As well as being borderline obsessed with whisky (okay, who am I kidding, there’s no borderline about it) I’m also big on local folklore, tradition, and superstitions. I don’t know what it is, I just find it fascinating.
The history of whisky alone makes for incredibly interesting reading, but when you combine whisky with the unknown, that’s when things really become intriguing.
Whisky has Celtic roots which can be traced back centuries upon centuries. As a result of that, its origins are entwined with superstition. In fact, there’s an old Irish proverb, which goes something along the lines of ‘what whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for’.
For centuries we have been enjoying whisky (long may that continue) yet for some, a dram of whisky is so much more than just a delicious-tasting beverage. It could, quite literally, be the difference between life and death.
From, folklore and superstition, to history and tradition, here’s a look at some people’s beliefs surrounding the liquid gold nectar known whisky.
Scotch and Burns Night
Burns Night is one of our most favourite celebrations here at Great Drams. It’s a Scottish holiday that is celebrated on January 25th, which is known as ‘Burns Night’. The reason for this date is because it was the birthday of legendary Scottish poet Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns.
Burns was a huge fan of whisky and even wrote a famous poem about it entitled ‘John Barleycorn’. To honour and celebrate his memory, millions of households in Scotland, and beyond, will enjoy a traditional Burns Supper, which consists of haggis (another favourite of Rabbie) tatties, and neeps, all washed down with a dram or two of a fine Scotch whisky. Many people will also serve the dish with a whisky cream sauce. Yum!
Jura Whisky and the Seeress
Many of the Isles in Scotland and Ireland are incredibly superstitious, riddled with ancient myths, mysteries, folklore, and legend.
On the Isle of Jura for example, peat must never be cut before May, for fear of bad luck. Another Jura legend surround whisky however, tells of the tale of the one-eyed Campbell.
The story goes that the Campbell’s of Jura, a large clan with a vast amount of power, wealth, and influence in the Highlands, evicted an elderly seeress in the early 1700s. A seeress was said to be a woman with mystical abilities, including being able to predict, influence, and see events in the future.
Enraged, the elderly seeress foretold that the final Campbell clan member to leave the Isle of Jura would have one eye and would leave with his belongings being carried by a single white horse. Sure enough, after losing his eye during WW1, Charles Campbell departed the island for the last time, his belongings towed by a single white horse.
Somehow along the way, superstition told that failing to finish a bottle of Jura in one sitting, or allowing a barman to open a new bottle of Jura, would result in the drinker being cursed by a seeress.
The bottle, however, features the Ankh Cross of Good Luck. When you pour a Jura, you should always hold it with the cross across your palm. Do that, and you should be okay.
Curing a Cold with Whiskey
Another folktale surrounding whiskey is the fact that burning it before bed was said to cure a cold.
In German Pennsylvania, those afflicted with a heavy cold would burn a dram of whiskey before they went to bed. The superstition goes that, during the process, the flame must be put out and then re-lit three times. It should then be left to burn until all of the alcohol had burnt away. This was said to cure a cold.
To this day, we still associate a Hot Toddy with curing a cold, so who knows?
Drinking from the Quaich
In Scotland, another popular tradition surrounding whisky is drinking it from a Quaich, particularly during weddings and celebrations.
A Quaich is a shallow bowl or cup which features at least two handles. The name has Scottish Gaelic origins, as it originated from the word ‘Cuach’ which translated to ‘Cup’, traditionally it would be carved from wood, though nowadays they’re made from silver and other precious metals and materials, and often feature intricate engravings, carvings, and designs.
It was also known as the ‘cup of friendship’ as it was used during hospitality ceremonies. Today it is a symbol of trust, friendship, and love, and is therefore a popular wedding gift. The couple would both drink from the same vessel, as this serves as a metaphor for the life they plan on sharing together.
Whisky and Iron
Another ancient Scottish tradition required people to place a piece of iron, such as a nail, into food and drink items in the house as a way of preventing the “death” from infecting them, and as a way of removing the ‘Toradh’ (fortune) from them.
As whisky was a staple in virtually every Scottish household (some things just don’t change, and I love it) following a death in the family or household, a rusty nail would often be placed into the whisky.
This tradition likely came about as iron has notoriously been associated with repelling evil spirits and supernatural beings for centuries.
So, that brings this week’s blog to a close. As we’re now fast-approaching spooky season, I thought I’d try something a little bit different, so hopefully you’ve found the above as fascinating as I did.
If you’d like to learn more about whisky, or simply grab yourself a bottle of your favourite dram to repel evil spirits, be sure to head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at the amazing whiskies we have on offer. Take it from us, there’s nothing evil about our spirits.
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