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The word “whiskey” (the English double spelling is considered equally correct: “whiskey” or “whisky”) comes from the Celtic “uisge beatha”, which means “living water”. The first of the modern spellings – “whiskey” – on bottles with a drink from the United States and Ireland. Second, “whisky” is used on products from Scotland, Canada and Japan. In addition, Scotch whiskey is called “scotch”. American and Canadian product – bourbon.
For centuries, the “rope” of the dispute over the origin of whiskey has been pulled between Scotland and Ireland. The cold rocky islands of these countries are not rich in fruits and grapes. Therefore, the first whiskey was made on the basis of barley. Each of the nations attributes the appearance of “living water” to itself.
Scottish version
The Scots claim that they adopted the method of distillation (distillation) from the missionaries. They replaced only grape wine with barley beer. The missionaries learned about distillation from the crusaders who visited the Middle East. In turn, the Christian knights “peeped” this method from the Arabs.
Braga was poured into a copper teapot-cube, under which a fire was made. The boiling vapors of the mash condensed in the coil and fell into the receiving dishes. The resulting liquid was called the “water of life” (uisge beatha). The first Scottish written mention of whiskey dates back to 1494.
The Irishman Enness Coffey improved distillation and alembic in 1830. But for the first time such a cube was used by the Scot Robert Stein. Coffey’s invention increased whiskey production and added new flavors to the drink. After that, each distillery could create a unique product.
At first, whiskey was used by monks in Scotland as a medicine. Over time, the peasants appreciated the entertainment properties of the drink and began to make it themselves on farms, then at distilleries and factories.
During the XIV-XVII centuries, scotch tape became widespread throughout the country. But at first, whiskey resembled moonshine: they drank it immediately after distillation. I didn’t have the time or patience to endure. In 1579, the Scottish Parliament allowed the production of whiskey only to the nobility and nobility. This did not stop the farmers. They made scotch tape underground, without reducing production volumes.
In 1644, the government of England introduced an excise tax, allowing only eight major distilleries to produce whiskey. Small enterprises were pushed aside, but the quality of their products was higher than in large industries. The growth in popularity of whiskey contributed to the fact that in 1822 the British legalized distilleries, which had previously worked underground.
Irish version
Irish people interpret the origin of whiskey in their own way. They are convinced that whiskey was given to the people by St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Only having entered the Emerald Isle – as the Irish themselves call their land, Patrick began to simultaneously perform three charitable deeds: he took up the manufacture of “holy water”, conversion to the true religion of the pagans (probably not without the help of whiskey) and the expulsion of poisonous snakes from the country (by the way – successfully).
The Irish were the first to enter the international market. While the inflexible Scots, having drunk whiskey, fought off the British in the mountains, the Irish not only drove and drank, but also successfully sold their drink to the British, who delivered it all over the world. In January 1608, the English crown issued the first commercial patent in Ireland. It included “roelti” – the royal share, like a tax on entrepreneurship.
Then, in the XVII century, immigrants from Ireland and Scotland began to make whiskey in the New World. Notable success was achieved by the distillers of Bourbon County, Kentucky. They used cheap corn in America as a raw material, and the distillate was aged in oak barrels charred inside. Therefore, the name “bourbon” was assigned to the best whiskey in the USA. Over time, this drink began to be produced in other countries. Rice is used for Japanese whiskey.
