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Buckfast tonic wine was originally brewed by the Benedictine monks of Buckfast Abbey in Devon and was originally intended to be a health drink, a medicated wine. One glass to be taken daily by little old ladies and countrified gents. The monks were never in it for the money though so it was sold cheaply in order to offer its benefits to the widest possible number of its target audience.
The secret recipe for the Tonic wine is attributed to the original French monks who settled at the Abbey in the 1880's. Base wines from Spain, known as mistellas, were imported and to these were added the tonic ingredients according to an old recipe.
By the 1920s though, 1400 bottles a year were being sold, 500 from the abbey itself and the rest by post. In 1927 a London wine merchant visiting the Abbey, agreed with the Abbot that the monks would make the wine but the distribution and sale of it would be carried out by his marketing company.
To make it more palatable, the Tonic was changed from a severe patent medicine to a smoother, medicated wine and having taken on the marketing of "Buckfast" the distributors adopted a specific promotion resulting in the widespread appreciation of the wine nationally and internationally.
In modern times it is still made at the Abbey along the same lines and according to the same basic, secret recipe as was used in the very early days. The main challenge of production now lies in the successful addition of inert substances to a base wine.
Those base mistellas come from France providing the ideal medium for the skill and expertise of the monks to produce a Tonic with a smooth, rounded taste.
Those early monks never reckoned on the creative genius of Glasgow youth to abuse all manner of things though. Their express aim being to get high, get a buzz - and they do, with a bottle of Buckfast, (known locally as "Buckie). From the most basic, over the counter medicinal cough bottle to Granny's 'secret bottle of cheap Sherry', they've tried it all, and more. Buckfast Tonic Wine outstrips them all though!
In the Uk, there is a legal; drinking age of course, but few people take much notice of that and. eevery other day, youths will ask an adult to buy them a bottle of "Buckie". Some will oblige them although there are those who will refuse.
For many years now Buckfast has been a popular drink in the city of Glasgow where there is now what's called the 'Buckfast Triangle', an area east of Glasgow where the wine is consumed almost daily, by the bottle.
On numerous occasions, the Scottish health minister held talks with "Buckie" distributors because there is concern that the drink is a main contributor to anti-social behaviour amongst the youth in the city. An exclusively Scottish phenomenon is the 'Buckie Commando' who is an intoxicated, aggressive, fearless consumer of the Buckfast Tonic Wine and who wants to fight the world, thinking himself, (or herself) to be invincible.
There are other names for Buckie including 'Commotion Lotion', 'Bottle of Fight the World', 'Wreck the House Juice' and 'Bottle of Fight the World'. There are also numerous cocktails that contain the wine, probably one of the weirdest is the 'White Monk' or 'Buckshake' which is milk and chilled Buckfast Wine???
When Buckfast is combined with any other drug of choice, the result can be and has been lethal with either the drinker overdosing on something, choking on their own puke, or killing someone else in a blind drink and drug fuelled rage.
There is another drink in Glasgow called "Irn Bru" (Iron Brew) which, it is jokingly said, is made from Iron Girders. This is the drink of choice for most Buckie enthusiasts the morning after the night before. Irn Bru is also made to a 'sceret' recipe, although it is only made and sold in Glasgow.
There have been numerous talks about banning Buckfast, raising its price, etc, etc but no matter what they decide to do, Glaswegians will always find a way to abuse it or use it in some way other than it was intended.
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Posted by scotslad60 on 2008-06-13 11:49:14 | Rating: | Views: 245
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It is interesting that you write this ow, we have had a similar issue occure here in Australia, with pre mixed drinks that are nicknamed Alchol-pops.
They (the goverment ect..) felt this was causing a high rate of binge drinking and also the cause of anti social behaviour in our youth. To try and curb the problem, the goverment and assosiated groups decided to raise the taxes on these drinks.
As far as they are concerned this is working due to the fact that less of these alchol-pops are being brought, however if you ask the vendors they will tell yes, this is true however now the cheaper cask wines and bottles have now increased.
A vicious circle. And as far as I can see it isn't going to stop the problem.
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Posted by KP
on 2008-06-14 05:35:11
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