The doing a series of top 10 UK walks today's is one I have done and can thoroughly recommend, and it is an excuse for you all to come over and see me. The reason being that the best walk for cliff-top views is the North Antrim coast at the Giant's Causeway.
It is a majestic walk from the top looking down on the basalt columns below, or up at those rising above or around you. It is quite a sight of a different fiery past in that part of the world when the lava flowed up to the surface and then solidified to make such majestic shapes.
Or was that just the carving out of the rocks done by Finn McCool, to create his seat, organ etc.
Afterwards you aren't too far away from my favourite Irish Whiskey distillery at Bushmills so you could take the tour and sample some of the wares.
Showing posts with label whisky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label whisky. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
A Wee Dram for the Road...
...well not literally as I don't want to be seen encouraging drink driving. No what I'm talking about is the fact that Scottish scientist have found a way to turn "pot ale" and "draff" into biofuel.
For those who have yet to go on a distillery tour the pot ale is the liquid from the cooper still and the draff is the spent grains. Therefore they are by products of the whisky industry, things that would otherwise just be disposed of.
The scientists from Napier University found they could make Butanol from the two main by-products at Glenkinchie Distillery*. There are copious amounts of both produced in the distilleries across Scotland, and cars do not need to adapt in any way to run on Butanol.
The main concern about some of the biofuels that are produced is that the organic material that is needed to produce this is a primary source and the planting of it takes up valuable arable land that could be being used to feed people. However, as the Napier scientists have discovered a use for otherwise thrown away products is the direction that biofuels should be looking. What organic waste is not going into either human or animal consumption anyway that could be used to this end? We can't start planting the developing world to grow crops for our fuel while they starve.
* Yes, I have toured this East Lothian distillery in my tasting travels.
For those who have yet to go on a distillery tour the pot ale is the liquid from the cooper still and the draff is the spent grains. Therefore they are by products of the whisky industry, things that would otherwise just be disposed of.
The scientists from Napier University found they could make Butanol from the two main by-products at Glenkinchie Distillery*. There are copious amounts of both produced in the distilleries across Scotland, and cars do not need to adapt in any way to run on Butanol.
The main concern about some of the biofuels that are produced is that the organic material that is needed to produce this is a primary source and the planting of it takes up valuable arable land that could be being used to feed people. However, as the Napier scientists have discovered a use for otherwise thrown away products is the direction that biofuels should be looking. What organic waste is not going into either human or animal consumption anyway that could be used to this end? We can't start planting the developing world to grow crops for our fuel while they starve.
* Yes, I have toured this East Lothian distillery in my tasting travels.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Bhoy Bans the Black Stuff
You know I'm kind of wishing that should Labour manage to hang on to Livingston whenever Jim Devine finally goes that the researcher who has left (and has still not recieved the travel payments owed) gets employed as the new MPs researcher. I'm not just saying that as they are a relative of a good friend but because of the following.
Jim Devine has decided that the people of Scotland should take action against against Diageo on August 12th. Now that is good. But Jim Devine has only named one Diageo product and from the title you can guess which Irish favourite that would be. Quite a statement for a Celtic fan to ban his fellow fans possible favoured tipple. The issue is that if you want to strike a message to the giant producer Diageo what is wrong with the rest of their product range, here is where a little research comes into playing. By the power of Google within 20 seconds I was directed to the Wikipedia page for Diageo which list all their products, so Jim what is wrong with boycotting the rest of these on August 12th?
Diageo is the holding company for some of the most recognizable alcohol brands, including:
Jim Devine has decided that the people of Scotland should take action against against Diageo on August 12th. Now that is good. But Jim Devine has only named one Diageo product and from the title you can guess which Irish favourite that would be. Quite a statement for a Celtic fan to ban his fellow fans possible favoured tipple. The issue is that if you want to strike a message to the giant producer Diageo what is wrong with the rest of their product range, here is where a little research comes into playing. By the power of Google within 20 seconds I was directed to the Wikipedia page for Diageo which list all their products, so Jim what is wrong with boycotting the rest of these on August 12th?
Diageo is the holding company for some of the most recognizable alcohol brands, including:
- Beer: Guinness, Smithwick's, Red Stripe, Harp Lager, Kilkenny, Kaliber (non alcoholic)
- Scotch whisky: Johnnie Walker, Justerini & Brooks (J&B), Bell's, Black & White, Vat 69, Oban, Talisker, Lagavulin, Glen Ord, Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, Cragganmore
- Baijiu: Shui Jing Fang
- Vodka: Smirnoff (Smirnov in Russia), Cîroc, Silent Sam, Popov, Ketel One
- Gin: Gordon's, Tanqueray, Gilbey's, Booth's
- Rum: Captain Morgan, Bundaberg, Pampero, Myers'
- Bourbon: Bulleit Canadian whisky: Crown Royal, Seagram's
- Irish whiskey: Bushmills
- Tennessee whiskey: George Dickel Tequila: Don Julio, José Cuervo
- Schnapps: Black Haus, Goldschläger, Rumple Minze
- Mixed drinks: Archers, Pimm's, TGI Friday's
- Liqueur: Baileys, Sheridans, Yukon Jack, Godiva's
- Wines: Sterling Vineyards, Piat d'Or, Barton & Guestier, Beaulieu Vineyard, Blossom Hill, Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Acacia, Chalone, Provenance, and Rosenblum.
That's just for starters Jim or are you just trying to blame this all on the Irish. When Grand Metropolitan were an equal partner is setting up Diageo in 1997 and have actually saved a number of Scottish Whiskys as a result, something that has been forgotten a little in the latest Johnny Walker controversy.
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