It was our first night in Isle of Skye when I finally ordered whisky in Scotland. My friends and I were at one of two hotel bars within short walking distance of our B&B, and I decided that this would be the place to try some authentic Isle of Skye whisky. We had spent the first four days of our trip in Edinburgh, which to my surprise, has a more prominent gin scene (not that there isn’t plenty of whisky to go around too). The Highlands region is where much of Scotland’s whisky is produced, and I wanted to order my first glass at the source.
Ordering whisky in Scotland was a little intimidating, as I rarely drink it at home in the United States. But I trusted the bartender to steer me in the right direction. The blonde, heavy eye-linered young lassie would surely take pity on a naive American.
My sob story went like this:
Me: “I don’t drink a lot of whisky, but I’d like to try something made right here in the Isle of Skye. I don’t always like the taste, so…could I try maybe a whisky with water?”
The bartender’s dubious expression said it all: “You want it with water?!”
At that moment, I wished I had just ordered a beer.
“How do people usually order it?” I asked tentatively.
“Neat or on the rocks.”
I considered pointing out to her that ice is frozen water but ordered an Isle of Skye ale instead. I felt more in my element drinking beer, and I really enjoyed these smooth and very drinkable ales!
I may not have gotten my first dram of whisky that night, but I knew that in two days, our Highlands tour would be heading to the Praban na Linne distillery for a whisky tasting anyway. There, I would hopefully encounter someone who wouldn’t judge me so harshly!
The purpose of this anecdote is not to portray Scots as rude. They’re not. But it does reflect my naivete of what was considered acceptable in a different country, if only because I didn’t know how to order their liquor. Before this trip I didn’t know what to expect. I knew it wouldn’t be a major culture shock, but the days leading up to my flight out of JFK in New York felt like I was preparing to fly into a black hole. Scotland is the first European country I have ever visited, so I had no frame of reference.
Here’s a rough list of the differences I noticed between Scotland and the United States:
- The accent
- The currency
- Occasionally needing to pay a small fee to use the public bathrooms
- Calling bathrooms “toilets”
- Haggis
All jokes aside, I was most taken aback by Edinburgh’s regal beauty and the Highlands’ rolling countryside. The photos don’t quite do them justice:
The advantage to intermittent rain showers: a rainbow over Princes Street, Edinburgh.
Speaking of rainbows, this row of colorful buildings is on Victoria Street in Edinburgh.
The view of the city from the top of Arthur’s Seat.
Eilean Donan Castle, on the way up to Skye.
If you dip your face in the Sligachen River for 7 seconds, you’ll look younger.
Just one of the views as we drove through Skye.
Skye from another angle.
View from the distillery we visited, with a lighthouse in the background.
Me admiring the view (and the sheep) from Dun Beag Broch, a small fort in Skye.
Scotland certainly won’t be my last European country. I had barely exited the plane before I started thinking about my next trip. I have my heart set on Ireland for obvious reasons, but I wouldn’t be opposed to a white sandy beach in Greece either. Stay tuned.
Trip Like I Do 