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Single malt whisky has been produced in Scotland for centuries and is known around the world as Scotland's national drink. Indeed, it may well be the case that when many people think of Scotland, single malt whisky is the first thing which comes to mind. How many people know, however, that single malt whisky has a predecessor in Scotland?

Blaand is a very different proposition altogether from single malt whisky. It is believed that bland was introduced to Scotland more than a thousand years ago by the invading Vikings. It is a drink which is made from fermenting whey, the by-product of cheese and butter production, which is generally discarded as waste. This means that bland is a drink which cannot be classified as either a wine, a spirit or a beer. It is an alcoholic drink most distinct from any other type.

Blaand looks like white wine, is similar to white wine in alcohol content and is even served in similar quantities to white wine, The taste, however, is very, very different. I have only tasted bland once to date but can find nothing in my mental archives with which to compare it in this respect. The word that I want to use is "sour" but please do not allow that to put you off sampling this most unusual drink.

Blaand was very widely made following its introduction to Scotland. It was made by farmers and the crofters for them and their families to consume for medicinal purposes. It was taken to sea in barrels by fishermen to keep them warm in the freezing conditions. Incredibly, however, no one ever began to produce bland on a commercial scale. Small, private productions were the only methods of producing bland and so it was that, in the twentieth century, when farming methods became more mechanised and individual farmers and crofters did not have access to the whey in the same way as before, bland production all but died out.

A few short years ago, however, a Lanarkshire farmer by the name of Humphrey Errington - who already produced his own cheese brands on his farm - decided to try his hand with Scotland's forgotten drink. He began producing his own brand of bland, which he labelled, "Fallachan," which is Gaelic for, "Hidden treasure."

To this day, this remains the only commercial bland production in Scotland, though similar drinks can be found elsewhere in the world where the Vikings touched down. It can be found in a small selection of pubs and restaurants throughout the United Kingdom and a Google search will reveal the outlet nearest to you. I hope that you do have the opportunity to taste bland as I can guarantee, whether you like it or not, you - like me - will probably be unable to compare it to anything you have ever tasted before.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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