Published in Whisky Magazine Issue 24 on 16/7/2002.

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An alternative whisky map of the world...

Tom Bruce-Gardyne takes an irreverent look at the world's 15 largest whisky markets- plus the characters and caricatures you might find in each country. The world of whisky is full of exaggerated personalities- this is Whisky Magazine's light-hearted tribute to them. Slainte!

“Vamos de copas esta noche!� – the words crackle across the ether from Barcelona to Bilbao via countless mobile phones. It is early evening and one half of Spain is inviting the other out for a drink. When Paul, a young English teacher in Madrid, receives the call-up from Consuela Dìaz, a glamorous 28-year-old PR Consultant, he has to remember to act cool. It is not as if it’s a date, at least not a proper date, and Paul knows he won’t have Consuela to himself. Even a trip to the cinema seems to involve the whole gang.

The ritual is always the same – the gang clusters round the bar while the barman lines up a row of tall glasses into which he tips a generous shot of Scotch such as Ballantine’s, Cutty Sark or Jota Beh, as J&B is known. These are then packed with ice and topped up with Coke. It certainly beats Paul’s local pub in Cheshire where a ‘whisky’ means a few drops dribbled into a dusty glass from an optic.

Thus armed, the gang has something long and refreshing to get them through the night. The venue will change, from bar to disco and back again, as will the brands of Scotch. It might not always be whisky, but the mixer will always be Coke.

France

After spending the summer on the back of her boyfriend’s motorbike touring the west coast of Scotland, Juliette Brioche, a mature student from Toulouse, realised she had fallen in love. The object of her desire was not so much Gaspard, whose sour moods and take on personal hygiene became something .....

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By Tom Bruce-Gardyne

Section : Whisky tales

Page number : 24