back to all posts

Scotch Whisky, and it’s Scottish history

What is Scotch Whisky?

Scotch Whisky is perhaps one of the most famously Scottish drinks to be known worldwide. Its history is long, complex and filled with interesting stories of smugglers, famous tax collectors and secret distilleries. The very first written mention of Scotch whisky was in 1494 when friar John Cor had ordered 8 bolls of malt to make “Aqua Vitae”, which translates roughly to “Water of life”, or in Scots Gaelic: “uisge beatha” which over many years became “Whisky”.

 

The origin of Whisky

The birth of whisky is thought to have occurred from farmers using their surplus grain to distill their own version of Whisky. However, as the popularity of the drink rose, the noblemen in parliament wanted to capitalise on the opportunity the drink’s popularity brought with it. In the mid-17th century, taxes on the liquid were introduced. Unfortunately, many of the farmers who had previously distilled whisky could no longer afford to do so with the heavy taxes, and many took to secret productions. What followed was many years of secret distilleries and smuggling of the drink to avoid the taxes and the men that chased the taxes.

 

A famous tax man

One such man was the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. Before he became a poet he was chasing after whisky taxes, which also happened to be one of his favourite drinks! Burns famously wrote his poem “Scotch Drink” about the liquid and it is now traditional to eat haggis and enjoy a wee dram of Whisky on Burn’s night in his honor.

 

Modern Whisky

It was not until 1823 that the smuggling and illicit distilling stopped, as the Excise Act was passed allowing people to legally produce the drink if they paid a license fee and a payment per gallon. This paved the way for the new era of whisky and the multi-billion pound industry that it has become today.

 

Now Scotland’s national drink and greatest export, Scotch Whisky is being distilled in 130 distilleries across the country and exported at a rate of 41 bottles per second. Interestingly, the famous golden colour of the drink does not occur in the distilling process, but afterward! In order for the drink to be called Scotch Whisky it must be stored in an oak cask for 3 year in Scotland, and the beautiful golden colour comes from the oak casts.

 

Although this special drink is most often created with water from the Scottish streams and golden barley from the fields, commercial distilleries did introduce whisky made from wheat or rye in the late 1700s as well. There are currently about 130 active distilleries across the 5 Scottish whisky regions, with a few options close to Leny Estate for those wanting to learn more about Scotland’s national drink. Make it a fun day out and enjoy learning about whisky, its rich history and a wee dram afterward!

share post on social

book now