Just an idea that came to me as I was enjoying a wee malt a couple of evenings ago. Three tunes, two by Niel Gow, Highland Whisky and Farewell to Whisky and the tune in the middle, Bottom Of The Punch Bowl, is traditional. So, I suppose I have created a blend in distilling terms. The pictures are of the ruins of Castle Toward, a very old Clan Lamont stronghold on the Clyde Coast south of Dunoon, and the River Massan near my home. Instruments are mandolin, octave and guitar once again, and the tunes are in keys of A, D and G.
Masterfully played, as usual John. Great three part complementary combo of whisky. Is that fireplace shot a pic of your house?
Nice collection of distilled tunes, John, played as smoothly as always!
Thanks, Ginny and Christian. The table with whisky bottle and glass is indeed in my sitting room, Ginny. The whisky is an Isle of Jura single malt. The fire is an artificial coal-effect fire, so no cleaning out required nor fuel to be got.
Great inspiration out of a wee dram, John. Enjoyable performance as usual.
Aye, an amazing wee lift to the spirits, Frithjof! (There's a pun there). Thanks for your support.
As jaunty as one would expect for a theme like this This casts new light on the driving force behind strathspeys in general...
I can only say that I have a great weakness for everything that bears the word "whisky" ...
Thanks, both of you. Driving force not just of Strathspeys, Bertram. The older pipers used to add some whisky to the seasoning they applied to their pipe bags! Jairo, you have obviously got some Scottish genes from somewhere.
Lovely set of tunes John, and nice to see the sunny images as I sit here in blustery Mayo where we got snow, rain, hail and sunshine all in one day yesterday! Had a few hot whiskeys last night to take the chill off!
Fine playing John and good idea about the whisky. It’s going to turn cold here again, I’ll get myself a couple of bottles stocked up. Maybe even some drugs too, ha, ha!
Thanks, Jill and Simon. County Mayo seems a lot like Argyll, Jill, with a year's weather iin a matter of a few hours. Do you take your hot whiskey like our toddy, with honey added to the mix? Simon, I would definitely stick with the spirits and avoid the other substances!
Theobromine, John. I can do up to 200 grams a day without falling over. (Theobromine @1.25%) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine
What fun tunes and a great trio ! Thanks John !
Seconded, or thirded, or fourth'd - great concept & set, John. I especially like Bottom of the Punch Bowl (both the tune and the getting to the bottom of one), that's going on the To Learn list. It reminds me a bit of Whiskey Before Breakfast. Hm, a quartet of whiskeys??
Yes, for a hot whiskey I like honey, and a squeeze of lemon as well.
The classic mix of hot whiskey is lost on me - I fell in love with Scailtin - milk, butter, honey, whiskey (does not have to be Irish Whiskey, the cheapest blended Scotch - Hankey Bannister - does the job). As for Single Malt, I reached new heights of peatiness beyond Ardbeg today; Regina presented me with a bottle of Kilchoman (not just peaty but downright sooty)...
Thanks, Frank and Bruce. So many good tunes derive from our alcohol in so many of our cultures. Interesting how the conversation in this thread has moved from the music to the "Uisge Beatha", literally "Water of Life" in the Gaelic. You have a taste for the Islay Malts, I see, Bertram. Jill, I like the idea of the squeeze of lemon in the toddy. Would that lemon count as one of our five-a-day vegetable and fruit intake?
A very successful blend, John - great complexity, very pleasant caramel notes, a lingering finish with just a hint of sea salt. I'm drinking wine while catching up on the Mandolin Cafe at last (Gigondas, in case you wondered), but I can literally taste whisky on my tongue while listening and reading. Please allow me to raise a glass to your sustained high-quality contribution to this group and the listening pleasure we all derive from it.
Great tunes. Well played. I really enjoyed it.
Inspired by John, here is my Niel Gow Whisky Set played on my A4.
Nice addition to the "mix collection", Dusty, and that A4 sounds rich and mellow, suiting the music.
Fine playing and a lovely tone from your mandolin, Dusty. I like your interpretations of the two Gow tunes. I assume you omitted The Bottom of the Punchbowl since it is not a Gow composition? The pictures are all very apposite, and the portrait of Niel Gow by Sir Henry Raeburn is a nice inclusion along with your mandolin at the end. Always good to see a thread being revived, this one from back in April.
Nice! Fine playing, and lovely tone, good job. These are nice tunes. It’s unfortunate though, I’ve yet to hear a tune that to my ears actually sounds like my experience of whiskey/whisky! Perhaps the genre isn’t chromatic enough.
Great sounding mandolin, played excellently and nice nostalgic whisky pics.
Thanks, dustyamps, for reviving this thread, as I missed it the first time around. I can't decide which version I like best. It goes without saying, John's skills in playing multiple instruments, not to mention changing keys twice, is superb. Then there's the "purity" of da's single instrument, emphasizing the lovely tune of this instrument.
That is one of the great things about the SAW Group, Sherry - we get various offerings of the same tunes and each contributor gives something of himself/herself in those versions, and very often the simple, unaccompanied version can be our preference, though at another listening we will favour someone else's offering.
Variety is the spice of life. I wonder who first said that.
