Many people in Scotland laboured under the impression that the world wide sales of Scotch Whisky would keep on rising forever. How so ?

Nothing keeps on rising forever, and it is disturbing to learn that the so called “Scottish Government” is now embracing this old industry

like hugging a little baby, now that they have been forced to admit that they got the revenue projections for north sea oil so disastrously wrong.

Scotch Whisky is absolutely iconic, no doubt about that, but it is coming increasingly under pressure from other whisky, and spirit producers from around the world.

We in Scotland have got no God given right to expect that we will rule the world whisky market forever and a day, but we must do our level best to continue to compete with

the likes of, (in no particular order of priority) USA, Japan, Ireland (a huge potential threat in the making), France, Germany, Australia, Sweden, India, Canada, Nova Scotia to name just a few.

The Scots as a nation would do well to remember that the attitude of “wha’s like us ? Damned few and they are A’ Deid ” does not work in the 21st century.

To try to run a country, and live on emotion is quite frankly a recipe for failure.

Ask the Greeks ?

So let’s get on and be true Scottish men & women, Love our Country, and play a Full and Meaningful part in shaping the UK in all the Best ways way can, for the next 100 yesr or so.

//John

PS The picture is of me & Oliver Hughes when discussing the Dingle Distillery project in in Dingle, Co. Kerry Ireland.