“Whisky is like a magic word, whenever uttered people’s eyes light up and smiles appear…”

The week is finally over, time to kick back, slide off your shoes and do something truly relaxing.

Originally distilled for its medicinal properties, whisky is not just a drink – it is an experience. It has the power to change people’s mood, their outlook on life and perception of existence… Whisky is a social beast that brings people together… To drink whisky after dinner is a centuries old tradition, to retire to the ‘Den’ and sip the ‘water of life’. Who am I to argue?

If whisky is a social beast, then single malt is a powerful enforcer of status. It is symbolic of having arrived at your destiny; deserving of the nectar of the gods, and able and ready to appreciate the true expressions of a particular distillery.

Who drinks whisky?  A lot more people than you think.

Who drinks single malt? Fortunately more and more and thanks to a small handful of passionate people, there is an ever growing variety of whiskies available for us to indulge in.

What has changed over the years when it comes to whisky…I would say everything except the true craftsmanship of the distillery people that create the Uisge Beatha (water of life). Although now aided by modern technology, their passion and dedication is still as old fashioned and straight from the heart as it has been for centuries.  Even whisky itself is always changing. Try pouring the same dram two nights running, the flavors meander on the waves of your taste buds, affected by the day’s events, offering more surprises than a Kinder egg!

Enjoy a lowland style, triple distilled, whisky as an aperitif, a nice way to start the evening.  A highland with all its heather and honey while the conversation is flourishing and maybe finish off with an Islay style whisky; full of smoke, peat and earthy flavors,  together with a nice espresso and dark Belgium chocolate .

If the making of whisky is a slow and serious business, the drinking of whisky is a slow and serious process and all about enjoyment…A sheer delight when done right. It is not a ‘Fast Food’ style of spirits - when people pour themselves a ‘dram’ they look for a comfortable chair with a good back rest to slide into.

The popular TV show ‘Boston legal’ springs to mind, which single handedly  re-focused the social aspect of a dram after a day’s work…a deserving moment to relax and reflect on the day’s events.

Taking a few moments out of our daily stressful routine can work miracles. It calms the mind and stops the racing of heart, taking us to a better place. Like Denny Crane & Allen Marsh, my escape is a good Scotch and a noble product from Cuba.