Scotland Travel Guide: Nice To Know Facts About Scotland. Interesting Facts.

The Kilt

The kilt is a traditional clothing worn by Scottish men during special occasions and is regarded as the “symbolic national dress of Scotland”. In recent years however, it has made a comeback as more informal clothing for men. It is essentially a cloth made of wool with pleats at the back. The cloth comes in a pattern known as tartan, more commonly called “plaid” in the United States. Historically, the kilt originated in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th century and eventually became more widespread all throughout Scotland. By the 19th century, it became an indelible part of Scottish culture and was broadly associated with the Scottish people’s Gaelic heritage.

The kilt of Scotland is distinct from other similar garments because of the way it is designed and worn. Usually the garment is placed on the wearer at the waist and wrapped around the body starting from the left. It is then fastened by buckles and straps to a waistband. The kilt covers the wearer from the waist all the way down to the knee. The kilt is usually worn with a belt, a jacket, and leather dress shoes called Ghillie brogues, shoes with no tongues and long shoelaces that are wrapped above the wearer’s ankles. It is also worn with a sporran which is a type of pouch usually made of leather that acts as pockets for the kilt. The sporran can be also be made of fur and will have different types of ornamentation depending on the occasion.

The tartans used on kilts are also considered important clan symbols in Scotland. The clans in Scotland usually have several tartans associated to their family name. The chief of the clan is authorized to produce an official tartan and to have it registered with the Lord Lyon. After the approval process, the tartan is placed in the ‘Lyon Court Books’ and can then be used in the clan chief’s heraldry. The custom of producing clan tartans began in the 18th century. The ‘Highland Society of London’ started the convention of making tartans specific to each clan in 1815. The tradition of using tartans to identify Scottish clans continues on to this day.

The Great Highland Bagpipe

Although the bagpipe is known to have originated in the Middle East and is found in many other countries, The Great Highland bagpipe is attributed specifically to Scotland and is considered one of its national symbols. The bagpipe is a woodwind musical instrument that consists of a set of reed pipes attached to a bag. The airtight bag allows for a constant supply of air to go through a set of drone and melody pipes. The drone pipes produce a constant “droning” sound and the melody pipe or the “chanter” consists of a set of finger holes that produce the melody. Bagpipe music is most commonly associated with a musical genre called Pibroch or Ceòl Mór which is Scottish Gaelic for ‘great music’.

Historically, the bagpipe was at some point the musical instrument of choice when waging war due to its high pitched sound that can be heard even above the noise of battle. As early as the 16th century, the bagpipe also played a role in the clan system of Scotland. Pipers were often hired to serve clan chiefs and are asked to play during special occasions such as weddings and funerals. It was at this time that the ‘pibroch” or “piobaireachd” was developed and is considered as the classical style of music specific to the Great Highland Bagpipe. Today, the Great Highland Bagpipe continues to play an important role in Scottish culture and are often heard all throughout the country, whether it be as a tourist attraction or to celebrate national holidays.

Haggis

Scotland is also known for its national dish called Haggis. It is made from finely chopped sheep’s heart, lungs, and liver mixed with spices, oatmeal and onions. Traditionally, the ingredients were stuffed in sheep’s stomach and left to simmer for three hours. The more modern version of haggis is sold in a casing.

Although haggis is popularly known to be traditional Scottish dish, there is actually a lack of evidence as to where this dish originated. It is thought to have been brought to Scotland from Scandinavia. Some claim that the dish was invented as a way to preserve the parts of the hunt that spoil quickly. In Scotland, haggis is usually served on January 25 when celebrating Burns Night to commemorate the Scottish poet Robert Burns who immortalized the dish in his poem, ‘Address to a Haggis.’ On this occasion, it is served with Scottish whisky.
Haggis can be found in restaurants where it is served deep fried with chips or in the form of a burger patty. At times it is also used as an alternative for minced beef.

Deep Fried Mars Bars

Contrary to common belief, the deep frying of Mars chocolate bars in Scotland is actually not a myth. This practice allegedly originated in a chip shop in Stonehaven, Scotland in the mid-90s. The regular Mars bar is chilled first in the refrigerator to keep it from melting. Then the chilled chocolate bar is coated with batter, just like that used for coating fish, sausages or anything that is battered before deep-frying. It is claimed that it was first distributed as a treat for local children. It steadily grew in popularity after local newspapers ran a story that included a commentary from a spokesperson from Mars. The spokesperson indicated that they have never encountered the practice of deep frying their product before. In just a few days, what started as a quirk between a local Highland chip shop and some children became a worldwide phenomenon.
In the 2000s, many shops across Scotland include deep fried Mars bars in their menus.

Scotch Whisky

A trip to Scotland is not complete without taking a swig of their famous Scotch whisky. Of course, before ordering yourself a glass, keep in mind that the legal age for drinking in Scotland is 18 and underage drinking may result in a heavy fine. There are over one hundred distilleries across Scotland and a number of them allow visitors to come in and observe the process of manufacturing this popular Scottish product. The drink is made from malted barley, yeast, and pure sprint water and is then aged in oak barrels for a minimum of three years. It is interesting to note that while there are a number of big distilleries across Scotland, one distillery stands out for being reputed as the smallest one in the country, used to be run by three people but is currently manned by just two. They only produce 12 casks each week. Even their sign signifies that fact. The distillery is called Edradour, located in Pitlochry, Pertshire, welcomes guests for a tour of their distillery for an entrance free of 5 pounds. It comes with a 330 ml or a dram sample of their whisky. On the other hand, the 105 Cask Strength, which has 60% alcohol by volume, manufactured by Glenfarclas is considered by Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s strongest malt whisky.

Some examples of the Scotch whisky brands distributed worldwide include J&B, Chivas Regal and Johnny Walker. The best-selling brand in Scotland is The Famous Grouse.

Irn-Bru

The Irn-Bru is a very popular carbonated drink in Scotland and some even claim that it is a good cure for a hangover. It was originally manufactured in Glasgow and was invented in 1901 by A. G. Barr as a substitute for the large quantities of beer consumed by local steel workers. Its previous name was Strachan’s brew. The drink is famous for its bright orange color. Because of its successful marketing campaign, the soft drink remains as one of the most popular in Scotland and its sales has exceeded even internationally known products like Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

The carbonated drink was renamed Iron Brew as it was a favorite of iron and steel workers. However, it had to change its name under the new laws in 1946 since the drink was not brewed. The chairman of the manufacturing company then thought of a clever way to get the brand to retain its name by changing its spelling and still

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