It was a long, cold incentive for a strong drink at one of a record 14 inaugural balls later that evening.

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Now if you followed all that without needing a strong drink, more power to your elbow.

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Not a strong drink, it has an alcohol content similar to that of beer and some even say it has healthful properties.

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Scotland's exports grew slightly last summer following a strong performance from the food and drink sector, according to the latest official statistics.

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And so there are alcoholics who just take a dose of Antabuse everyday and that blocks any strong impulse to drink because the effects are so ghastly.

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