A much more expansive stretch of water nearly cost Scotland one of its true sporting heroes when, after a late night celebration of Scotland beating Wales in 1974, Jimmy Johnstone famously set off from Largs in a rowing boat to get some more Jamaican rum to continue the party. Always confident in his own skills, Johnstone had bitten off more than even he could chew and the coastguard had to rescue the best winger Scotland ever produced.
My memory of this incident was sparked by an article in Lonely Planet, which decried the efforts of the Scottish Tourist Board, describing them as “casually kicking a ball around rather then going for goal” when advertising the attractions of the country. Two Argyll landmarks, the West Highland Line and Bruichladdich Distillery have been nominated in the publication’s inaugural awards.
I have travelled the railway that is the West Highland Line, and it was a truly magnificent experience rolling slowly through the unmatched scenery of western Scotland. However, this is an article where I occasionally feature the promised topic and this brings us, circuitously as promised, to Bruichladdich. The distillery, on Islay, has been nominated in the category “World’s Best Place to Drink”, which one could think was slightly off the mark, but at five pounds for a tour of the distillery which includes a dram, perhaps they have got it right.
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