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Jul 4, 2022Liked by Zach Kincaid

When I was 12 years old my school's chemistry class took a field trip to the Glengoyne whisky distillery. (In those days, we took education - and whisky - seriously in Scotland. Plus the teachers could withdraw to the tasting room while we students took the tour with the guide).

The tour culminated in the still room, which had a bunch of pots linked by tubes - chemistry class, remember - with the final product being discharged into a large outlet vat. The guide drew our attention to the fact that the outlet vat was locked by a large padlock. The bottom of the padlock - where the key would go in - was covered with a wax seal with the royal crest and the letters ER stamped on it. "Elizabeth Regina". This was the excise seal, and the guide explained that the key was held by an officer of Her Majesty's Customs and Excisee, who came by regularly to unlock it and record the amount of whisky produced so it could be taxed.

No one else - not the tour guide, not the stillmen, not the owner of the distilllery, could access the vat, and breaking the seal was a criminal offence.

I certainly learned a lesson that day, but more about the nature of government than chemistry. It probably planted the seed that led ultimately to my quitting Scotland for the United States. (I didn't know about the Whiskey Rebellion until I got here...)

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