RIVAL WHISKIES.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 146, 2 September 1876, Page 2

RIVAL WHISKIES.

The London correspondent of the Inverness “ Courier” writes regarding the merits of Irish and Scottish whiskies: “ Scotch or Irish ?” Such is the inquiry usually addressed to the timid wayfarer who orders his liquor at any of our metropolitan bars. And the question is a pertinent one, viewed in the light of the debate winch took place in the House of Commons the other night on the blending of Irish -whiskey. Mr O’Sullivan put the case very strongly when lie urged the Government to “ confer the greatest benefit they ever conferred on society,” by putting a stop to the practice of mixing bad Scotch with good Irish whiskey; and Mr Anderson showed up the other side of the question by speaking of it as an “ Irish bubble,” which the distillers had blown, because they found their trade slipping away, and were unable to charge the extravagant prices they used to get long ago in consequence of the supply of purer and better spirits at lower prices. Everybody, he continued, who had been in Ireland knew what Irish w-hiskey was. It was a most dangerous thing for a stranger to touch, being full of headaches to the brim; and he believed that a man required to be weaned on it in order to be fit to use it. Sir Wilfred Lawson continued the discussion in Ids usual sarcastic style, remarking that he had always heard from gentlemen who understood those subjects better than he did, that it was a very bad thing to mix your liquors; But it was reserved for Sir Robert Aiistruther to give point to the debate, by relating the story told by Dr Macleod, of a Highlander who once visited Glasgow and. there took so'me Lowland whisky, against which he' fulminated somewhat

ill this style:—“ It’s just a taste in your moo’, an’ then it’s awa’; but ;i Hielan’ dram gangs whamblin’ up and doon your wanie a’ the day, and is kind e’ a freon tae ye.” I remember once staying at one of the principal hotels in Dublin, and asking, rather late at night for a little brandy and water. The reply was that the bar was closed, and that no brandy had been left out. But there was plenty, of Irish whiskey, and shurc that was bettor than any brandy ! Such is the conceit of Irishmen in their own dram ; although it would appear, from what Mr O’Sullivan stated in the House the other night, that the inquiry with which I commenced this paragraph should be changed into “ Scotch and Irish ! ”