A brief history of Scotch

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Origin of Scotch

Scotch is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages of all time, after all it has been around for hundreds of years. Little thought is usually given to the actual origin of this popular drink. As the name suggests, Scotch was originally produced in Scotland by Friar John Cor. Its exact origins are unknown, but the earliest known evidence of it was found in ancient Christian monasteries, dating back to the 11th Century. After distillation was introduced by Scottish monks in 1494, fine scotch became a popular drink. Scotch first became popular in Europe around 1880 when wine production in France was drastically reduced due to a plague of insects that destroyed grapes in vineyards.

The tale of the birth and subsequent growth in popularity of whisky dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, where it is believed distillation was first discovered, and put to use. It is believed that this famous drink was first created soon after the art of distillation spread to early Western Europe, sometime between the late 12th century, and early 13th century. In countries like Ireland and Scotland, barley was used in the distillation process, which eventually led to the creation of this infamous liquor.

Differences in the distillation processes of certain countries led to the creation of different, yet somewhat similar versions of whisky. The two most popular early versions are those of the Irish, and Scottish (Scotch). This drink became so popular that the Irish nick-named it "Ishka Baha", which in Gaelic, Ireland's native language, means "water of life". Hundreds of years of distilling this "Ishka Baha" has led to more than just a few types of this drink. For example, the malt type of this drink is made entirely from malted barley, while the grain type of this spirit is made from both malted and unmalted barley. These malt and grain versions are combined and mixed in a number of different ways, which lead to the creation of many unique types of "Ishka Baha".

To the dismay of Scotch and other whisky drinkers, whisky was first taxed in 1644. This caused a rise in the number of what we would today call “bootleggers” who made and sold Scotch whisky illegally. Later in 1823, the Scottish Parliament made it easier for one to own a licensed distillery and harder for illegal whisky stills to stay in business. This began the modern production of Scotch whisky.

Scotch today

Today, fine scotch whisky production is much more technologically advanced: It has to be in order to keep up with the high and rising demand. In order to adorn the name “Scotch” the whisky must be distilled and matured in Scotland.

Whisky as it is known and consumed today comes in many different forms, in many different bottles, and from many different countries. There is no one sure fire favorite, and people tend to drink it in various ways. For example: straight up, on the rocks, or even with sour mix. The opportunity to sample this magical beverage should never be passed up, as it provides not only a smooth, soothing effect and taste, but it also offers one the ability to somewhat literally get a rich taste of history.

Scotch whiskey, known as "Scotch" in the United States and simply "whisky" in the United Kingdom, is an alcohol produced with malted barley and other grains, and then aged to increase flavor.

The whisky comes in two types: malt whisky and grain whiskey. However, the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 state that only malt whisky is considered true Scotch whisky. The same regulations state that the whisky must be made in Scotland and further define the process of production required.

As a result, only a handful of grain whisky distilleries still exist. Malt whisky uses barley that is malted by soaking it in water and allowing it germinate. The barley is then dried with smoke and ground into a powder by a process called "mashing". The powder is then added to hot water, and the mixture is allowed to cool. Next, yeast is added and the liquid, called "wort", is allowed to ferment. The result is a liquid called "wash" that contains 5-7% alcohol by volume. The "wash" is distilled several times to produce the final product which contains 60-75% alcohol by volume. Whiskey is usually sold after an aging period, during which it is placed in a number of types of barrels, each of which yield a different flavor and color. After aging, the whiskey is then bottled, and the age, process, and type of whisky is indicated on a label for the consumer to inspect.