A pilgrimage to Scotland

There's a Single Malt Scotch Whisky boom in Japan these days. Every bar has a favourite brand and bottles of amber gold are presented rank upon rank. Today I reckon that the place where you can try the most Scotch Malt Whisky is Japan and not Scotland!

Because of this boom many Japanese bartenders would like to go to Scotland, the home of whisky, to visit the famous distilleries and observe the production process. Islay, in particular, has captured the imagination of many of them. Interestingly too, those who have made a pilgrimage to Scotland seem to be valued more highly.

It's now over two decades since I first encountered Single Malt Scotch Whisky. I have always enjoyed a tipple but in the past I was not too fussy whether it was whisky, Japanese sake, wine, beer or cocktails that I drank. But one day, a relative who was teetotal sent me a bottle of Scotch Malt Whisky - the brand in the triangular green bottle. It was Glenfiddich of course, which is very popular nowadays but at that time it was very rarely seen in Japan. As soon as I sipped it, I had to shout out "This is the real whisky!"

Devoted to Malt

Since then I have been devoted to Single Malt Scotch Whisky. I started seeking out, buying and tasting lots of different brands at bars in Japan. Then a desire to visit Scotland welled up in my heart and I am proud to say I translated desire into action on the spot. I flew to Scotland at once. It was my second visit since I had travelled to Edinburgh, Inverness and Loch Ness during my university days. However, this time I had a clear objective: visiting whisky distilleries.

Even though it was just a one-week stay, I visited Glenfiddich, Glen Grant and Macallan on Speyside, Talisker on the Isle of Skye and Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull. I remember in particular being at Edradour the smallest distillery in the world. I felt a tremendous peace of mind because of the beautiful location. It was like being in fairyland.

The distilleries were smaller than I'd imagined and even though there was evidence of modern machinery, I had an impression that the spirit was produced in the main part in a traditional way. I'll never forget what the cooper at Macallan said, 'If we make barrels with our hearts, it will definitely produce liquor with good quality.' All the distillery workers seemed extraordinarily devoted to the production of whisky and each time I had a 'dram' after a distillery tour, it was really terrific!

Friendly Scots

I was truly glad to be in Scotland. But it wasn't just the whisky that made me feel this. The friendly people I met and the magnificent scenery added to this feeling. And when I found out that Scotland is part of the UK yet quite different from southern England, I became fascinated in the country of Scotland itself.

After returning to Japan, I started to notice the word 'Celt' on many Scottish history books. What was this, I wondered? After some research, I found out that the Celts were a race of sophisticated jewellery and implement makers who had swept across ancient Europe. I also found out that the Scots were a Celtic tribe who crossed over from Ireland to the West Coast of Scotland around A.D. 500 and laid down the foundations of the nation.

Since then, I have been involved in exploring the mysteries and beliefs of Celtic culture, which is a far cry from the Western culture that I once thought I knew. For several years now I have travelled to Celtic countries such as Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Brittany in France. I like to think that if I hadn't sipped Glenfiddich, I would not be the person I am now. My life has been changed by a single glass of whisky!