The culture of drinks in Scotland is perhaps far more diverse than many people would realise - whisky and Irn Bru are not all there is to it by any means. Drinks have had a significant place in religious festivals, folk medicine, relaxation and commerce since time immemorial, and a wide range of native plants has been included in their production, giving (literally) a Scottish flavour to many of our modern beverages.  Below are a few tasters of the Flora Celtica’s research into native plants in drinks.

THE ‘RETURN’ OF THE NATIVE - HEATHER BEER

Analysis of a 3000 year old pottery sherd from the Isle of Rum reportedly showed traces of pollen and spores of heather (Calluna and Erica species), meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and royal fern (Osmunda regalis). This has been interpreted by one archaeologist as suggesting that a kind of heather beer may have been brewed with these species at this time.* Whether or not this was the case, the 6th century theologian Boethius made mention of the Picts brewing something similar which he claimed disappeared together with this race.  This idea was adopted and romanticised by more recent Scottish poets and writers such as John Leyden, Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson, creating the modern impression that the secret died with the last of the Pictish kings. It is far more likely, however, that the practice was continued in more isolated areas such as the Lordship of the Isles, with the addition of barley to the recipe. Indeed there are numerous accounts of heather ale having been brewed as late as the 1950s by Hebridean natives.  In recent years this drink has seen something of a revival, with a Lanarkshire based company producing over a million bottles of its excellent heather beer each year.

* Archaeobotanical interpretations of this kind are by their nature highly speculative and in some cases contentious. The conclusions of the individuals working in this field, in most cases based on somewhat scanty evidence, do not always coincide.

WHISKY

Whisky has traditionally been flavoured with a variety of different berries from native plants:

• Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) - Provides an acidic, astringent tang.
• Bird Cherry (Prunus padus) - This bitter, wild plant gives an acidic flavour.
• Sloe (Prunus spinosa) - Perhaps more familiar as a flavouring in gin, this gives a very sweet flavour to whisky.
• Juniper (Juniperus communis) - Again, more familiar in gin, juniper gives a ‘gamey’ taste.
• Blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) - One of the few native plants used to make a spirit in its own right, blaeberry jelly has also been used dissolved in whisky to give it a sweet, rich edge.

The leaves of Wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) were employed throughout Scotland as a ‘tea’. The content of Oxalic acid made the drink bitter and as a consequence, extremely refreshing, particularly for heat stroke or fever patients. In large quantities, however, the acid can be toxic.

Chamomile (a non-native plant) is familiar to many today as a calming tea. In Scotland, a number of members of the same family (the Asteraceae) have been used in the same way:

• Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), infused in hot water, was particularly given to young children in the throes of a tantrum and women suffering from “hysterics arising from suppressions”.
• Thistles give a drink with similar properties. It was believed that thistle tea could combat melancholy and depression.
• The best coffee substitute was considered to be the roasted and powdered roots of the dandelion (Taraxacum spp.), which was thought to help alleviate an upset stomach.

GET THE JUICES GOING !  

Elder (Sambucus nigra) berries and flowers have been used as a source of a refreshing juice for centuries, which is readily available in the shops today.  Slightly less familiar is the use of the sugar-rich sap of the birch tree (Betula species) for the same purpose. Both of these can also be made into light and pleasant wines.

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