The whisk(e)y season is dear to Ireland, Scotland

The portal is about to open on a season dear to the Gaelic and Celtic folk of Ireland and Scotland and, indeed, their millions of descendants all over the U.S.

March 20 brings in Alban Eiler, known elsewhere as the spring solstice or vernal equinox. Weather be damned, it means spring has arrived and will last until June 20, the longest day of the year, when we will encounter Alban Heruin, the summer solstice.

Flanking that date we have such frolics as St. Patrick's Day on March 17 and Tartan Day on April 6, or close to it depending on festivitiy plans in different cities and towns.

St. Patrick's Day honors the patron saint of Ireland who drove the snakes into the sea where they became sharks, politicians and TV reality show producers.

Tartan Day celebrates that time in A.D. 1320 when King Robert the Bruce and his Scottish parliament sent off a letter called the Declaration of Arbroath to the Pope in Rome asking him to get the English off their backs. That worked so well that England rules Scotland to this day.

Both historic events, as well as the arrival of Easter, spring and a bunch of other traditional religious and secular days, will in this span be marked in many communities with once-a-year church attendance, parades, festivals, dances, silly hats and drink specials at your favorite pub -- featuring Scotch and Irish whiskies, in particular.

Scotch whiskies usually are distilled twice, Irish whiskies three or four times, thus increasing their purity and smoothness. In some instances, further aging in used bourbon or sherry casks or a bit of blending creates a crossover taste between the two categories.

American whiskies vary widely, from the single malts so beloved by the Scots to blended whiskies to bourbons to Tennessee sipping whiskey, which differs from bourbon in that it undergoes a charcoal filtration process.

As is the case with most such things, there is no right or wrong, best or worst. There is only personal preference.

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What will they think of next? (March 2009 edition)

Elegant cocktails and show biz go well together. They can either be made to commemorate a play, movie, book or song, or actually be part of such an artistic expression. This month, we're serving up a trio of such concoctions.

• MY FAIR LADY

This cocktail was created at London's Savoy Hotel in the 1950s to coincide with the production of "My Fair Lady," the musical stage play based on George Bernard Shaw's play "Pygmalion."

1½ measures gin
2 teaspoons orange juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon creme de fraise
1 egg white

Thoroughly shake all ingredients together with ice,, strain into cocktal glass and garnish with an orange peel.

• THE JACKIE COLLINS

This drink was created by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck in honor of steamy-novel writer Jackie Collins' 25th book, "Drop Dead Beautiful."

7 raspberries
2 ounces vodka
2 ounces lemonade
One-half fresh lime
1½ ounces club soda
Simple syrup
1 fresh mint leaf

Muddle raspberries in a shaker with a splash of simple syrup. Add icem then the vodka and the lemonade. Squeeze juice of half a lime. Shake all ingredients vigorously. Add the club soda, then shake once more. Strain into a highball glass and garnish with a raspberry and the mint leaf.

• EYES WIDE SHUT

This recipe was created to honor the odd mix of Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in the offbeat 1999 movie of the same name. The disparate ingredients are colorful and pleasing in combination.

½ ounce Southern Comfort peach liqueur
½ ounce Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
½ ounce amaretto almond liqueur
½ ounce orange juice
½ ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce cranberry juice
Splash grenadine syrup

Place ice in shaker and add all ingredients. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange slice and cherry.

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