Here is a nugget from my most recent visit to Scotland:

Let me set the stage. There were eight of us that had gathered in Forres, Scotland to explore an innovative course designed to explore an in depth understanding of whisky production. It starts with the cultivation of barley and culminates with experiencing the sensory explosion that comes from the cask. The magic happens when eight people from eight different cultures and seven different countries (well Texas is kind of its own country, isn’t it?) are drawn together by this extraordinary spirit. Which exemplifies one of the most important theories that I teach. Whisky (especially Scotch) is one of those things where the experience is as important as the liquid. Each time I enjoy a dram, I appreciate the fact that that moment, with those people, and that dram is unique and will never happen again. We enjoyed the end of our intense, week long studies with a marvelous graduation dinner that was punctuated by receiving our certificates. At this point, Mr. Scott Thompson posits “Hey, at this moment in time, I am one of only eight people in the whole world that have this certificate. Cool.”