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"We borrowed golf from Scotland as we borrowed whiskey. Not because it is Scottish, but because it is good."Horace Hutchinson
Introduction & History
The Gaelic "usquebaugh", meaning "Water of Life", phonetically became "usky" and then "whisky" in English. However it is known, Scotch Whisky, Scotch or Whisky (as opposed to whiskey), it has captivated a global market.
Scotland has internationally protected the term "Scotch". For a whisky to be labelled Scotch it has to be produced in Scotland. If it is to be called Scotch, it cannot be produced in England, Wales, Ireland, America or anywhere else. Excellent whiskies are made by similar methods in other countries, notably Japan, but they cannot be called Scotches. They are most often referred to as "whiskey". While they might be splendid whiskies, they do not captivate the tastes of Scotland.
"Eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor wherewith to make aqua vitae"
The entry above appeared in the Exchequer Rolls as long ago as 1494 and appears to be the earliest documented record of distilling in Scotland. This was sufficient to produce almost 1500 bottles, and it becomes clear that distilling was already a well-established practice.
Legend would have it that St Patrick introduced distilling to Ireland in the fifth century AD and that the secrets traveled with the Dalriadic Scots when they arrived in Kintyre around AD500. St Patrick acquired the knowledge in Spain and France, countries that might have known the art of distilling at that time.
Types. Names and Spellings. Chemistry. Flavours from distillation.
Scotch whiskies
Irish whiskeys
Canadian whiskies
American whiskeys
This website includes some of the most popular recipes of Whiskey-based cocktails . Please leave your comments and evaluate recipes on its pages. Your own recipes are also welcome!
