octave The smallest ⇒cask used for the bulk storage and ⇒maturation of whisky, the octave is generally less popular than the ⇒butt or ⇒hogshead. It has a capacity of 45-68 litres, one-eighth that of the butt and half that of the hogshead. With the sense of a small cask, octave is first attested in 1891, 'Importing and delivering sherries in Octaves'. Octave is adopted from the French octave itself an adaptation of the Latin octāva, feminine of octāvus, eighth.
ogee In Scotch whisky pot-still distillation, the ogee is the curve of a still, between the shoulder and the neck. As Russell (W:TP&M) puts it, 'The pot connects to the swan neck via the ogee'.
Used as a noun, with the sense of a diagonal groin or rib of a vault, two of which cross each other at the vault's centre, the first attestation of ogee occurs in 1356. As a shallow S-shaped or double curve, ogee is initially recorded in John Ruskin's Stones of Venice (1851) 'This double curve is called the Ogee; it is the profile of many German leaden roofs, of many Turkish domes'.
The shape is one of the characteristics of the Gothic style of architecture, with ogee windows and arches being introduced to European cities from the Middle East.
'The ex-Ben Wyvis stills were a real bargain, having been lightly used at Invergordon Distillery. We removed the flange which bolted the top to the neck and shaped an ogee'. (Frank McHardy, Production Director, J&A Mitchell & Co, discussing the creation of Glengyle Distillery, Campbeltown, May 2008)
Old-fashioned Dunkling notes that 'One of the earliest definitions of "cocktail" ever found in print (1806) gives the formula "spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters", which is almost an Old-Fashioned'. (GDC) This classic ⇒cocktail is commonly made with a whisky base, and usually consists of ice, sugar, Angostura bitters and water, to which the whisky is added and the mixture stirred. Lemon peel, a cherry and a slice of orange and lemon are optional extras. Some drinkers insist that a true Old-fashioned can only be made with American whiskey, and even specifically with ⇒rye, but many commentators consider Scotch whisky to be a perfectly acceptable alternative. The Old-fashioned has given its name to the squat tumbler in which it is usually served, and this is also known as an ⇒on the rocks glass.
With the sense of antiquated in form or character, 'old-fashioned' is first attested by Walton in The Compleat Angler (1653): 'they were old-fashioned Poetry, but choicely good'.
on the rocks A drink served on the rocks consists of undiluted spirit poured on to ice cubes, and the phrase is first recorded in 1946. The expression and the practice originated in the United States, where temperatures were more likely to lead to a desire for a cold glass of spirits than, for example, in Scotland. The serving of neat whisky with ice developed in Britain with the increasing popularity of blended spirit in what may be termed polite society towards the end of the 19th century. As Hills remarks, 'The whisky which was elevated to the status of a drink for the upper classes at the end of the century was blended whisky and it was taken with ice and soda'. (SoS) Most connoisseurs are united in their disapproval of drinking whisky on the rocks or in adding anything to it other than pure ⇒water. Writing of American drinking preferences, McDowall notes that 'They prefer all drinks cold, forgetful of the fact that the bouquet of whisky or wine does not come off cold fluids'. (WoS)
The origin of the expression 'on the rocks' may perhaps be traced back to the American sense of rocks as money or diamonds, a usage first attested in 1847. Ice cubes in a glass bear a physical resemblance to diamonds, and could also be seen to look like rocks submerged in the ocean when spirit is poured over them. Partridge (DoHS) lists the colloquial use of 'on the rocks' as denoting destitution, from the sense of a ship being wrecked on rocks, from before 1889, and also considers rocky to have colloquial currency as unsteady, unstable - as in 'rocky marriage' - or tipsy.
The expression 'Scotch on the rocks' was taken by Douglas Hurd and Andrew Osmond and used in a punning sense for their eponymous 1971 political thriller, in which Scotland's fight for independence brings Britain to the brink of civil war.
one for the road See ⇒road.
onion See ⇒still.
optic Properly used with a capital initial, optic is the proprietary name of a device attached to the neck of a bottle for measuring spirits, usually found in bars. The name derives from the fact that it is a visual, automatic measure which serves a pre-set amount of drink in the relevant fraction of a ⇒gill, so that customers know they are not being given short measure.
The first attestation of optic occurs in 1926, 'Optic, an apparatus included in Class 8 for delivering a measured quantity of Spirits or other Liquids', and a patent for the 'Optic Pearl' was registered in 1932. According to Licensed Houses and Their Management (1949), the Optic Pearl measuring tap is 'inserted into the bottle and the bottle is held in an inverted position by means of a bracket or standard ... '. The same publication notes that 'A new type of measuring tap called the "Pushoptic" is becoming very popular. To operate this measure the glass is pushed up against a rubber-covered bar. This action instantly releases an accurate measure.' Writing of English licensed premises, Grindal notes that 'Most pubs will have at the most two "pouring" Scotches on the optics ... '. (SoW) From January 1992 legislation made compulsory the replacement of the old-style metal optics common in most bars with new plastic versions, with improved tamper-proof mechanisms.
outturn/out-turn The number of bottles in any particular release. With the sense of 'The quantity produced or yielded; output, product', the OED records the first usage of outturn in The Asiatic Annual Register as 'The prospects of the year 1799-1800 will be found to vary but little in the aggregate from the actual out-turn of the preceding year'.
In its Winter 2007 'Society Bottlings' list (issue 131) the Scotch Malt Whisky Society records 'Cask No. 24.93 - very low outturn'.
overshot Very ⇒drunk. See also ⇒shot.