2006年VOA标准英语-Pakistan Distillery Prepares Launch of 20-Year-

By Mil Arcega
Washington
29 December 2006
 
watch Pakistani Whiskey report

When whiskey connoisseurs¹ think of single malt scotch², it's unlikely Pakistan would come to mind.  But the Muslim nation is home to the only malt whiskey distillery in the Muslim World.  As VOA's Mil Arcega reports, the Muree Brewery⁴, founded in 1860 to produce beer and spirits for British troops, is set to launch its newest product - a 20-year old single malt whiskey.

Rawalpindi, a city of almost two million people in Northern Pakistan, is a world away from the crisp mountain streams normally associated with beer and whiskey.  But this predominantly Muslim city is home to the Murree brewery - a legacy⁵ of British Colonial rule, and one of only three licensed⁶ producers of alcoholic⁷ drinks in Pakistan.

 
M.P. Bhandara

Although its distillery has been making 8 and 12-year old whiskies for nearly 50 years, Murree's Chief Executive, M.P. Bhandara,  says international respect has been elusive⁸.

"Pakistan has a very wrong image abroad.  The image over there is that it is a mullah-ridden state; it's terrorists and all that sort of thing," says Bhandara.  "Well, every country has its extremes and Pakistan too has its extremes, but the fact of the matter is what you see over here.  That is the reality."

And the reality is that Murree is about to enter a league occupied by only a few when it launches its newest offering:  a 20-year old single malt scotch.       

Head Brewer³ Yasin Sadiq, keeps watch over the old oak casks that contain the precious liquid.  He believes Murree's Millenium Reserve will rival the best scotch whiskies in the world. "I will show you the 20-year old."

Single malts, prepared from malted barley⁹, are favored by connoisseurs over blended whiskies, which are made from a mix of malts and grains distilled¹⁰ from wheat or corn.

 
Legally, only Pakistan's non-Muslims, or about five percent of the population, are allowed to buy liquor for home consumption. 

Muslims caught drinking alcohol can be caned¹¹ and jailed for up to three years.

But members of Pakistan's Christian¹² community say they're looking forward to tasting the new whiskey when it becomes available in the New Year.

Bhandara says right now, the supply is extremely limited. "And probably we won't ever do it again, because the work involved has been very great," he adds.  "I don't think we can bring about this dedication¹³ for the next 20 years.  But once it is going, we hope it will have its mark as a good malt whiskey and will be well received by connoisseurs the world over."

The distillery's products cannot be sampled abroad because Islamabad bans the export of alcohol.  The company is lobbying for changes so that one day, Pakistan's finest single malt can be available to whiskey lovers around the world.

1 connoisseurs   

n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Let us go, before we offend the connoisseurs. 咱们走吧，免得我们惹恼了收藏家。 来自辞典例句
• The connoisseurs often associate it with a blackcurrant flavor. 葡萄酒鉴赏家们通常会将它跟黑醋栗口味联系起来。 来自互联网

2 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

3 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

4 brewery   

n.啤酒厂

参考例句：

• The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。
• When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

5 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

6 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

7 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

8 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

9 barley   

n.大麦，大麦粒

参考例句：

• They looked out across the fields of waving barley.他们朝田里望去,只见大麦随风摇摆。
• He cropped several acres with barley.他种了几英亩大麦。

10 distilled   

adj.由蒸馏得来的v.蒸馏( distil的过去式和过去分词 )；从…提取精华

参考例句：

• The televised interview was distilled from 16 hours of film. 那次电视采访是从16个小时的影片中选出的精华。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Gasoline is distilled from crude oil. 汽油是从原油中提炼出来的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 caned   

vt.用苔杖打（cane的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The gaoler caned the man. 狱卒用藤条鞭打这个人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have caned my son when necessary. 必要时，我就用藤条打儿子一顿。 来自辞典例句

12 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

13 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。