>When it comes to Scotch, there is good Scotch and bad Scotch! As far as Whiskey made in the United States is concerned, I rather leave it in the bottle and would never buy the stuff, let alone drink it! :)

Speaking of which, for most of the years while in the US, I had no whiskey - save for a couple of glasses with Mike Yeager, once. We still had my dad's moonshine, and we'd occasionally wipe the dust off a bottle and have a shot or two.

And then at some point we said it's a shame we don't accept more of the natives' culture, and bought a bottle of some Kentucky bourbon, going for local color. Hmm... a bit sour. Next, we tried something Canadian... again, too sour for our taste. Then, OK, let's go for a sure shot: we got a bottle of Ballantines. Damn, that's sour too, not even close to what I remember. Although my memory isn't something to brag about, it's mostly about facts and events and names - tastes and smells I remember precisely. But at the time I had my doubts about my tastebuds and nose, more than memory. Maybe I just don't feel it right? Then again, why don't I have the same sensation with brandy or beer? Hmmm...

So after a year of experimenting we just gave up and (for different reasons, though) went home.

A few months ago, at some party, someone had Ballantine's. I asked for half a shot, just to taste it, and guess what - it was just like I remember it from the seventies. It was not my memory. It was not my nose nor palate. It's the stuff they sell in the US, no matter where it's made.