Riedel Vinum Single Malt Scotch Glasses, Set of 6
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen
list price: $120.00 -- our price: $83.99
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Editorial Review

If you tend to echo the words of actor Joe Don Baker in Mitchell--when asked, "How do you like your Scotch?" he replied, "By the quart"--then the Riedel Vinum series single malt whiskey glass may not be your cup of Teaninich. Not so for fans of small-batch Bourbons and other nonblended whiskies: with its flared lip and wide tulip-shaped bowl atop the circular base, this vessel is designed to direct its contents to flavor-friendly areas of the mouth and nose. The underlying theory of all Riedel stemware states that the tongue is divided into four zones, each recognizing either sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, or acidity; by changing the size and shape of the glass, Riedel can accentuate wine's and spirits' positives while mitigating negatives. Unlike the traditional brandy snifter, which concentrates the alcoholic vapors and burns out the shnoz, the lip of the single malt glass disperses them, allowing you to enjoy the subtleties, whether your drink be Speyburn or sour mash. --Tony Mason ... Read more

Features

• Height, Capacity: 4 1/2"H, 7 oz.
• Designed specially for premium Scotch, Irish, and Tennessee whiskeys
• Machine-made of 24% lead crystal
• Affordable second-tier from a prestigious name in wine-friendly stemware
• Made in Austria by reowned wine-glass maker

Reviews (7)

Count Me a Believer
Don't know the exact reason why, but these are the best I've tried--far better than brandy snifters--for tasting the full complexity of a good spirit.Not just single malts but blended Scotch, bourbon, even aged rum.If you don't like the taste in these glasses, then you should change your choice of alcohol.Or dump it into a highball glass, cover with Seven-Up and top with a cherry and umbrella.

Riedel Glasses
I like good bourbon (Jack Daniels Single Barrel) and have found out that it tastes even better from these Riedel glasses.It is remarkable to take a taste test; it is almost unbelievable.We also have Riedel wine glasses which we enjoy as well. Riedel is a good value for people who enjoy good booze.

Great glass
I only drink bourbon and I found the riedel glasses to enhance the enjoyment of my favorite spirit over just using a shot glass. You spend quite a bit on some of the better bottlings, so why not drink in style and and get the most enjoyment out of it. They are a good buy and with amazons shipping you'll get them faster with less expense. ... Read more

Asin: B00004SZ83
Subjects:  1. Barware    2. (Bar Ware)    3. Glassware    4. (Glass Ware)    5. Bartending    6. Drinkware    7. (Drink Ware)    8. Bar Glasses    9. Spirits    10. Cocktails    11. Stemware    12. Glasses    13. (Stem Ware)   

Scotland: Scottish Bagpipes & Drums
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (28 September, 1999)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
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Features

• Box set

Reviews (2)

Be careful what you buy from LaserLight
This is a boxed set, a boxed set of three other individual CDs. Unfortunately they mix and match these same CDs in several sets, so you need to check the track list to see where it might also appear. Only one out of three of these disks is worth having, and I already had two of that! I wouldn't recomend this set, look somewhere else and beware the boxed sets.

Lot's of good tunes for a good price.
This is a fun box set.Two of the disks ("The Bagpipes & Drums of Scotland," "Scottish Bagpipes & Drums") focus on pipeand drum core standards.It's kind of cheesy tourist stuff, with lots offamiliar tunes.I love it! A few of the classics appear twice, such as"Skye Boat Song" and "Auld Lang Syne."This is not abad thing.I will always have a soft spot for "Skye Boat Song,"as it is the song my wife walked "Down the Isle" to. There aresome nice versions of "Mist Covered Mountains (Chi Mi NaMorbheanna)," and that old standard "Scotland theBrave."

It is nice and rousing, the way pipe and drum core shouldbe.Play it first thing in the morning for a pick me up.

The third disk,"Folk Music from Scotland," takes a different tact.It is prettytraditional Ceilidh music.The songs are a mix of instrumental and vocal. I had no idea there were lyrics to "Dashing White Sargent." These are very typical Scottish country dancing tunes that you will hear atany Ceilidh, both in the US and Scotland. ... Read more

Asin: B000001W35
Sales Rank: 96664
Subjects:  1. Int'l & World Music    2. Pop    3. Scotland    4. Scottish Folk   

Clash of the Tartans
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (06 June, 2000)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $16.98
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Reviews (5)

Music For Your Soul
Another great McKenzies' album!The lyrics combined with the pipes and drums is truly motivational.They really capture pride and depth of Scots around the world.I enjoy all of the songs, but particulary enjoy "McPherson's Rant" and above all, "Tae The Battle"very appropriate for the world of today.

Rockin'... but imperfect somehow.
Don't get me wrong.... I LOVE this band and what they represent. After all... I have three Scottish bloodlines running through me and I am an old school punk at heart. If I fault this effort w/ anything it would be flat production and not enough piping out front (you can barely hear them until the 4th track). I'll give them a break though... this is only their 2nd album and they are doing something very different walking the edge of tradition and punk enthusiasm. Buy it only if you have fallen hard for their sound like I have... otherwise definately get "Loch'd and Loaded" as your primer to this incredible band. Highlights include "Scots Wha Ha", "Mainland" & "Will Ye Be Proud?"

If Shane MacGowan was a Scotsman on Speed.....
If Shane MacGowan was on speed more than he was with booze, he'd most likely be involved with this band in one way or another!!! Since I am a HUGE Pogues/MacGowan fan, I feel like I can get away with saying that! Vancouver Canada's, Real Mackenzies are a fantastic band live, Drunk to hell in a pure Scottish kind of way. Not many people realize that the Scots mainly went to Canada and the Irish mainly went to The states. Any way back to the music. If you want pure obnoxious punk rock with a Scottish twist of Whisky, find this band live and go! Watch out for Paul MacKenzie's kilt lifter!!! You might want to turn your head. They have some great originals, but the traditional songs really make you raise a pint to the homeland!! 'Scot's Wha' Ha'E' is the best of the bunch in my opinion. :please take note: If your looking for a Poguesish type of band The Macs are a bit more punk rock and less Pirate than the Pouges. The Real Macs lean more to the Dropkick Murphys style of Punk but with less 'oi' and more 'ha ha hee hee' SEE THEM LIVE IF YOU DO ANYTHING ... Read more

Asin: B00004TBXT
Sales Rank: 55537
Subjects:  1. British Columbia    2. Pop    3. Rock   

Local Hero
by Burt Lancaster Peter Riegert
Director: Bill Forsyth
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (14 September, 1998)
list price: $19.98
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Editorial Review

When Mac MacIntyre (played with deadpan perfection by Peter Riegert) is sent by his star-gazing, slightly insane Knox Oil and Gas boss (Burt Lancaster) to Scotland's West Coast to buy the rights to a seaside town slated to be the site of an oil refinery, Mac embarks on his journey reluctantly. "Why do I have to go to all the way to Scotland?" Mac complains to a coworker. "I'm really more of a Telex man." But on the way to closing the deal, a funny thing happens: the place takes root in Mac. The town's eccentric inhabitants, eventful night sky, and stunning scenery soak into his psyche and combine to bring a very different Mac to the surface, a Mac who collects seashells, walks on the beach in his jeans instead of his suit, and throws his calendar watch, beeping "meeting time in Houston," into the sea.

Mac eventually vies to switch places with Gordon Urquhart--accountant, bartender, innkeeper, and community representative in the land deal. After an evening spent drinking 42-year-old scotch ("old enough to be out on its own," Mac chirps, and then laughs smugly at his own joke) and negotiating the real estate deal, Mac tries to negotiate a deal for himself--to trade his high-rise Houston apartment, Porsche, and oil-company job for Urquhart's less traditional, but more fulfilling, life.

The plot runs along almost as if behind the scenes, and the characters are intriguing, but the real appeal here is the incisive yet gentle humor. During a visit to a Knox Oil lab, Mac is shown into a room that contains a miniature of the town he has been sent to purchase. The head of the lab says, "Welcome to our little world," and then gives Mac the plastic replica of the town as a souvenir. "Dream large," he intones. The irony's easy to miss and is just one example of the intelligent presence--in the form of writer and director Bill Forsyth--working behind the scenes here.

Mark Knopfler's delicate, haunting soundtrack complements the sometimes melancholy, sometimes hilarious currents of Local Hero to perfection.--Stefanie Durbin ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (133)

Charming and Funny
Peter Riegert is a rootless corporate climber whose path to the top is interrupted by an unintended business trip to Scotland, where he's charged with purchasing land for an oil terminal.At first he's focused on making a quick deal and getting home, but slowly comes to the realization that maybe he's already there.And the townsfolk, whom he imagines as simple, rock-ribbed people of the soil and sea, turn out to be a lot more than that.Director Bill Forsyth delights in the sly observation, the understated joke, and the turning of convention on its ear at every opportunity.This is a funny movie that manages to be sweet without crossing the line into saccharine.

Warning: no car chases, no 'splosions, no big-time action sequences.This one is about people, put to the tune of a great score by Mark Knopfler.

Scotland is the real star
As the other reviews (at least most of them) relate, this is one of the finest movies you will ever see.It is subtle, sweet, and unassuming in its beauty, an elegant piece of writing and directing.Bill Forsyth, the writer and director and a native Scotsman, obviously labored over this film with a lot of love. Burt Lancaster and Peter Riegert do a wonderful job with their characters, as do all of the townfolk, especially Denis Lawson who plays Gordon, the local innkeeper, accountant, and mayor.


However, the real star of this film is the Scottish coast where this was filmed.Beautiful vistas, crystal clear ocean, and breath-taking beaches frame every scene.With a backdrop like this, the film didn't have to try real hard to keep my attention.

Please do yourself a favor and buy this film--you'll want to watch it over and over.

What a gorgeous, gorgeous film!
Local Hero is my favourite film of all time. Simply put, it's the sort of film that touches you. It's so utterly non-Hollywood. I agree with the reviewer who said it's the most non-sentimental 'sentimental' film. The fact that the villagers are in fact delighted at the thought of selling everything to be rich, only adds to the poignancy. The director plays his hand with such subtlessness and craft it is a joy to watch.

It's also a really funny film in so many places. The scene where the villagers are running across the field by the church just has me in stitches! The humour is 'dead-pan' and below the surface which means you can watch the film several times and still laugh at things you missed the last time.

The scenery is breathtaking and the background music by Mark Knopfler is superb. It's a delightful, charming and wonderful film that will leave you saying "they sure don't make them like this anymore".

... Read more

Asin: 6300270009
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-comedy   

Teach Yourself Gaelic Complete Course
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (11 January, 1995)
list price: $27.95
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Reviews (26)

Not the best format. Heavily book dependent.
Not a terrible course, and probably perfect for the person who is willing and able to sit in front of tape or CD player, book in hand, hitting pause/back/rewind/etc.The tapes are not very effective without the book, so don't get this if you are trying to learn gaelic on your commute or while driving.Also, the format is a little strange. You don't learn phrases like "goodbye" until long after you've learned "do you like Indain food."The book does not include an index or dictionary of the lessons, which makes it impossible to look up grammar or vocabulary.

This could be a great course if they were to reorganize it in a new addition and expand the audio material.

Not horrible
My boyfriend and I are trying to learn Gaelic together, so we picked up this course.The coursebook is constructed badly.There is no index or way to find anything without flipping thru the pages.The audio material isn't bad, but there are no pauses, which means that you are constantly hitting the pause button in order to practice your pronunciation...not a great idea if you are driving.All in all, not bad, but but hard to use unless you sit in front of your audio device with one finger on the pause button and are prepared to rewind/pause/read/flip back to pronunciation guide and buy a Gaidhlig/English dictionary somwhere else.

Excellent beginner's course in Scottish Gaelic
I've been doing a little research on Celtic languages and linguistics, and I got this course to help out with Gaelic, especially the speaking and pronunciation. This is a course in Scottish Gaelic as opposed to Irish Gaelic in the Teach Yourself Series. I've previously had the TY courses for several languages, such as Spanish and Arabic, and they have all been excellent so far, and this one is no exception. The audio tapes are great for teaching you proper pronunciation, and they put to use the vocabulary and grammar that you learn in the book.

Each chapter has vocabulary-building lists, a brief grammar section, and exercises and practice drills. Aspects of the language's grammar are typically introduced in the context of a given conversational requirement, so although the coverage of the grammar isn't systematic and especially technical, it's still good and more than adequate to understand the conversational examples and phrases. For those wanting a more rigorous treatment of the grammar of a language, you'll probably want to pick up a separate grammar to accompany the Teach Yourself courses, which is what I do.

To give you a little idea of what I've learned so far (much of it from this particular book), Irish belongs to the Celtic language family, the most western of the Indo-European language groups. It is of interest to linguists since it may preserve features of the original Indo-European proto-language. The family has two branches, the first composed of Gaelic and Manx, which are very similar to each other, and the other branch, composed of Welsh, Breton, and Cornish, but they are too different to be mutually intelligible. Irish is known as Gaeilge, and Welsh is called Cymraeg. Breton and Welsh are grouped together as Brythonic languages, while Irish and Scots Gaelic are grouped together as Goedelic languages. Irish and Scots Gaelic speakers can understand each other with some difficulty and also Welsh and Breton speakers. However, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a Welsh and an Irish speaker to understand each other.

Irish and Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton are still alive, but Cornish and Manx have died out. The other Celtic languages that have died out are Galatian (spoken by Celts in central Turkey), Gaulish, and Celtiberian or Hispano-Celtic. The last three were assimilated into the Roman empire. Lastly, there was Pictish, which may or may not have been a real Celtic language.

Irish has a relatively small alphabet compared to most European languages, with only 18 letters. One of the ways Irish gets along with such a small alphabet is that there are complex rules relating to combinations of consonants and vowels, with the vowels affecting the pronunciation of the consonants. You'll learn about all of these in the sectionson phonetics and pronunciation.

There are several interesting aspects to Irish phonetics. One is that it has what are called slender and broad consonants, or short and long versions of the consonants. An American speaker typically has long consonants, and a Scottish speaker short consonants, but Irish has both. To illustrate this concept, the "l" in the word "leaf" would be "slender," but in the word "feel," broad. Another interesting aspect of Irish phonetics is there are complex rules for mutation of sounds, such as in lenition and eclipsis of consonants. This often happens in the first consonants of verbs and nouns. Lenition means softening, or the replacement of a loud, abrupt sound by a softer hissing or continuous sound, as in the replacement of "c" by "ch." Eclipsis occurs when the sound of a consonant like "c" is overtaken by the sound of the consonant before it, such as a "g." I'm used to this phenomenon being referred to as forward or anterograde assimilation of consonants, and English also has it, as when the "s" in dogs sounds like a "z" because it is being assimilated by the voiced "g" sound. Russian is the reverse, and has regressive or retrograde assimilation of consonants.

Irish has masculine and feminine genders, and also something called the genitive singular, which affects different kinds of nouns when they are joined to the previous noun. Irish has similar verb tenses and moods to English, but the habitual past is more important in Irish. There are two perfect present tenses, based on the verbal adjective, or past participle, such as in "written," or the verbal noun, or gerund, as in "writing." Hence, Irish has present, past, present habitual, past habitual, and future tenses. It also has the imperative, conditional, and subjunctive moods, and there is a passive voice, similar to English and most Indo-European languages.

Well, I hope you didn't mind my little digression on Celtic and Irish linguistics, but getting back to the present book, this is an excellent book and audio tape combination for the beginning student of Scottish Gaelic. After completing this course, you'll have an excellent foundation in the language and will be ready to advance to the intermediate level in your studies. ... Read more

Isbn: 0844238619
Sales Rank: 384892
Subjects:  1. Audio - Language    2. Audio Adult: Language    3. Celtic Languages    4. Dictionaries - General    5. General    6. Scottish Gaelic   

Scottish Clans and Tartans: A Fully Illustrated Guide to Over 140 Clans-Their History, Tartans, and Much More
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 March, 2000)
list price: $35.00 -- our price: $23.10
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Reviews (5)

Gorgeous photos...
This really is a wonderful book. I've been reading through it in the bookstore and need to pick up my own copy now. It goes into tons of clans' tartans, with a photo swatch of each one. It also has a small history for each clan and it's tartan. It also connects famous people to the clans, such as General Douglas MacArthur. It's not a very in depth book about the clans, but gives a wonderful into to each of them.

The above I wrote before I purchased the book. Now that I own it, it's even better. Even the very beginning of the book with its snippet of Scottish history is wonderful and whets the reader's appetite to learn more about Scotland.

Nothing very new with this book
This book was a bit of a disappointment because it does not include a lot of standard information I have seen in earlier books on clans and tartans. For instance, there is no listing of septs and other family names that are associated with some of the Highland clans. Furthermore, most people of Scottish heritage are what is referred to as "clanless Scots". But, ALL the clans at least come from a District and it would be nice to have information on the District tartans (and photos). That is also lacking. Yes, there are some nice photos of surrounding landmarks and a color swatch of each of the main highland tartans. Plus a bit of history for each of the 140 clans, but it is basic information available from several other sources.

Caution needed for contact information
Surprised to find a swatch of Barclay hunting tartan used on the back cover, I quickly flipped to the Barclay section.I was pleased to again find Barclay hunting used, rather than the normal yellow Barclay tartan. The write up of the historical information was accurate UNTIL I got to theend which stated that the current chief lives in Essex.Sure enough, whenI checked the address listing, our current secretary in Richmond Virginia'saddress is correct, BUT, the other address is Colchester in Essex.Thishas not been our chief's address for over 10 years.I wonder how theauthor picked one current address and not the other.In addition neitheraddress identifies to whom you would be sending information at the addressgiven.In the midst of a visually appealing and otherwise nice book, thiserror and lack of detail was most disappointing.Carolyn L. Barkley, FSAScot, Genealogist, Clan Barclay International, Ltd. ... Read more

Isbn: 1585740942
Sales Rank: 530728
Subjects:  1. Clans    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Great Britain - Scotland    4. Genealogy    5. Highlands    6. Highlands (Scotland)    7. History    8. History: World    9. Reference    10. Scotland    11. Tartans    12. History / Great Britain   

Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch: The Connoisseur's Guide to the Single Malt Whiskies of Scotland
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 November, 1999)
list price: $27.50
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Editorial Review

He's written shamelessly for more than a decade and a half about his passion for 12- and 15-year-olds. He's described his dalliances with loves named Heather and Peat and some three dozen named Glen. His name is Michael Jackson. Relax. We're talking here about the Britain-based, award-winning drinks and spirits writer and author of, among other classic reference works, Michael Jackson's Beer Companion.

In Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch, devotees of the dram can peruse the latest revised edition of the 1989 work. In 336 pages brimming with maps, photos, and informed overview of factors such as geography and flavor components--even proximity to the sea--Jackson sketches the evolution of Scotch whisky, from the prebottling days, when shopkeepers like Johnnie Walker and the Chivas Brothers would create their own blends for sale, to the late-1960s and 1970s' surge of individual distilleries marketing their own bottlings.Lamentably labeling the former as a time when "orchestrations drowned out the soloists," Jackson provides some sweet sheet music of his own: 294 pages are devoted to an A-to-Z review (including full-color labels and tasting notes) of more than 800 singles from "every Scottish malt distillery that has ever witnessed its product in a bottle." It's the perfect book to take to your local liquor store next time you're trying to navigate the high shelf of Scotland's highlands, lowlands, and islands. You may laugh at Jackson's description of Auchentoshan Select's "oily" nose with "hints of citrus zest" or Aberlour 10-year-old's "mint-toffee" bouquet.But you'll be laughing out of the other side of your haggis when you actually smell them. All the notes are well researched and designed to appeal to Cardhu-carrying connoisseurs, as well as those who'd just like to know more about Bowmore. In his introduction, the author describes a whisky's finish as "a crescendo, followed by a series of echoes.When I leave the bottle, I like to bewhistling the tune."Scotch drinkers will find plenty to wet that whistle in Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch. --Tony Mason ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Essential, Inspired & Inspiring Guide to the "Water of Life"
"Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch" is a truly great reference for the connoisseur and novice alike. This 5th edition includes descriptions and scores for over 1,000 single malt Scotches, about 250 more than the previous edition. It is a handsome volume, well-organized and printed on slick high-quality paper. The book has an attractive, durable cover instead of a dust jacket.

The "Complete Guide"'s first 80 pages are dedicated to educating the reader about whiskies in general and single malt Scotches in particular. Ten chapters discuss a useful variety of topics: trends, origins, definitions of terms used in labeling, the influence of the terrain on flavor, the characteristics of various regions, the significance of age, the woods used in casks, and a list of the companies that own Scotch distilleries, with some explanation of their history. The chapter on Flavours is particularly interesting. Michael Jackson is a good writer. His explanations are clear without being dull, and they will leave few questions in the minds of readers who are new to Scotch whisky.

The core of the Guide is the "A-Z of Single Malts". Michael Jackson explains his scoring system and the components of his tasting notes: colour, nose, body, palate, and finish. Then he launches into descriptions of more than 1,000 Scotches produced by, I believe, over 90 distilleries. A few paragraphs explain a little bit about each distillery's history and unique characteristics. The Producer (owner), Region, District, and Address are listed for each distillery, as well as telephone, e-mail and web site where it is available. I found that the palate and finish descriptions took some getting used to before I was able to reconcile Jackson's description to how the malt really tastes. He has a sensitive palate, which has become, or always was, keen to certain nuances. I'm sure everyone is different in that sense, but I picked up on his meaning after a while. His attempts to describe all aspects of the sensory experience unique to each whisky are most helpful and impressive. It is a pleasure to browse his descriptions. The book's singleimperfection is the absence of pronunciation guides. The pronunciations of some distillery names are mysterious to those unaccustomed to hearing Scottish words.

In the last pages of the "Complete Guide', Jackson gives us some general information on whiskies from Ireland, the United States, Japan, Asia, and continental Europe. There are also brief descriptions of some vatted malts and Jackson's recommendations for how best to enjoy whisky.

The next best thing to a single malt itself
This guide to single malts is being continually revised and is the best of its kind. Mr. Jackson is always expanding his range of whiskies, even to include those made beyond Scotland. He provides an valuable index to the best brands and give you a short history of the distilleries. I've used this guide to help me enlarge my taste for single malts, which now includes a pretty fair sampling. I find myself repeatedly drawn to the 10 year-old Laphroaig, which proves as Mr. Jackson notes, that age is not always the best indicator of a great whiskey. Location has a lot to do with it, as this Islay whiskey seems to have a flavor all its own. He also notes the various blends, and which malts they use as their base. You'll be surprised to find that the more popular brands are not necessarily the best brands, as White Horse uses another Islay malt, Lagavulin, as its base. If you are new to single malts, this book will help you get started. The only limit is the your pocket book, as these whiskeys don't come cheap.

Classic work
The discovery by Americans of single-malt whisky back in the 80's and 90's was one of the most interesting stories in the food and beverage market ever. This event by itself probably prevented a number of distilleries from closing, and several, such as the great Ardbeg, which had been moth-balled, were perhaps reopened as a result.

Some great but lesser known malts, like Edradour, found new appreciation for their tiny output abroad. Edradour, for example, produces less in a year than some distilleries do in a week, like Tomatin (the Edradour distillery only has 3 employees and only makes 2 barrels a week). Others, such as the Islays like Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and Bowmore, and even the oddly dual-natured Caol Isla, with its both sweetish and phenolic character, were already known in Scotland but garnered new fans here in America. As in Scotland, the Islays are not to everybody's taste, but I know people here who will hardly touch a drop of anything else--an amazing testament to the enthusiasm that has developed in America even for the stronger and more exotic malts. And probably no book did more to make that happen than Jackson's great little books on single-malt scotch.

On a personal note, sometimes even the Scots themselves failed to appreciate how far American sensibilities had come with respect to single malts. I had the experience 20 years ago, when still a young man, of sitting in a bar at the south end of Loch Lommond, and having a well-meaning bartender refuse to serve me some Laphroaig. He insisted on giving me Royal Brackla from an old bottle, itself a great malt. But he thought this young American didn't know what he was asking for, and I think he was worried he might do in a perfectly good, paying customer with a draught of the pungent, phenolic, peaty, and iodine-tasking Laphroaig.

These books taught me a lot and I have all 3 editions. They're great for learning to appreciate the particular aspects and flavors of a malt, and as I've been tasting single-malts for 20 years, I've found Mr. Jackson's descriptions to be very accurate and informative. In many cases, after learning from his description, I was able to go on and detect things that weren't even in the book--a great testament to his skill as a teacher and writer. Without his guidance, I wouldn't have been able to educate my sense of taste nearly as expertly.

There is no better way to learn about single malts than to take samples of several malts and then taste and compare them using this book. After you're tasted a couple of dozen malts you should be able to get a good sense of what's going on and be able to go on from there.

A good way to do this is to pick a couple of classic malts from each category, say a couple of lowlands, a couple of highlands or Speysides, and a couple of Islays, and taste them alongside each other with this book. Some of the malts are just so unique or special that they deserve tasting by themselves--as in the case of Clynelish and Highland Park, or Caol Isla and Talisker, or the often overlooked but wonderful lowland malt, Littlemill, with its sweet cocoanut, English toffee, and creme de caramel flavors.

Well, I could go on for a while about interesting things to do for tastings, but I will leave the rest of that to you, hopefully by way of this book, except for one last recommendation. The great Victorian connoisseur and single-malt scotch authority Professor Shaftsbury considered mixing together some Clynelish and Longmorn to be possibly the greatest drink in the world. So you might give it a try sometime and see what you think. Good luck and happy tasting! ... Read more

Isbn: 076240731X
Subjects:  1. Bartending    2. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Regional & Ethnic - English, Scottish & Welsh   

Scotch Missed: The Lost Distilleries of Scotland
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 March, 2000)
list price: $15.00 -- our price: $10.20
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Reviews (3)

Beggin' yer pardon, m'Lord, but....
....when did Brian Townsend change his name to Michael Jackson?Is it possible that "magellan359" got a wee bit off course from one wee dram too many?Other than that, it's an ok review except for the fact that it's more about him than about the book, not what one would expect from one of Amazon's "top" reviewers.Oh, well...

Some nice history
Many of Scotland's distilleries had closed in recent (and not-so-recent) decades, and I thought I'd mention some of my favorites, which Townsend discusses in his book.

Some, like the heavily peated Islay, Ardbeg (which I understand has been re-opened, fortunately), were justly famous; others, like Dallas Dhu and Millburn, were more obscure, but their closing was still a loss. People used to make jokes about the Dallas Dhu name (which means "black glen" in Scots Gaelic), but it really did produce a fine malt, and I had fun doing tastings of it with friends back in the late 80's, when it was still readily available in independent bottlings at different ages and from different independent bottlers. It was notable for some semi-sweet chocolate notes, a rare flavor and essence in scotch whiskey, and I used to enjoy it very much. The only other malt that comes to mind with a chocolate flavor to me right now was a 25-year-old bottling of Scapa, a 1968 or therabouts issue, if I remember correctly. But anyway, it certainly was a fine malt and worthy of comparison with the Dallas Dhu. One time I put on a tasting for other single-malt afficianado friends and acqaintances of almost nothing but "vanished malts," of which I had bottles of about a dozen at the time, and we all had a great time tasting their whiskies and talking about single-malts and whatever.

Although bourbons and cognacs are impressive spirits too, if there is one thing that separates single malts from the others, it's the sheer spectrum of diversity and intensity of the many qualities that they possess. The intense, crystal-clear essences and flavors of this great distillate are unique, and in truly appreciating a fine dram of one of the great single malts at the end of a day, even life's more pressing problems seem to themselves vanish for a moment. As someone once wrote, life is still worth living as long as there is a good single-malt available. And perhaps that's why it translates from the Gaelic as "the water of life."

But getting back to Townsend's book, here he gives a nod to the history and scotch of the many famous and more obscure distilleries and whiskies of Scotland that are no longer with us. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about all the different distilleries, even the defunct ones, but I still learned some new things from this enjoyable book, and I would recommend it to any and all single-malt enthusiasts who are looking for something different in a book about scotch.

addictive toddy of a historical read!
Highly informative paperback on scotland's lost whisky distilleries, including those which have closed in recent years and whose whiskies can still be found in specialist shops or the occasional liquor store thatdoesn't realise the gems it has on its shelves. Definitely a must for thewhisky enthusiast looking for a dram of a book. ... Read more

Isbn: 189778497X
Sales Rank: 367633
Subjects:  1. Beverages - Wine & Spirits    2. Distilleries    3. Europe - Great Britain - General    4. Europe - Gt. Britain/Scotland    5. General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Scotland    10. Whiskey industry   

The Haggis: A Little History
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 April, 1998)
list price: $8.95 -- our price: $8.95
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Reviews (4)

Wonderful.
Clarissa Dickson Wright, The Haggis: A Little History (Pelican Press, 1998)

Books like this make me wonder: what is the publishing industry thinking jacking up their prices every year, like clockwork, assuming we're going to buy this "cost of living increase" nonsense?

Clarissa Dickson Wright's The Haggis: A Little History is a small, lavishly-illustrated hardback priced such that, if the carpings of other publishers are to be believed, Pelican must have taken a major loss printing and selling it for the price they do. One would expect to see a book of this beauty selling for at least three times this price solely to break even. (Heed well, poetry fans. You're getting screwed on those fifteen-dollar trade paperbacks of less than an hundred pages. Not that you're surprised, but now you have hard evidence.)

As to the content of the book itself, it's a short essay by Dickson Wright (the surviving member of the wonderful Two Fat Ladies) on the origins, history, and popularity of the dish that has come to be associated with Scotland more than any other, though it's been said the Scots invented whiskey because they had to eat haggis. With her trademark wit and charm, Dickson Wright sheds new light on the much-maligned supersausage. Maybe even enough new light to get a few folks to try the stuff. Maybe. Folks, if you have tried scrapple and thought you were eating something akin to haggis, think again. (One word: oatmeal.)

A lovely little book. Granted, probably not for everyone, but giving a slew of these to children as birthday presents (you can remove the dust jacket; the actual book cover is just as beautiful and far more durable) may finally take the taint off the Scottish Hot Dog once and for all. ****

Great Chieftain o' the Puddin' Race
Haggis is the legendary national dish of Scotland. It is, when well-made, surprisingly delicious. We served an excellent one to friends from Nova Scotia that we bought in Scotland, and our guests were delighted by its spicy richness.

Clarissa Disckon Wright, the witty co-host of the Two Fat Ladies cooking show, wrote this book with her wry humor but also with authority. It is an excellent work and fun to read. The illustrations are charming.

Be warned, however; making a haggis yourself is not for the faint-of-heart, nor is a detailed recipe included here--the initial stages of making haggis resemble a post-mortem more than a culinary exercise. Dickson Wright gently suggests you buy yours, as most people do. This is surprising, as she once described a recipe for beef tongue stuffed in sausage casing explaining, "just as simple really as applying a condom, though, of course, less fun."

what a breath of fresh air!!
I'm so tired of all these yuppie cooking shows. I think that the "Two Fat Ladies" is such a refreshing breath of fresh air! Whenever I seeit on the television, I stop what I'm doing and get ready to learnsomething and have a great laugh. I appreciate it even more now thatJennifer has passed on.-Kristina Jansz ... Read more

Isbn: 1565543645
Sales Rank: 144783
Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Cooking / Wine    3. Haggis    4. History    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Regional & Ethnic - English, Scottish & Welsh    7. Scotland   

Braveheart
by Mel Gibson Sophie Marceau
Director: Mel Gibson
Average Customer Review:
DVD (08 January, 2002)
list price: $19.99 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning 1995 Braveheart is an impassioned epic about William Wallace, the 13th-century Scottish leader of a popular revolt against England's tyrannical Edward I (Patrick McGoohan). Gibson cannily plays Wallace as a man trying to stay out of history's way until events force his hand, an attribute that instantly resonates with several of the actor's best-known roles, especially Mad Max. The subsequent camaraderie and courage Wallace shares in the field with fellow warriors is pure enough and inspiring enough to bring envy to a viewer, and even as things go wrong for Wallace in the second half, the film does not easily cave in to a somber tone. One of the most impressive elements is the originality with which Gibson films battle scenes, featuring hundreds of extras wielding medieval weapons. After Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky, Orson Welles's Chimes at Midnight, and even Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, you might think there is little new that could be done in creating scenes of ancient combat; yet Gibson does it. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (743)

EPIC!
While long and gory, this movie delivers. The acting of Mel Gibson and the others in this movie is totally flawless.Mel's fake(it doesn't sound like it) accent must have taken much practice and determination.

The landscape of the movie is breathtaking, much like in "The Lord of the Rings."From the grassy planes to mountains, this movie sends you to Ireland.

The amazing score is another piece of the puzzle, as without it, the movie would not be the same.Sad music blends with good old bagpipe music.

The fighting scenes, which are my favorite, are extremely realistic with blood and gore.The weapons used are authentic.When bows are pulled back, it is done with effort, unlike most other movies where bows are pulled back with absolutely no effort whatsoever.

There are very sad moments like when William's soon-to-be wife is killed and when he yells "FREEDOM!!" that bring tears to my eyes.

This movie gets two thumbs WAY up and should definately be added to your DVD collection.

Cheap thrills for mass market minds
Mel Gibson seem to be a mesochist determined to impress the world with his willingness to protray himself suffering with make-believe valiance in some cheezy pretense of historical settings.

one of the best
I feel sorry for everyone who rated this movie with 4 and less stars, they miss out on the enjoyment of one of the best movies ever. ... Read more

Asin: B00003CX95
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-action/Adventure   

Tunes of Glory
by Alec Guinness John Mills Susannah York
Director: Ronald Neame
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (22 February, 1995)
list price: $29.95
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Editorial Review

Venerable British actors Alec Guinness and John Mills give two of their finest performances in Tunes of Glory, a compelling, emotionally charged study of leadership in a peacetime Scottish battalion. In one of his most memorable roles, Guinness plays Jock Sinclair, the brash, red-haired colonel who temporarily commands his regiment of loyal, devoted soldiers. He's quick with a drink and hearty tales of military bravado, placing him in fun-loving contrast to his replacement, Col. Barrow (Mills), a hot-tempered martinet whose by-the-book style couldn't be more different, or less likable, than Sinclair's. In adapting his own novel for director Ronald Neame, James Kennaway keenly establishes the psychological opposition of these two stubborn men, demonstrating the equal merit of their military careers while exploring class distinctions and, ultimately, the inevitable tragedy of their failure to reach a mutual understanding. Ironically, Guinness was originally offered Mills's role, but suggested a switch to avoid comparison to his role in The Bridge on the River Kwai. It was an inspired decision, allowing each actor to shine in a timeless film that speaks volumes about military men and the winning (or losing) of hearts and minds. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Black & White
• NTSC

Reviews (22)

Inspiring, Compelling, and Highly Watchable Military Drama
This one's been sitting in my collection for a while and I finally popped it in and watched it. I'm glad I did. Not only was I treated to an amazing drama, but also to the brilliance of Sir Alec Guinness and John Mills. Alec Guinness was one of our finest actors, and in Tunes of Glory, he is without peer. His portrayal of the whiskey-loving and irascable Jock Sinclair is one of the highlights of his estimable career. John Mills, who plays his antithesis, is equally memorable as the replacement colonel whose by-the-book leadership sets the stage for a clash of wills that is mesmerizing to watch.


Mills plays his role so well his frustration with Guinness's Sinclair is almost palpable. At times, Colonel Barrows's head almost explodes in apoplectic fits. Sinclair's heavy-drinking and jocular exploits is too much for the straight-laced Barrows, and the confrontation between these two large egos can only end in tragedy.


A great examination of military ritual and tradition, and a fine example of superb acting. Highly recommended.

An Excellent Movie, With Guinness and Mills
This is a sad, great, superbly acted movie about the struggle for dominance in a Scottish regiment after WWII. Colonel Jock Sinclair (Alec Guinness) was named acting commander of his regimental battalion and now expects to be confirmed. He's an up-from-the-ranks officer, hard drinking, bluff but sly, whose whole life as been the regiment. He demands loyalty and manliness in his officers. But he isn't confirmed. Coming to replace him as battalion commander is Colonel Basil Barrow (John Mills). He's everything Sinclair dislikes, aristocratic, privileged, from a military family. He also is something of martinet, a man who prizes decorum in his officers, a man who was a prisoner of war and returned shaken. Something of a weak man.

The stage is set for Barrow to try to take moral command of the batallion, and for Sinclair to undermine him every step of the way. The result is that both men, with their own weaknesses, destroy themselves.

A number of elements makes this, in my opinion, a powerful motion picture. The setting is batallion headquarters in Scotland, located in a towering, massive stone hulk of a building that reeks of tradition. It's winter and it's cold, and it's a perfect setting for the struggles going on. The customs of the regiment, the playing of pipes, all underline the closed-in atmosphere of this all-male society. The cast is excellent, from the actors playing the soldiers to the NCOs to the officers. Dennis Price, a first-class actor, is cool and enigmatic as the battalion's exec who may have to pick up the pieces and who may not be so disinterested as he appears. And Guinness and Mills are extraordinary, with both playing against type. While Guinness has the flashier role, Mills brings such depth of well-intentioned weakness that the match is equal between the two. You wind up understanding both men and having sympathy for both. Most of all, I think, is the story. It is a fascinating look inside a regiment, tied to a story of real power and tragedy as these two men ruin their lives. This is great story telling and great acting. I recommend the movie.

The Criterion disc is first rate. Among other extras, it features an excellent interview with the director, Ronald Neame, in which he describes the filming of the movie.

A very nice movie with great music
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

"Tunes of Glory" is one of the greatest films I have seen which star Alec Guiness. The film is about a batallion of soldiers in Scotland under the command of Jock Sinclair (Guiness) He is an eccentric man and is nearing retirement. When his replacement arrives, he disaproves of his methods. They begin to argue over the right way to command and later the argument is on the verge of becoming violent.

The film has some excellent acting and excellent music performed on the bagpipes. Much of it was composed for the film. There is also excellent scenery and great acting by Alec Guiness and John Mills.

The special features on the DVD are a video interview with director Ronald Neame and an audio interview with actor John Mills. There is also a 1970's BBC interview with Alec Guiness. There is also a theatrical trailer.

I highly recommend this film and it is bound to remain a classic for a long time. ... Read more

Asin: 6303346375
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

The Loch Ness Monster: The Evidence
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 December, 1997)
list price: $21.00 -- our price: $14.28
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Reviews (9)

There is one theory this book overlooked...
The book was a bit too negative and ignored a recent theory that Dr. Roy Mackell (a scientist who spend 20 years studying the Loch Ness Monster) has suggested as the most likely candiatate for the Lake creature, that it is a large form of lake eel that lives at the bottom of the lake and only is seen occassionally at the surface.Eurpoean Lake eels do live in mountain lakes and are thought to grow at least 15 feet long if they live long enough.If nessie does exist, it is most likely a lake eel.But it would show that all those people were not wrong, that they had in fact seen a large animal swiming in the lake, it just was a large eel.

The Loch Ness Monster-The Evidence; A Good Read
When I first read this book,I was completely put off by it and seriously thought of returning it.It presents a totally negative view of the problem,and concludes that there is absolutely no postive evidence for the existence of the Loch Ness Monster,or any other lake monster for that matter. Being a strong believer,I was ready to reject this idea.
Later,I realized that when examining the evidence,it is very important to look at both sides of the story.For instance,regardless of my pro-monster status,I now concede that the "Surgeon's Photo" is in fact a hoax,as well as Lachlan Stuart's "3-hump" photo. The famous "gargoyle head" photo snapped by an underwater camera most likely shows an engine block used as an anchor (but the other underwater phots arte still very interesting).
As to the book itself,it is a bit difficult to read-the author refers to the Monster as "N",the loch as "L. Ness",and uses a whole series of abbreviations,which make for some interesting,as well as confusing sentences. He also make many seemingly solid declarations without giving sources,the most common being that a film or photograph (pick one,any one) has "long been rumoured to be a hoax."
Summing up-if you a Monster enthusiast,by all means,read this book,but be prepared for a completely negative view of the whole matter,and remember that it is important to examine all sides of the issue.

What Loch Ness monster?
The Loch Ness Monster is a detailed evaluation of every photographically supported sighting of the loch's alleged denizen since 1933.Campbell offers the most plausible explanation of each, and concludes that none survives close inspection.While he lists the ancient mythology that has been retroactively postulated as evidence for Nessie's existence, he finds that it is nothing more than a desperate ploy to reinterpret older fairy tales as early sightings.
If Nessie exists, then its ancestor must have entered Loch Ness at some time in the past, when there was a tunnel from the loch to the open sea.But since Loch Ness is 16 meters above sea level, any tunnel large enough to take Nessie would drain the lake down to sea level.There is no tunnel, and probably never was a tunnel.And for the creature to have survived for centuries, there would have to be a breeding herd of at least twenty individuals.But Loch Ness is too cold to support any cold-blooded species, and also does not have the capacity to feed such a number of large lifeforms.
Campbell shows that all alleged positive results of sonar, radar and photographic imaging, on close inspection, in fact prove to be negative.Not only does the loch not have the capacity to support a herd of monsters.No legitimate evidence exists that it does contain them.And given the thousands of man-hours devoted to loch watching by serious searchers, photographers and tourists, the logical conclusion is that, if Nessie existed, someone would have proven it by now.But the more Loch Ness is watched, the less the alleged monster shows itself.
Campell concludes that there is absolutely no reason why anyone should believe in lake monsters.If anyone doubts that conclusion on the basis of any specific evidentiary claim, the chances are it is one of the dozens of claims that the book examines and demolishes. ... Read more

Isbn: 1573921785
Sales Rank: 441044
Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Controversial Knowledge    3. Loch Ness monster    4. New Age    5. New Age / Parapsychology    6. Religion    7. Unexplained Phenomena    8. Wonders And Curiosities   

Katie Morag and the Two Grandmothers
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 1986)
list price: $10.95
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Reviews (2)

A pure Scottish children's series
I love the Katie Morag series of children's books.Little ginger haired Katie Morag is split between the traditional ways of Granny Island and the modern Granny Mainland.Granny Island works with her hands and isn't afraid to get dirty.Granny Mainland wears nice clothes and bothers abouther appearance.Katie Morag loves them both, but they don't appreciateeach other.

How to solve this?Why, with sheep of course.How perfectlyScottish.

A warm-fuzzy intergenerational story
Hedderwick is a master story teller with wonderful illustrations which delight children & adults. Katie Morag's home is so comfortably chaotic and the parents and grandmothers are characters.In this tale, there is anincreased understanding between the "fancy-ways" Grannie mainlandand her strong, competent counterpoint, Grannie Island.And the Scottishis wonderful! ... Read more

Isbn: 0316354007
Sales Rank: 1705856
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Grandmothers    6. Scotland   

Rob Roy (Everyman's Library, 210)
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (23 May, 1995)
list price: $20.00 -- our price: $13.60
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Editorial Review

This novel, first published in 1817, achieved a huge successand helped establish the historical novel as a literary form.In rich prose and vivid description, Rob Roy follows the adventures of a businessman's son, Frank Osbaldistone, who is sent to Scotland and finds himself drawn to the powerful, enigmatic figure of Rob Roy MacGregor, the romantic outlaw who fights for justice and dignity for the Scots.This is an incomparable portrait of the haunted Highlands and Scotland'sglorious past. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Boring and confusing
I have derived many hours of pleasure from this author. My favorite is Ivanhoe. I wouldn't recommend this one, though. It is boring and confusing.

Short and Sweet
Of the four Sir Walter Scott books I own (Ivanhoe, Waverley, Heart of Midlothian, Rob Roy) this one is his worst. So why did I still give it four stars? Because even though it is his worst, it is still a really good book. To start with the bad: it confused me more than his other books I have. Also the plot feels contrived at times and it is stereotypical in the ending. But, it is stereotypical because Sir Walter Scott pretty much invented that kind of ending and so many authors since have ripped it off. The novel achieves the purpose of making the historical feel alive. If you just suspend your disbelief and focus more on the characters and the feel of the age (zeitgeist) that Scott has invented in this book it is a good read.

Another worthwhile historical classic
This was my first exposure to Sir Walter Scott and his concept of a historical novel.While it was enjoyable, it would have been easier to appreciate if I had read Ivanhoe first.Rob Roy is a difficult book to read and it does require some patience.The Scottish language and customs can be difficult to get through and it does start a bit slow.If you have already read Ivanhoe, this will be a bit more challenging, but definitely worthwhile.Once you get into it and the action picks up a bit and the characters have all been established, it flows much more quickly.Scott's work seems to have a pattern of establishing the characters and setting first and extensively before getting into the flow of the plot.I think this makes his books slow to get into but ultimately fun to finish. ... Read more

Isbn: 0679443622
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Literary    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Fiction / Literary