Certainly one of the main highlights of our trip!  And if you EVER get the chance to drink Schiehallion pilsner from Harviestoun Brewery, drink one for me.  It's the finest pilsner I've had in my life.