The History of Scotch Whisky
The Ancient Celts distilled whisky, which they called
uisge beatha, or “the water of life.”The Celts valued
whisky for its ability to revive flagging bodies and failing spirits,
to chase out chills and rekindle hope.
The earliest documentation of whisky produced in Scotland occurred in 1494 when a quantity of the spirits was listed in the records of the Exchequer.In the 16th and 17th centuries a good deal of the whisky production occurred in monasteries.
From early on, whisky was appreciated for its medical properties and was believed to preserve health, prolong life, relieve colic, palsy, and smallpox.
Recognising that whisky production could be a significant source of revenue, the Scottish Parliament and later England began to tax the production of whisky.When the rate of taxation rose to an odious level, the distillers went underground and became engaged in a long and bloody battle with the Exciseman.
It was not unheard of for illicit whisky to be stored in churches and for the spirit to be transported in coffins.Clandestine stills dotted the hills, and smuggling was the order of the day. Whisky production nevertheless thrived; it is believed that at one time there were 40,000 stills in Scotland.
Finally in 1823 The Excise Act sanctioned the distilling of whisky, and the production of the spirit was once again above ground and above board.In 1909 Scotch whisky was officially defined in the United Kingdom.
In 1989 it was recognized in European Community legislation.The Scotch Whisky Act of 1988 defined the ingredients, process, alcoholic strength, and period of maturity for a spirit to deserve the label “Scotch whisky”.
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In “Auld Lang Syne,” by Scottish poet Robert Burns, the “cup of kindness” being raised is whisky.(Also of note: Robert Burns did a stint as an Exciseman).
Scotch Whisky Tasting Descriptors
Nose |
Colour |
Body |
Palate |
Finish |
| almonds | amber | big | abrasive | abrupt |
| aniseed | gold | dry | balanced | chewy |
| beeswax | mahogany | firm | barley | clean |
| ground bones | bronze | fleshy | bitter | emphatic |
| brine | pale | oily | bland | lingering |
| carnations | silky | brambles | robust | |
| cedar | soft | caramel | soothing | |
| citrus | viscose | cinnamon | tingling | |
| diesel oil | clover | warm | ||
| new mown hay | cloves | |||
| heather | gentle | |||
| hemp rope | hazelnut | |||
| honey | liquorice | |||
| iodine | marzipan | |||
| oak | nutmeg | |||
| pear | peat | |||
| peat | peppery | |||
| seaweed | rooty | |||
| sherry | spicy | |||
| tart | ||||
| woody |