THE HIGHLAND HONOURS TOAST If you’ve wondered what was going on in our poster for the tasting season it is the toasting of the Duke of Rothsay with Highland Honours. Jim McEwan’s research has unearthed the procedure and it was performed at Inveraray at the end of Jim’s presentation during the summer. Jim tells us, “Toasting with Highland Honours is now a thing of the past, and to pledge anyone with these is a great compliment. This toast was generally given from the chair and the procedure was on these lines. The chairman rises and places his left foot on his chair and his right on the table and says, “Let us drink to ______ with Highland Honours.” The company then stand up, each gentleman placing one foot on his chair and the other on the table. The chairman then calls: “Suas e Suas e Suas e” (up with it), the whole of the company raising their glasses above their heads three times (as with Jim pictured below). “Sios e Sios e Sios e” (down with it), the company lowering glasses to the chest. “Null e Null e Null e” (thither with it), the company stretching their glasses in front of them to the full extent of the arm. “Nall e Nall e Nall e” (hither with it), the company bringing their glasses towards themselves. The glasses are then emptied (no heeltaps) followed by three ringing cheers. Then “A ris! A ris!” (again, again) as a finale to the toast with final cheers. When toasting royalty or anyone deserving of special honour, the empty glasses are flung over the left shoulder and smashed.