Drinking With the Stars: Tony Blair, Chris Hitchens, and Tony Blankley

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers.

The whisky (in Scotland they spell it without an "e") was single malt scotch on Wednesday night at U.K. Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald's residence, but the miniature copper stills were really not edible.

The guests at the Distilled Spirits Council's Scotch tasting included former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Christopher Hitchens, and Tony Blankley. The Scotch selection was extensive, reports our Opinion Editor Robert Schlesinger, including Johnny Walker's Blue Label Anniversary cask strength, which runs $3,500 per bottle (it comes in a baccarat decanter). Macallan had several offerings as well as a bowl full of small pins [pictured above] in the shape of the brand's signature copper stills. Some guests at these tastings, perhaps after several samplings, occasionally mistake the pins for snacks, popping them into their mouths, a Macallan purveyor says. Seriously, Whispers asked?

Spend two hours at one of these things and then you'll understand, was the response. And what happens when people realize they didn't just swallow candy? They ask for another one to wear. They don't call whisky "the water of life" for nothing.