An interesting wee dram

A packed programme today beginning with an 11.00am showing of new Star Wars film in 3D at an IMAX cinema. This is the second time in a month I've been to the cinema, which for me is unheard of as to say I'm not a great fan of films is an understatement. I enjoyed the film despite my lack of interest in things cinematographic. The special effects were as good as I expected and the 3D very immersive. I thought the plot was a bit thin though and an ending similar to the previous Bond movie. The snippets of gentle humour and dialogue were lost in the bash 'em, smash 'em fisticuffs of the action scenes.

Back from the film we had time for a quick walk around Balerno before jumping on the 44 to the City Centre, crawling along Princes Street, catching the 22, crawling down Leith Walk to the Scotish Malt Whisky Society in Leith.

It's been a good few years since we last went to this plush, altar to the dram. They don't sell branded spirits; only their own botlings from distillaries across Scotland. There is a Bar Bible which gives extensive tating notes for each whisky on offer. These notes are some of the most colourful and expressive uses of language you'll ever come across as you can tell with the notes accompanying my first dram.

Prices per dram varied from £4.65 (green) to £5.35 (red) which was where we stopped up to £45 (black I think) for a dram of some liquid gold that was as old as me. Some of us enjoyed a very good fish supper while others had a very nice haggis and neeps.

Well warmed up we headed back up into town for the traditional visit to the Dome, which has featured here before. We didn't stop long for although we had a table we couldn't find enough chairs in this crowded and popular bar. So we headed on to the George Hotel. We didn't stop there either as it had been renovated and was not how we remembered it from last year. From there we went downmarket to the Standing Order, a Wetherspoons pub, for cocktails, beer and nachos to round off the evening before catching the 44 back to Balerno where we arrived in the teeth of a gale that continued for several hours into the night.