Tommy Maaltman returns from Eastern Europe depressed, demoralized, and with a deep sense of responsibility.

Traveling to Eastern Europe with The Maaltmen was eye opening. Geographically, Poland, unfortunately is sandwiched between Germany and Russia. Historically, Nazis and Bolsheviks have not been the nice guys. When Germany signed the Nazi-Soviet Non Aggressioin Pact with Russia in 1939, Poland's fate was sealed and doomed. To quote Paul Harvey, "Now for the rest of the story." Human suffering of untold magnitude, starvation of millions of people, epic wartime cruelty, and genocide. Conservatives estimate that more than 26 million people died on the Eastern Front during WWII. Man's inhumanity to mankind, at it's worst. Eveyone must share in the blame. If only Tommy Maaltman started the blog tommymaaltman.blogspot.com (yet another shameless plug) earlier. Perhaps some of those mean spirited, nasty little men we call world leaders could have spent more time reading Tommy Maaltman's Malt Musings, learning about and sampling fine single malts and less time trying to dominate the world. Sigh. But alas it would be at least another 50 years before Al Gore would invent the internet providing the Maaltman with the perfect medium for Tommy Maaltman's Malt Musings. Not to mention that The Maaltman wasn't even born until 1953 the same year Josef Stalin died. Well, that's Aqua Vitae (water) under the bridge. And speaking of Aqua Vitae let's pour a dram of Springbank single malt Scotch 43 vol. with a bright orange color due to a first fill Oloroso cask, coastal nose, salty, floral, somewhat fruity taste, and salty, dry as a bone finish like being trapped in a car after a wet walk with a dog. "Nazdrowie," To your health. Slainte , Tommy Maaltman