From distillation to whisky purchase - the history of whisky
The origins
In Ireland and Scotland, the distillation process spread around the 11th century A.D. The decisive factor was the development of the alambic still, which is still used today. This technique was adapted by ecclesiastical institutions for the production of medicines. It is thanks to the Irish St. Patrick that the knowledge of whiskey making was spread. The national saint was born in Scotland and lived in Ireland. He is also credited with the copyright. However, the question of whiskey's origin cannot be answered unequivocally. The fact is that the production of whiskey suitable for drinking was recorded in writing from the 12th century.
The history of whiskey
Starting from Ireland, the knowledge of whiskey production spread to Scotland. In our whiskey store you can also buy numerous whiskeys from Ireland. Therefore, as a whiskey store, we have also dealt with the history. In Ireland, peat was used instead of coal to heat the stoves. This smoky flavor has been characteristic of Scotch whiskey ever since. The first written evidence of production in Scotland was an invoice receipt for the purchase of malt in 1494. Used at that time, whiskey was mainly as a remedy for various ailments. However, it was not long before the people also acquired a taste for the "water of life". This became a serious problem when barley, the basic foodstuff, became scarce and yet people continued to distill black.
Buy whiskey - whiskey and its political influence
The sale of whiskey was repeatedly taxed to finance wars, and when the Scottish and English parliaments merged in 1707, the spirit spread nationwide. Riots and the strong growth of "original Scottish" moonshine distilleries were the consequences and at the same time an expression of political resistance. Illegal smugglers and distillers of the Highlands were revered like national heroes. The "Small Stills Act" continuously put an end to moonshine distilling. In addition, the distinction between Highlands and Lowlands was introduced and smaller distilleries were legalized. With favorable taxation, storage and thanks to the tax-free export of whiskies, the widespread moonshine distilling was eliminated and the way was paved for every whisky store. In Ireland, meanwhile, the government was eager to get the most out of whiskey production and buying whiskey became very expensive due to the exceptionally high tax. The whiskey store black market flourished and whiskey was divided into two categories: Legal (parliament) and illegal, original Irish whiskey (poitín). A new tax, more favorable for distilleries, was enacted and the black market became less important. Well-known companies such as Jameson and Powers established themselves on the international shelves of the whiskey stores of the time. After these Irish distilleries knocked off the new "Patent Still" technology, the Scottish companies and whisky stores were on the rise. The Scottish wave of success continued and from it developed the first real blended whisky, which was cheaper to produce in almost the same quality as pure malt whisky. In our store you can buy both whiskies. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, not only whisky stores, but the entire spirits trade came to a standstill, as all grain was only allowed to be used for food production. After various uprisings and wars that led to trade disruptions, Prohibition was abolished under Roosevelt and the markets to buy whiskey were reopened. The Scots, with their well-stocked warehouses in the numerous whiskey stores, were far better prepared for this than the Irish.
Whisky in the USA and Canada
With the immigration movement in the 18th century, Scottish and Irish settlers handed down customs as well as whiskey production to the USA and Canada. In the U.S., the spelling "whiskey" is used, whereas in Canadian whiskey stores both forms are common. The first written documentation dates back to the end of the 18th century. Barley grew much worse in the U.S. than in the old country. For this reason, rye and corn were used for the first time to distill whiskey. Success was not long in coming and the state also wanted to have a piece of the pie by means of taxes. The whiskey stores and whiskey producers called for a whiskey rebellion, which could only be crushed by order of the then president and army support. Kentucky became the rallying point for many rebels, including the Jim Beam, Brown-Fordman and Maker's Mug families. This was the birth of Kentucky whiskey. Those who wanted to buy whiskey could do so in special stores, and so it developed into an affordable mass drink. It wasn't long before a temperance movement developed, calling for the withdrawal of alcohol from the entire nation, but without long-term success. In Canada, the Walker company broke new ground by maturing a blend in casks for 6 years for the first time and bottling it in "Club Whisky" bottles. The anti-alcohol movement also led to a partial ban on alcohol in Canada, which was lifted again shortly afterwards to put a stop to moonshine.
Buying whisky - the ingredients of whisky
To make whiskey, you don't need much: grain, water and yeast. Whereby especially the barrel and also the fuel used (peat) influence the flavor expression. In our online store you can buy the most diverse whiskies and discover the most diverse flavors! Are you looking for a special flavor? Use the filter options to buy whiskey in our store and choose from 12 flavors.
Grain
If you want to buy whiskey, you should know that grains such as barley, corn, rye or wheat are used 100% or mixed for whiskey distillation. Barley has the advantage that the starch it contains can be optimally converted and fermented. This raw material is mainly used for Scotch or Irish whiskies. The most important raw material in the U.S. is corn, since bourbon whiskey and Tennessee whiskey must contain at least 51%.
Water
Until you can buy your whisky it needs a lot, a lot of water: starting with the mashing process, the cooling, the cask filling and the dilution to drinking strength. Therefore, special attention is paid to the quality of the liquid gold. Its quality is meticulously measured and, if necessary, the entire land is bought up from the source (as is the case, for example, with Glenfiddich). The different degrees of hardness of the water have an individual effect on the whiskey taste.
Yeast
Yeast is necessary to convert the grain starch into sugar and this into alcohol. The wild yeasts contained are not sufficient for this purpose, which is why cultivated yeast strains are used. The distilleries attach particular importance to their own development of these strains, as they have an individual effect on the flavor diversity of different whiskies. Let our Whisky Shop team advise you before you buy your whisky.