The word - 'whisky' - derives from uisge, which is an abbreviation of uisge beatha, the Scots Gaelic for 'Water of Life'. It was first used in the 18th century. Prior to that writers referred to usquebaugh or aqua vitae (the Latin for 'Water of Life').
Tradition has it that the secrets of distilling came to Scotland from Ireland, and were introduced there by St. Patrick in the 400s A.D. He had traveled on the Continent and may possibly have learned about distilling there - although it is not at all certain whether anyone in Europe knew how to distil until 500 years later.
There are two types of scotch whiskey, grain based and malt based.
In order for a whiskey to be referred to as scotch two major factors must be in place. First, it must be distilled and matured in Scotland; second the primary base must be malt. Malt Whiskey is produced by the pot still method. This consists of malting, mashing, fermentation and distillation. In 1915 laws were passed ensuring at least 3 years of maturation for scotch.
Malt whiskey can obtain a variety of flavors and hues during the maturation process. The barrels used for this were often old oak barrels that contained sweet wines like sherry. These barrels do add to the flavor of different scotch whiskeys although they cannot take all of the credit for providing scotch with its distinctive bouquet. Some believe that additions to the flavor are from the peat, which is used to heat the kiln, where the malt is located and another decisive factor is the water source.
Some distilleries draw from the same source and the scotch tends to have similar flavor, distilleries that have an independent water supply are very protective of their purified water. The color is derived from these barrels, but producers tend to strive for a color consistency, therefore they occasionally add a miniscule amount of a color-enhancing product. This product is a caramelized sugar that doesn’t affect the flavor because such a small amount is added to such a large quantity of scotch.
Although the minimum time required by law to age scotch is only 3 years an industry standard, for malt whiskey, of 10 to 20 years is recognized.
So, if you prefer a heavy, stronger scotch it’s best to go with malt over a grain whiskey, although both can have mellow undertones malt scotch tends to have more flavor constituents. Also, scotch matured in sherry casks will usually have a darker hue than scotch matured in refilled whiskey casks.
Some History and ....unknown facts
Medicinal purposes
Distilling was first done in monasteries, to produce medicine. Irish records remark on this in the late 1100s, and the earliest Scottish record - in the Royal Exchequer Rolls of 1494 - is of the sale of 500 kgs (1, 120 lbs) of malt to one Friar John Corr ‘wherewith to make aqua vitae’. In 1505 the Guild of Surgeon Barbers in Edinburgh was granted a monopoly in that town for the distillation of aqua vitae.
Easing the lives
Although a handful of ‘industrial’ distilleries sprang up during the 17th and 18th centuries malt whisky distilling was essentially a domestic activity until the 1820s. Just as most rural households brewed beer, so, especially in the Highlands, did they distil uisge beatha. Indeed, it was as essential to the rural economy - paid rents, used up surplus grain and provided cattle feed from spent grains - as it was to rural society, easing the hard lives of poor people in a chill northern country with an inclement climate.
Silent season
Even in our own times, malt whisky distilling was an extension of the farming year, part of the natural cycle of the seasons. The season began in August or September, when the barley had been taken in, and continued through the winter until late April. In May and June many distillery workers helped to cut peats for next season, but production ceased for the summer and maintenance work was done. Today, the length of the summer ‘silent season’ depends on demand.
