The first week we were here was our introduction to the community. This week was a transition between community life and academics. We still don't have homework. They told us not to get used to that, and then to soften us up before the weekend they took us to a whiskey distillery and then a cave on the shore. (They're also fattening us up quite nicely; it's amazing what these cooks can do with beans, wheat and vegetables.) They must be up to something.
We visited the Benromath whiskey distillery, which I actually thoroughly enjoyed. I think if I liked relaxation of the induced variety, whiskey would be a good way to do it. I wish I could tell you exactly what this large red "chimney" does, but isn't it magnificent to look at?
Two of my favorite new companions: Dragonfly (who told me a wonderful bedtime story to help me sleep last night) and one of our professors, David McNamara, both very happy to be at the distillery. I just love these pictures...
We got a tour of the inner workings of the whole place. We were shown how barley is made into malt and the malt becomes grist which is fermented and processed to produce a clear whiskey. This is where the evaporation comes in - the stills. (I hope you all appreciate the picture, it's the only one I could get inside the distillery before he told us that "yes, the signs on the wall that say 'no photos' apply to you too".)
Interesting Fact: all scotch/whiskey is initially clear as water. What gives it its color is the barrels, most of which are White Oak imported from the United States. The barrels in the U.S. are always used for 3-6 years to keep bourbon (often in Kentucky) before they're flattened and shipped to Scotland. The color of the bourbon combined with the vanilla flavor and color of the wood soaks into the whiskey, which can sit in the barrel for 5 to 50 years. Other barrels come from Spain and used to contain sherry. Mixing the bourbon and sherry whiskeys in different proportions (50/50, 80/20 etc.) gives Benromach its multiple variations.
As fascinating as I think this is, it's a little disheartening that a relatively small distrillery in the Scottish highlands has to import all its barrels, but our guide said white oak was the only kind of wood that would hold the whiskey the way they wanted it... it's still quite a shame.
Not so much of a shame, however, that it could keep me from taking part in the free samples we all received at the end of the tour. I am proud to say I finished my generous helping without incident, and tried it with and without water. I preferred it with. Don't I feel cultured.
(She didn’t have any whiskey, she’s just very tired. I promise.)
Afterward we went to a Scottish shore – I think the pictures speak for themselves.
Much love!
Elizabeth
2 comments:
Cool.
I take mine straight, on the rocks, or very occasionally neat. But it has to be really good whiskey - hence the white oak barrels :)Now this is what I call an education!!!
love, mom
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