Scotland and its Culture

Scotland is a country in the United Kingdom, north of England. Its capital is Edinburgh. Scottish Gaelic is still spoken by some people in the northwest of the country and in the islands off the west coast. Scotland is known for its beautiful countryside and its many lochs (= lakes), islands and mountains. When people think of Scotland, they often think of men wearing kilts (= a sort of skirt of thick woollen cloth, with a tartan pattern) and playing the bagpipes (= a type of Scottish musical instrument). Products that are thought of as very typical of Scotland include the haggis (= a food in the shape of a ball, made from chopped up sheep’s meat and grains) and Scotch whisky. The national symbol of Scotland is the thistle, and its patron saint is Saint Andrew. People from Scotland are called Scots. They are Scottish.

Difference between Irish and Scottish whisky

Irish whiskey is a strong alcoholic drink made in Ireland, usually from malt or barley. Irish whiskey tastes slightly different from Scotch whisky, and is always spelt with an ‘e’.
Scotch (also Scotch whisky) is a type of whisky made in Scotland. It is thought of as a typically Scottish product, and there are two main types of Scotch whisky: the less expensive ‘blended whisky’, made from a mixture of spirits, and the more expensive ‘malt whisky’, made from spirit only made from malt. A Scotch on the rocks is whisky with ice.

Did you know?

A Scotch mist is a thick mist mixed with light rain.

Scotch broth is a thick soup that is popular in the UK, made from vegetables, meat and barley (= a type of grain).

Scotch egg is a boiled egg that is covered with sausage meat and breadcrumbs. Scotch eggs are popular in the UK and often sold in pubs.