What is the second best thing to come out of Scotland?

[Scotched]

I've never tried haggis. Its on the to do list. I do like porridge which I eat for breakfast throughout the year. What do you think is the best thing after whisky to come out of Scotland?

[Virginia Gentleman]

I voted for the bagpipes. I would have voted for women but it wasn't a choice. They are so friendly and I love that accent.

[Drrich1965]

Let's say Whisky is number two. Let's say a proud and wonderful people number one....

[sku]

I nominate, in no particular order:

1. Hendrick's Gin
2. David Byrne
3. David Hume
4. Alexander Graham Bell (great, great grandfather of the internet).

[Di Blasi]

Yes, I too said haggis, but I do really like the sounds of the bagpipes, and it's an interesting instrument. But honestly, after just 1 trip there, it will take me a bit more time to discover what else is nice about the country. Oh, the people were very nice!

[Wave]

I would have voted for women but it wasn't a choice

That would be my choice too!

....But to be practical I'll go with Walkers Shortbread (made in Aberlour), it makes the finest crust for a cheesecake!!


Cheers!

[Aidan]

I would say golf, even though it probably didn't originate in Scotland, much the same as porridge, bagpipes, ...

The scenery would be up there too.

There's also a good mix of people in Scotland, between the really friendly and the really unfriendly. That makes it more interesting, I believe.

[Bullie]

Scotlands amazing and interesting history, the gaelic language, the culture and the people. That is what got me into whisky. But of course, all of the above listed are included in this...

[les taylor]

Smoked Salmon does it for me. Followed by loch Fyne kippers and Herrings.

[Aidan]

Croissants.

[les taylor]

Croissants are they not French? or is their a scottish version as well.

[Aidan]

Les

Yes, they are French. My point is that I don't think smoked salmon and porridge are Scottish.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

PR



Yes Scotland takes a lot of claims for granted...... as you already said there is debate on who exactly can claim certian items ..... bag pipes are probably arabic & the oldest piece of tartan ever found was in Ireland ........ even the name Scotland has an interesting origin which people may not know about.

Far westward lies an isle of ancient fame,
By nature blessed and Scotia is her name.
An island rich; exhaustless is her store
Of veiny silver and of golden ore.
Her fruitful soil forever teems with wealth,
With gems her water and her air with health.
Her verdant fields with milk and honey flow,
Her woolly fleeces vie with virgin snow;
Her waving furrows float with bearded corn,
And arms and arts her envied sons adorn.
No savage bear with ruthless fury roves.
Nor ravening lion through her sacred groves;
No poison there infects, no scaly snake
Creeps through the grass, nor frog annoys the lake;
An island worthy of its pious race,
In war triumphant, and unmatched in peace.

See the following website to have you beliefs crushed about Scotland.


http://www.cabotia.com/scotia.html


So when you say Scottish you actually also mean Irish


All one big happy family

[hpulley]

I voted haggis in this poll as I love it but for third place really with whisky second. Second? Yes, second... my wife's family hails from Scotland so that really should come first!

Harry

[les taylor]

Hi Aidan where does smoked salmon and porridge originate from.
regards les.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

The Supermarket

[Aidan]

Hi Aidan where does smoked salmon and porridge originate from.
regards les.

The Greeks and the Romans ate smoked salmon, as did many cultures around the world. Smoking food for preservation was done throughout the world. There were types of porridge eaten in the mediteranian from the 7th Century.

I'm only splitting hairs really.

[Aidan]

...and I don't really know the history of porridge...

[ryoma]

What about actors? Anyone for Sean Connery???

[Deactivated Member]

So when you say Scottish you actually also mean Irish


All one big happy family

Yeeeesss - an interesting read
OK, I can live with it - if you believe it.
However, ye'll ken yer identity when standing(or sitting) in Murrayfield or Lansdowne Road on International day. No one, NO ONE is going to tell anyone that the Scots and Irish are the same - until the match is over - then the festivities can begin again
Vive les similarities

[irishwhiskeychaser]

So when you say Scottish you actually also mean Irish


All one big happy family

Yeeeesss - an interesting read
OK, I can live with it - if you believe it.
However, ye'll ken yer identity when standing(or sitting) in Murrayfield or Lansdowne Road on International day. No one, NO ONE is going to tell anyone that the Scots and Irish are the same - until the match is over - then the festivities can begin again
Vive les similarities

I'll go with ya there .... just a bit of fun to show how things can be distorted and yes we do share a lot of heritage of sorts but as you say chalk and cheese in other ways which is as clear as mud .

I also have seen a few programmes which said we IRISH were decendant of the north African Arab nations no Idea how you lot got where you are today though if that's true .

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Actually it brings up an interesting point about the row of who invented the water of life first.

There is truth in the website but how you interpret it is another story. However it could lead you to believe that whisky making was a shared technology.

[Di Blasi]

Actually it brings up an interesting point about the row of who invented the water of life first.

There is truth in the website but how you interpret it is another story. However it could lead you to believe that whisky making was a shared technology.

The Romans could probably be credited for "invented the water of life first" too, along with everything else. The Scottish perfected it!!! The Japanese copied it, very very well!

[Aidan]

I don't think that anyone has perfected it. And the Scots probably got it from Ireland. I am not sure who the Irish copied it off, but it was probably the Arabs. China may have been involved.

[Mr Fjeld]

"Distillation was developed into its modern form with the invention of the alembic by Islamic alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan c. 800"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distillation#History

[Di Blasi]

Good one Christian, thanks!

[Aidan]

Distillation and whisky are slightly different, of course. It can be used to make perfumes, as was the intention of the Islamist.

I don't know where whisky distillation started for sure, but the concensus is that it began in Ireland. Most Scots maintain that the Irish invented it, but they perfected it. And while I personally don;t believe scotch is superior to Irish, the Scotch industry makes the Irish one look very small indeed.

Very hard to find any definite early references to it, though.

[Marvin]

My god someone voted "politicians". Scotland has the worst politicians imo. How about scientists/inventors?

[Di Blasi]

Oh, haggis, I'm hungry! Haggis!

[Mr Fjeld]

I think the scots have been succesful in exporting a sense of something cultural including all the above alternatives. Think scottish and what do you have: whisky, bagpipes, The Highlands and male nudity
All of it stereotypes but they always work don't they?

[Muskrat Portage]

No, no, no, you all have it wrong, the only reason whisky was made was to take the chill off during curling games. So whisky first, curling second and bagpipes third.
Muskrat Portage

[Mr Fjeld]

Another good thing to come from Scotland must be scots - evicted or not -but now ancestors to many people living in the colonies - sorry, former colonies ......

[Lawrence]

Another good thing to come from Scotland must be scots - evicted or not -but now ancestors to many people living in the colonies - sorry, former colonies ......

Canada and the USA certainly benfitted from this unhappy period of history but it has made our countries much better.

[Mr Fjeld]

I can imagine the scots brought plenty of benefits for their new countries. My impression is that the scots were (are of course) very inventive with new technology and progress. Think I saw on Discovery channel that the majority of the steam enginge production took place in Glasgow? The story Mr T. told somewhere earlier on this forum about scottish musicians going to Canada in order to learn how to play traditional scottish music is also fascinating. Seems the like the scottish identity is strong after all those years.

[Aidan]

Maybe the best thing is John Jameson, and the second best thing is whisky.