Talking nonsense and general waffle

[CRH]

There are still folk cutting peats for home fires here on Islay - but, to be honest, far more buy logs these days. And it is rare to get that distinctive smell you get from a peat fire.

Peatbog restoration is needed, proven to be an excellent carbon storage in terms of climate change. But that's the first I've heard of a threat to the whisky industry in terms of using peat in the malting process.

I did think there was still some peat cutting going on but nowhere on the scale that it used to be.
I also thought that some of the peated whisky didn't use actual peat, I'm probably wrong, as usual.

 

[CRH]

I'm sitting in a little cafe and they are speaking Gaelic. 60% of Lewisians speak Gaelic daily , if not Daelic gaily.
Anyway, in the little gift shelf I've got something for you!
View attachment 7909551

Just imagining the smell wafting through the house with my stove going. Smokeless fuel has none of the smells you get from peat or logs. I was tempted to buy some peat logs the other year but as it's a stove all the smells would go up the chimney instead of around the house. The houses all used to have a certain smell to them that burnt peat.

 

[Tazzieman]

Just imagining the smell wafting through the house with my stove going. Smokeless fuel has none of the smells you get from peat or logs. I was tempted to buy some peat logs the other year but as it's a stove all the smells would go up the chimney instead of around the house. The houses all used to have a certain smell to them that burnt peat.

My aunts and uncle lived in an old house in the countryside near Cirencester. There was a tiny corridor between this and the cottages restored by another uncle. As a child it had a weird smell, not unpleasant. Years later, now living in Tasmania, I thought it may have been coal.
Then my cousin put me right. The aunts all used coal tar soap.
As a child I thought all my old relatives had a weird smell...Now it's probably me that is a bit peaty to the young úns!

 

[Coullabus]

I did think there was still some peat cutting going on but nowhere on the scale that it used to be.
I also thought that some of the peated whisky didn't use actual peat, I'm probably wrong, as usual.

I think peat is still used in the malting process - which in most instances is on an industrial scale. I have seen, quite recently, peat being used to dry the gain. (Laphroaig and Kilchoman)

 

[Coullabus]

My aunts and uncle lived in an old house in the countryside near Cirencester. There was a tiny corridor between this and the cottages restored by another uncle. As a child it had a weird smell, not unpleasant. Years later, now living in Tasmania, I thought it may have been coal.
Then my cousin put me right. The aunts all used coal tar soap.
As a child I thought all my old relatives had a weird smell...Now it's probably me that is a bit peaty to the young úns!

Coal Tar Soap - no thank you! Love the smell of peat

 

[Tazzieman]

Coal Tar Soap - no thank you! Love the smell of peat

Someone has catered for your fetish!

 

[Zimm]

Oh for Pete’s sake.

 

[CRH]

My aunts and uncle lived in an old house in the countryside near Cirencester. There was a tiny corridor between this and the cottages restored by another uncle. As a child it had a weird smell, not unpleasant. Years later, now living in Tasmania, I thought it may have been coal.
Then my cousin put me right. The aunts all used coal tar soap.
As a child I thought all my old relatives had a weird smell...Now it's probably me that is a bit peaty to the young úns!

I used to have coal tar soap, I also had to use the shampoo for my scalp as a child. I don't have it now as the wife won't use bars of soap

 

[CRH]

I think peat is still used in the malting process - which in most instances is on an industrial scale. I have seen, quite recently, peat being used to dry the gain. (Laphroaig and Kilchoman)

it was at one of the distilleries we visited that was explaining about modern peated whisky, I'm probably wrong, I can barely remember my words nowadays

 

[Tazzieman]

it was at one of the distilleries we visited that was explaining about modern peated whisky, I'm probably wrong, I can barely remember my words nowadays

It's burnt to dry the malted barley. You could use cow dung ; not sure the taste would be much different.

 

[CRH]

It's burnt to dry the malted barley. You could use cow dung ; not sure the taste would be much different.

I don't like whisky, I do like some of the liqueur versions, particularly Stroma by Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick. I do love going round the distilleries and the smells. It's the same when we go to breweries, love the smells but not the taste.
In both distillery and brewery, the wife always has my samples, and some more from the shop.

St. Austell Distillery was a very interesting one to visit and involved a lot of steps. It wouldn't surprise me if they have altered it to how it used to be.
Black Sheep Brewery at Masham in Yorkshire is good, if you time the tour right with when they let all the steam go, it just fills the room with brewing smells in one big hot hit.

 

[CRH]

Oh for Pete’s sake.

Someone had to say it

 

[Coullabus]

I don't like whisky, I do like some of the liqueur versions, particularly Stroma by Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick. I do love going round the distilleries and the smells. It's the same when we go to breweries, love the smells but not the taste.
In both distillery and brewery, the wife always has my samples, and some more from the shop.

St. Austell Distillery was a very interesting one to visit and involved a lot of steps. It wouldn't surprise me if they have altered it to how it used to be.
Black Sheep Brewery at Masham in Yorkshire is good, if you time the tour right with when they let all the steam go, it just fills the room with brewing smells in one big hot hit.

Haven’t been to Black Sheep - but did enjoy Theakstons!

Whisky distilleries - yep. Been to a lot. (Over 70 toured across 40 years). Sat in the boardroom at Ardbeg for a meeting last night

 

[CRH]

It's burnt to dry the malted barley. You could use cow dung ; not sure the taste would be much different.

Where are you heading to after the Scottish islands, and what have you been driving on all these travels?

 

[Tazzieman]

I don't like whisky, I do like some of the liqueur versions, particularly Stroma by Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick. I do love going round the distilleries and the smells. It's the same when we go to breweries, love the smells but not the taste.
In both distillery and brewery, the wife always has my samples, and some more from the shop.

St. Austell Distillery was a very interesting one to visit and involved a lot of steps. It wouldn't surprise me if they have altered it to how it used to be.
Black Sheep Brewery at Masham in Yorkshire is good, if you time the tour right with when they let all the steam go, it just fills the room with brewing smells in one big hot hit.

Today we bought a couple of small bottles of Hebridean gin, which we're happily enjoying right now. The blue variety won gin of the year in 2023. They are also laying down casks of whisky.

 

[Coullabus]

Gin!,!!

Enjoy the islands - or home as some of us say!