And the best Scotch is . . . Japanese, says Canada panel. That's right, a panel of Canadian single-malt Scotch experts have announced that the Japanese single-malt Scotch whisky, 20-year old Nikka Yoichi, is the best Single Malt out there.

Not that I find it strange for the Japanese to have perfected a process first developed by someone else, but I just had more faith in drunken Scotts to come up with better Scotch. Of course, it took America to perfect "English" - maybe Samual Adams is better than Guinness - I will get back to you on that...