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Scottish Culture and Heritage: Whisky |
How the art of distilling came to Scotland is open to debate. One theory says that the Chinese discovered it, Arab traders brought to the Middle East and finally Crusaders brought it to Europe and Scotland. Another says that the ancient Celts knew of distilling and that the Scots brought the art from Ireland much earlier. Either way the first documentary evidence of whisky was in the late 15thC. The Gaelic 'Uisge Beatha' translates to water of life as does the Latin 'Aqua Vitae'. Uisge was anglised into the word whisky. Making Malt Whisky appears fairly straight forward! Soak barley in soft mountain water, spread out and leave for a 10days until it has germinated. Dry this malted barley over a fire, preferably peat, and crush. Add more spring water heated and yeast. Leave to ferment for a couple of days. Put the liquid is a sealed metal vessel and heat slowly. Allow the vapour to escape through a copper worm in which it will condense. Drink the spirit which comes out! If this description sounds crude, then that's exactly what was happening all over Scotland, but especially the Highlands, during the 18thC. In 1800 on the Campsie Hills to the north of Glasgow a home spun industry flourished providing cheap liquor for the growing industrial urban population. Two centuries of Acts of Parliament and the activities of Excisemen had achieved little. With the 19thC the Scotch Whisky industry was to change forever. In 1833, Aeneas Coffey of Dublin, invented a new still capabable of producing 40 times as much spirit from a mix of maize, rye and malted barley. This grain whisky is virtually alcohol and water and has little of the distinctive character of malt whisky, but it could be made is large quantities. The trick soon learned was to blend the highly flavoured malt with grain to produce blended whisky. The more malt, the better the quality and the higher the price. However it took until the beginning of the 20thC to clarify naming and labelling so that the public knew what they were actually being sold. Back to the mid 19thC, with the outbreak of phylloxera in the vines of Europe, brandy prices rocketed. Companies had been legally producing Scotch whisky since the 18thC. With the ability produce large quantities of whisky for a waiting market, larger new companies were formed and the older ones expanded - Dewar, Walker, Haig, Bell, Buchanan, Sanderson and Grant - family firms became well known worldwide. Today, while bottled Single Malt Whisky is 'the jewel in the crown' of Scotch Whisky it only accounts 2% of that marketed. The vast majority of Scotch consumed is blended. Malt is made in much the same way as it was hundreds of years ago, in traditional pot stills made of copper. The biggest change, however, is the time it is kept before bottling and drinking - typically 8 -12 years - stored in oak sherry barrels at 'cask strength' of 57% where some escapes to the atmosphere as 'the angels share'. Each Single Malt has it's own consistent and distinctive flavour and character - some strong and peaty like Laphroaig, others rich and smooth like Macallan. The source water, the techniques used, the peat, the still and even the local weather play their part. Fine Single Malt should be drunk neat or with a little water. NEVER EVER with ice or fizzy drinks. A good way to remain a well mannered host is when you offer your guest a whisky, say "How do you like your whisky?" If the reply is "neat" or "with a little water", you can then safely bring out the 25year old Glenturret Single Malt and enjoy and evening with someone of discerning taste. However, if they say "with lemonade" it's time to reach for the lesser blend!
Scotch Malt Whisky Distilleries
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