Banking on booze



Another excellent Scottish book launch last night as Alex, Fiona and I headed off into the murky depths of Edinburgh’s haunted Undercity by the glowing light of a full moon. In one of the vaults of the Old Town we attended the trade launch of Iain Banks’ new book on whisky, Raw Spirit. Iain was in ebullient form and the uisge betha flowed like the water (of life). Great quantities of the tipple Iain had selected as his perfect dram were consumed - if you have to know before you read it, it was a 21 year old Glenfidich. Actually I had only a couple of glasses. Of course, that glass was topped up several times… Ahem…



Bloody good night was had by all and now we have some invites to another launch in the Malt Whisky Society’s environs in a few weeks courtesy of a small publisher who creates CD and DVD ROMs of Scottish history and guides, Heehaw productions. They’ve just created a DVD on whisky and invited us along. Iain’s publishers refused to let them send an invite to him, so I slipped a spare ticket to him at his own launch and he seemed quite happy with the idea. I love it when a plan comes together. Especially when it involves free whisky. I have a fine collection of single malts but will still happily attend an event offering more free drams. I mention these events out of interest and not just to make Ariel jealous :-)



At least I made it to work today; unlike certain people (must have been a bug or something).