The Classic Art of Distilling

The fine art of distilling has journeyed through some remarkable terrains to get where it is today. Travel back in time to unravel the fascinating history of this classic craft.

Around 800 B.C., somewhere in the Asian continent, it is assumed that the craft of distilling was first discovered. According to conjecture, this process was just employed in the perfume industry. However, this claim has been proven false.

Now, the manner in which the distilling process wound up in the British Isles just seems unbelievable; however, what is certain is that the Moors were credited with bringing the craft of distilling to the European Continent. It is held that this art was further developed in the monasteries all across central Europe. It appears that in 432 A.D., St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, while traveling on an important Christian assignment, brought this craft into the austere monastic environment. Nonetheless, in due course, the Celts got their hands on this classic secret and created their very own water of life, which is pronounced in Gaelic as “Uisge Beatha”. The year 1494, when Sir Friar John Cor, hailing from Scotland, placed an order for 8 bolls of malt, is believed to be whiskey’s millstone year in the annals of history. It was supposedly to be made use of for the manufacture of aqua vitae, and is the first ever-recorded evidence of whiskey production in Scotland.

The craft of distilling before long made its way from the monasteries to the farmlands, where almost everybody was into whiskey making until around 1820 when the government made a decision to close down the private and personal distilleries thus branding them as unlawful. The unrefined and at times the crude taste were vastly different from that of the present times.

Somewhere around the 18th century, it was found out that a more pleasant, smooth brew could come about with aging. The conclusions drawn with regard to the aging techniques were literally stumbled upon with the startling recovery of an old barrel that was all but forgotten, filled with this fine substance.

In 1707, when the two parliaments of England and Scotland came together, the Union Act was passed. Recognizing the fact that both sides could profit from the deal, they thought of a remarkable scheme for malt making.

The English malt tax came into being in the year 1725, though not without considerable mayhem. During this period, every alternate bottle of malt that was distilled in Scotland fell into strictly illegal category because of the roaming excise personnel, illegal distilleries, and smuggling activities.

The 1820’s was a crisis year due to the climbing crime rate and stringent tax measures, which in the end, went totally out of control. To resolve the issue, the government ratified the Excise Act that armed the government with the power to pin down the distilleries that were above board and those that were illegal by introducing labels.

Around the 1829’s, whisky was introduced as a product catering exclusively to the British populace, but currently, it has grown into a popular drink, which has garnered widespread appreciation from all corners of the globe. A great deal of this astounding progress was due to the launching of the blended whisky. Even in the current times, something like ninety percent of all the whisky made in Scotland is made use of in the production of blended whisky. On the other hand, in recent times, single malt whisky is gaining increasing popularity and this trend is expected to persist.

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