Slainte!
More specifically, wake up and smell the burning of compacted vegetative layers harvested from the moors. Now that you are awake, we will learn how malted barley can illuminate your holiday time with your young relatives. Yes, we are talking about scotch, that venerable whisky made in the country of Scotland, which must be aged for at least three years in oak barrels.
Tweet ThisMy husband and I love all our nieces and nephews. But at holiday gatherings all too often the “kids” stay in the entertainment room and the grownups visit in the kitchen. If we cross paths as we walk to the foyer to admire the tree, we give them a quick wave and air hug, ask about school or work and then turn back to pick through the mixed nuts.
My husband and I decided to bond with the newer branches of the family tree and we discovered that a shared love of fine dining, which included a romance with scotch, was the perfect way to bridge the generation gap. Would you like to grow closer to your younger relatives? Here’s why drinking scotch helped us connect:
And that’s before you take a sip. You need to find the proper glasses, and choose from a fascinating variety of beverages- single malt or blended, and then discuss the age of the scotch. At one of our first tastings with the young folk, we were thrilled to learn that a nephew was all ready an aficionado.
Once you have created a cozy camaraderie and are settled in your comfy chairs, it is time to pour, nose, taste and finish your first sip of scotch. Your chats with the youngsters (of legal drinking age!) will begin to bloom and flourish, just like the release of the scotch aromatics. There are hundreds of thousands of volatile compounds present in scotch- use your nose! Ask the gang to describe what they taste- grass, wood, nuts, pepper? As the first sip is held in the mouth and savored, you will be bombarded by excited reactions- from, “It’s so mellow and smooth”, to “It’s so strong, how in the heck can you drink this!” Much more exciting than, “My how you’ve grown.”
Scotch opens us up to the finer things in life and can lead to more shared experiences. As you continue your tasting session, you may wander into topics like memorable meals, planning a trip to Scotland, and what is really under those kilts.
And above all, most Scotch is expensive- it’s valuable and it is to be shared with those you cherish. When you savor scotch with your relations, you are saying, “We love you, you are important to us and we want to spend time with you.”
Wake up and sip the scotch! Slainte!
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