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| The Malt Whisky Trail in Scotland |
Like fine malt, Scotland offers many delightful places to drink from hotels, snug country pubs to sleek city bars. Here we explore a bit about the background of “The Malt Whisky”
The History of Whisky
The Scottish can certainly lay claim to some of the earliest recorded history of distilling in the world. In all there are four regions: Highland, Lowland, Islay and Campbeltown. These last two were sometimes combined and some simply refer to Eastern and Western Malts. In more recent times, the Highland Region has been sub-divided into northern, eastern, Island, and a further sub-division, Speyside, has become a region onto itself.
The History of Whisky Timeline
1494 First written record of whisky
1505 Guild of Surgeon Barbers, Edinburgh granted charter to sell whisky
1577 Raphael Holinshead writes his Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland and extols the value of uisge beatha
1590 First recorded export of whisky to Ireland
1608 License granted to produce whiskey at Bushmills Distillery, Northern Ireland
1627 Robert Haig establishes his distillery
1644 First duty on whisky introduced by Act of Scottish Parliament
1675 Robert Boyle describes his new hydrometer
1688 First duty on alcoholic strength of whisky
1689 Ferintosh Distillery burnt down by supporters of James ll
1751 Gilcomston Distillery, Aberdeen founded
1757 Kilbeggan Distillery, reputedly built in Ireland
1775 Glenturret Distillery founded
1779 Justerini & Justerini sell whisky in London.
Bowmore Distillery founded.
1784 John Jameson started distilling in Dublin
1786 Strathisla Distillery founded
1794 Bridge of Don Distillery completed
1795 Tobermory Distillery on Mull founded
1798 Highland Park, Ardbeg and Glen Garioch start distilling
1810 Glenburgie Distillery founded
1816 Sikes hydrometer adopted.
Laphroaig Distillery founded.
1817 Teaninich, Duntocher and Lagavulin Distilleries open
1823 Licensing of Distilleries
1824 Glenlivet takes out license
1825 Edradour, Scotland's smallest distillery founded
1826 First patent for a continuous still awarded to Robert Stein.
James Allardes of Glendronach takes out a license.
1830 William Teacher opens his first grocers shop
1837 Lagg Distillery, Arran founded
1839 The Chivas dynasty founded
1844 Glenfarclas Distillery opens
1851 Dailuaine Distillery founded
1789 Black Bottle is introduced
1882 VAT 69 is launched by Sanderson
1886 Glenfiddich Distillery founded
1892 Balvenie Distillery opens
1894 Famous Grouse Whisky appears for the first time
1896 Dufftown Distillery opens
1897 Tomatin and Dalwhinnie founded
1898 Pattisons blending company goes bankrupt and many distilleries forced to close
1909 Johnny Walker Red Label launched
1913 Teacher's introduce their new cork
1936 Ballantine's is bought by Hiram Walker
1941 SS Politician is lost with a cargo of whisky of the Isle of Eriskay
1949 Tullibardine Distillery is rebuilt
1959 Tormore, the first new distillery to be built in the 20th century in Scotland.
Whisky rationing in the UK ceases.
1966 Deanston Distillery opens in an old cotton mill designed by Richard Arkwright
1990 Drumguish Distillery produced its first spirit
1994 500th anniversary of whisky production in Scotland.
Arran Distillery founded.
2000 Scotchwhisky.net founded
Reference Timeline Source: www.scotchwhisky.net
The Making of Whisky
To produce Malt Whisky, firstly, you need plenty of time! and the following ingredients: Barley, Water, Yeast and Fire (Heat)
Above – Barley, the cereal from which Malt is made.
There are 6 main stages of the process. These are, Malting, Milling, Mashing, Fermentation, Distillation and Ageing. There are many factors that have an influence on the character and quality of whisky: characteristics of malt (Origin of the barley & the malting process), quality of water, type of yeast, shape of stills, conducting of distillation, origin and quality of casks used for ageing, ambient air being "breathed" during many long years by the spirit, through the cask's wood. each of theses elements play a role, and the combination of these parameters can vary to infinite, but very few allow for a good whisky.
If however you were to ask a Scottish distiller which, in his opinion, are the most important factors, chances are that he will reply that the key elements are the quality of his water and the shape of his still. The making of whisky still depends to a certain extent, on a mysterious alchemy which escapes any analysis or reasoning.
Ageing
This is the last stage of the process of whisky making. Ageing is at the same time the longest stage and one of the most important.
It is only after three years of ageing in a cask, that spirit is entitled to be called whisky, but one usually considers that it is only after 8 years that a malt whisky reaches real maturity. Some can reach their optimum at the age of 10 or 12 years. Many are those which will take advantage of further maturation up to 15 years or possibly beyond. If some of them may become exceptional at the age of 20 or 25 years, others might suffer from staying too long in a cask and their character ending up fading away and aromas directly imparted by the cask becoming too preponderant.
To find hotels in Scotland click here |
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