The legend tells us that the 15th-century Earl of Atholl devised a plan to thwart a rebellion against the Scottish king by identifying the well that the rebels drank from. He ordered it loaded with oats, honey, and whisky, which made the rebels too drunk to fight. Did it happen? It's unlikely, because oats and honey were unnecessary for the scheme, and really, how much Scotch whisky are you willing to part with to effectively adulterate a water well of unknown capacity?
Still, it's a good story, and serves as a fine origin tale for the Atholl Brose cocktail. The Earl's descendants still make it, and it has become traditional for the Scottish festival of Hogmanay leading up to the New Year. The word brose refers to the homemade oat milk used today, after oats are cooked and soaked and the solids discarded. The honey makes it non-vegan already, so modern recipes add a bit of cream, too. Read the history of Scotland's Atholl Brose and get a recipe to make your own at Atlas Obscura. -via Nag on the Lake
(Image credit Schaer Chris)
