Scotland's number one drink, especially as a soft drink, is famously Irn-Bru, a bright orange, fizzy beverage often called the "other national drink" (after whisky). It has dominated sales over global giants like Coca-Cola in Scotland for over a century, known for its unique taste, cultural significance, and reputation as a hangover cure.
Irn-Bru has long been the most popularly consumed soft drink in Scotland, consistently beating rivals such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Fanta, and reportedly sells 20 cans every second throughout Scotland.
There have been some suggestions that the popularity of Buckfast in Scotland has something to do with the traditionally Catholic fans of the Scottish football club Celtic FC developing a taste for the stuff as their holy pre-match aperitif in the 1970's.
What's in IRN-BRU? Carbonated Water, Sugar, Acid (Citric Acid), Flavourings (Including Caffeine, Ammonium Ferric Citrate & Quinine), Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Preservative (E211), Colours (Sunset Yellow FCF, Ponceau 4R).
What kind of drinks will I find in Scotland? Locally made alcoholic drinks include whisky (of course!), gin, beer, wine and cider, as well as soft drinks including IRN BRU and Scottish fruit juices.
In Scotland, people say “Slàinte Mhath” (pronounced Slanj-a-va) to mean “cheers” or “good health.” The phrase exists in both Scots and Irish Gaelic, differing only slightly in spelling. Scots Gaelic originated in northern Ireland and spread to Scotland in the 4th–5th centuries.
Uisge beatha is the Scottish Gaelic term for 'water of life' with uisge simply meaning water and beatha meaning life. It is a straightforward translation of the Latin 'aqua vitae'. Over time and through common use in Scotland, uisge beatha was shortened and 'uisge' became known as 'whisky'.
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How the Sugar Content Stacks Up. Coke sold in Britain currently contains slightly more sugar than Irn Bru, with 35 grams of the white stuff in an average can, compared with Irn Bru's 34 grams. The new recipe will contain around 15.5 grams in a can (which is still about 4 teaspoons).
Alcohol can only be sold to be taken off the premises between the hours of 10am and 10pm. If a person appears to be under the age of 25 then identification must be requested before alcohol is sold to them.
The 1-2-3 drinking rule is a guideline for moderation: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days each week, helping to pace consumption and stay within safer limits. It emphasizes pacing alcohol intake with water and food, knowing standard drink sizes (12oz beer, 5oz wine, 1.5oz spirits), and avoiding daily drinking to reduce health risks, though some health guidance suggests even lower limits.
Whisky is Scotland's most famous export, and you can learn all about this celebrated spirit during your stay in Edinburgh. But gin and beer production is also big here, with a growing number of distilleries and craft breweries popping up across the country.
Beer stands out as the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world. Made from grains such as corn, barley, wheat or rice, this beverage has a wide consumer base all over the world with its light and refreshing structure.
The ScotsCare Guide to Speaking Scottish: 'Ginger' – a carbonated soft drink or fizzy drink, regardless of flavour. Do you call it ginger or juice? This might show which part of Scotland you're from, with Glaswegians calling soft drinks ginger and Edinburgers juice.
Heart-healthy drinks (other than water)
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Coca-Cola comes from the United States. It was developed in Atlanta, Georgia, and quickly spread across the world. It is not only the most popular soft drink in the United States, but also the most popular soft drink on the planet.
If you're drinking your whisky with a few true Scots, you may hear them exclaim 'Slàinte Mhath' whilst raising their glass. The Scots Gaelic phrase can also be found emblazoned on the walls of whisky bars. This traditional toast means a little more than just a simple, 'cheers'.
In Australia and New Zealand, "soft drink" or "fizzy drink" is typically used.
The endearing phrase “wee dram” is a Scottish term that is simply used to refer to a single measure of whisky and is often used interchangeably with the term 'shot'. This is typically around 25 to 35 millilitres, although a wee dram of whisky is often poured quite liberally!
Johnnie Walker is a brand of Scotch whisky, specifically a blended Scotch, meaning it's made from a mix of malt and grain whiskies from various distilleries across Scotland, not a single distillery. It's one of the world's most famous and best-selling Scotch whiskies, known for its different colored labels (Red, Black, Blue, etc.) representing different blends and ages.
Laphroaig, meaning “the beautiful hollow by a broad bay” in Islay's native Gaelic tongue, is a place like no other.
Glen is Scots Gaelic for “valley” and the valleys of Scotland is where you'll find rivers with fresh and clean water that is used to make fine Scotch whisky.