All aboard the Buckfast bus! Tartan Army fans bring cars full of tonic wine to Germany before boozing in the streets as empty bottles of their beloved national drink pile up

Its history dates back to 1897, when monks at an abbey in Devon began making tonic wine based on a traditional recipe from France.

But Buckfast Tonic Wine has since become a staple drink for many in Scotland and has now made inroads Germany after the Tartan Army took it to Munich.

Scottish fans heading to Euro 2024 packed bottles of ‘Bucky’ in their luggage and many drank it in the town square before tonight’s match.

A TikTok video under the account ‘thebuckiebus’ showed a car loaded with boxes of Buckfast bottles, with the caption: ‘Packed jam and heading to Germany!’

But not everyone was able to finish their bottle – with fan Craig Ferguson accidentally dropping his on the floor and smashing it during a live interview on Sky News.

A Scotland fan drinks Buckfast at Marienplatz in Munich today ahead of tonight’s match

A German fan also tries out Buckfast in Munich today, but doesn’t seem too impressed

A Scotland fan holds a bottle of Buckfast next to presenter Laura Woods in Munich today

A TikTok video under the account ‘thebuckiebus’ shows a car loaded with boxes of Buckfast

The TikTok video showing the Buckfast was captioned: “Packed and heading to Germany!”

Asked by reporter Rob Harris for his prediction for the match against Germany, Mr Ferguson – who has a ticket – began to speak as the bottle slipped from his hands.

As the crowd gasped, Mr Ferguson – who had walked from Glasgow to Germany for 41 days to raise money for charity – said: ‘Sorry, I’m so sorry mate.’

The 20-year-old, who has raised more than £60,000 for men’s mental health and suicide prevention, was given a Buckfast on arrival in Munich.

But after dropping the bottle in front of the audience, Mr. Harris reassured him: “Lots of drinks to come.”

And Mr. Ferguson said, “I know, I know.”

Several theories exist as to how Buckfast became such a big hit in Scotland, one of which linked to Celtic fans in the 1970s, who liked its similarity to communion wine.

Scotland fan Craig Ferguson accidentally dropped and destroyed his Buckfast during a TV interview

The bottle fell to the floor as Craig Ferguson spoke to Sky News in Munich yesterday

The drink is a mixture of 15 percent fortified wine and 280 mg of added caffeine, which is equivalent to six cups of coffee or nine cans of cola.

It was originally made by Benedictine monks at Buckfast Abbey in Devon in the late 19th century and is still made today using many of the same ingredients.

It comes as millions of Scots look to help the men’s national football team to victory when they take on Germany in the highly anticipated opening match of Euro 2024 tonight, with kick-off at 8pm UK time (9pm local time).

The match in Munich is the first of 51 to be played over the next month to determine the next European champion, with the final taking place at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on July 14.

Tens of thousands of members of the Tartan Army have made the journey to Germany to cheer on their heroes, and at home thousands more are expected to pack venues set up in cities specifically to showcase the game.

Supporters of Scotland and Germany cheer on the Marienplatz town square in Munich today

Scotland fans are celebrating today at Marienplatz in Munich ahead of tonight’s match

An aerial view of Marienplatz Square in Munich today as Scotland fans enter the area

Germany are third favorites to win the tournament, behind France and England, and while the odds look good that Scotland will beat them, many supporters will be hoping their side can take something from Friday night’s match.

Scotland have never beaten Germany in a league match and have won just one of their last nine games – a 2-0 friendly victory over minnows Gibraltar at the start of the month.

Speaking to a packed media conference at the Munich Arena, manager Steve Clarke said all his players were ‘desperate’ to be picked to play in tonight’s match.

First Minister John Swinney, who will attend the match, told Holyrood during Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday that it was ‘great to see Scotland back in Europe where we rightly belong’.