Jan. 13, 2010 - Issue #743: Broken Embraces

Provenance

History of Whisky

Undistilled alcoholic beverages such as mead, wine and beer have been produced since at least 7000 B.C. Historians generally agree that distillation originally began in Asia, with perfumes being distilled long before drinking spirits.

The first potable alcohol was thought to have been created by the early Chinese, who distilled liquor from rice. Centuries later, the art of distillation was brought to the Mediterranean by the Moors, and subsequently to Europe between the sixth and seventh centuries.

Between 1100 and 1300, distillation spread to Ireland and Scotland, with monastic distilleries existing in Ireland by the 12th century. Distilleries were primarily for medicinal purposes, such as the treatment of palsy and smallpox.

Unlike France, Spain or even Germany, Britain had few grapes with which to make wine. So barley was used to make beer and, of course, whisky.
The Gaelic word "usquebaugh," meaning "Water of Life," phonetically became "usky" and then "whisky" in English. Scotland has internationally protected the term "Scotch"—for a whisky to be called “Scotch" it has to be produced in Scotland.

Excellent whiskies are made by similar methods in other countries, notably the United States, Japan and Canada, but they must be called by another name. Rye and Bourbon are examples of other names for similar products.

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