Drinking by numbers
"I'm going to tell you about a little piece of heaven called Scotland," bellowed the be-kilted Scotsman from atop the bar.
It could have been a barroom cry anywhere in the world-a desperate, homesick boast for that wild land north of the English border. The stocky, no-nonsense-looking drinker followed his brave promise with a warning: "Scotland can be a very dangerous place, but it is also the home of whisky."
But here at Hemisphere bar the crowd that hung on his every word wasn't a rabble of carousers, drunk enough to stumble into whoops and shrieks at the sight of a fellow bar-fly in poetic flow. The attentive crowd contained the cream of Poland's business men and women, soberly attired in suits and dresses, eager to be inducted into the art of the amber liquid.
Wait for it
Our instructor, Martin O'Reilly, let guests in on a little secret: "We have absolutely no idea why whisky tastes like it does. All the ingredients are put together then left in a barrel-and it becomes the water of life."
Holding a glass aloft, he declared: "The first thing you have to do when drinking whisky is not to drink. You have to nose it, taking in the gentle aroma. The second thing you do is drink it. After your first taste, nose it again and you notice a whole different array of aromas."
Pausing for his audience to savor the moment, O'Reilly posed the question: "What do you drink after your first whisky?" The answer-this time to cheers-was more whisky.
What's your poison?
As O'Reilly took us through three more malts, to some surprise, he praised those who add a dash of water to their whisky. "If you put a small amount of water in the bouquet will explode," and to more cheers, added: "But nothing else-Coca Cola is my poison."
Hemisphere is now offering would be whisky lovers 50 different varieties and will be arranging regular tasting sessions. The venture is being backed by the Gordon & MacPhail distillers.
But can the world of whisky make an impression in the land of vodka?
Gordon & MacPhail's Derek Hancock appreciates it is likely to be an uphill battle: "I'm rather ashamed to admit that even though it may be the home of whisky, we buy far more vodka in Scotland that whisky."
It could have been a barroom cry anywhere in the world-a desperate, homesick boast for that wild land north of the English border. The stocky, no-nonsense-looking drinker followed his brave promise with a warning: "Scotland can be a very dangerous place, but it is also the home of whisky."
But here at Hemisphere bar the crowd that hung on his every word wasn't a rabble of carousers, drunk enough to stumble into whoops and shrieks at the sight of a fellow bar-fly in poetic flow. The attentive crowd contained the cream of Poland's business men and women, soberly attired in suits and dresses, eager to be inducted into the art of the amber liquid.
Wait for it
Our instructor, Martin O'Reilly, let guests in on a little secret: "We have absolutely no idea why whisky tastes like it does. All the ingredients are put together then left in a barrel-and it becomes the water of life."
Holding a glass aloft, he declared: "The first thing you have to do when drinking whisky is not to drink. You have to nose it, taking in the gentle aroma. The second thing you do is drink it. After your first taste, nose it again and you notice a whole different array of aromas."
Pausing for his audience to savor the moment, O'Reilly posed the question: "What do you drink after your first whisky?" The answer-this time to cheers-was more whisky.
What's your poison?
As O'Reilly took us through three more malts, to some surprise, he praised those who add a dash of water to their whisky. "If you put a small amount of water in the bouquet will explode," and to more cheers, added: "But nothing else-Coca Cola is my poison."
Hemisphere is now offering would be whisky lovers 50 different varieties and will be arranging regular tasting sessions. The venture is being backed by the Gordon & MacPhail distillers.
But can the world of whisky make an impression in the land of vodka?
Gordon & MacPhail's Derek Hancock appreciates it is likely to be an uphill battle: "I'm rather ashamed to admit that even though it may be the home of whisky, we buy far more vodka in Scotland that whisky."
