Whisky Trivia

[Bushman]

A few years ago I started a thread called Whiskey A Very Peculiar History that gained a lot of traction. I think it would be fun to start another thread called Whisky Trivia. Feel free to add to the thread but a lot of the information I will post comes from the book ”A Field Guide to Whisky.

Who invented Distilling?
Various stories have been noted by historians, journalists, authors, and amateurs so there are various versions. One of the more accepted version is that it came from ancient China traveling via India to the Middle East known as the old Silk Route. Although there is no solid proof there is evidence that hint to it’s validity. An example is some very rudimentary distilling equipment was found in 1980’s and scientists date it to 3500 BC. The apparatus was probably used to extract essences

Four thousand years later, the first written accounts of distilling practices appeared in the works of Islamic scholars. One of them is thought to be the father of Arabic chemistry. He made real strides in alchemy and changing it into a science. He is credited with various inventions that form the basic equipment still used today. One of them being alembic which is believed to be the predecessor to the pot still. His name was Geber short for (Abu Musa Jair ibn Hayyan).

[corene1]

Well here is a little simple trivia. Did you know only Scotch whisky is spelled without the e. All other whiskies are spelled whiskey.

[Boda Getta]

Actually, The US and Ireland are about the only counties that do spell it with a E. Japanese whisky is spelled without the E but they can't call it Scotch, they call it Japanese Single Malt Whisky; in the US we call ours American Single Malt Whiskey.

BG

[sweeps]

Canadian whisky also goes without the E.

[zapata]

My friend Mark wanted to have a word here:

[just sayin]

The Irish added the E to differentiate their fine, generally triple distilled sipping drop from the coarse, less refined firewater produced in Scotland.
Their opinion, not mine. Just Sayin'
I love them both!!! Family on both sides of the Irish Sea...

Great post, Bushman! "His name was Gerber..." Do you think Rad knows about that?

[Bushman]

Sorry I have been out on my boat for four days so haven’t updated the thread.

Which Nation was the first to make Whisky
It is generally assumed that the Irish were the first to make whisky. Some evidence can be found in the Red Book of Odossary from the early 14th century, attributed to the Irish Bishop Richard Ledred. His is the first written Irish account of the distilling process, and on those grounds he may be dubbed the Godfather of whisky.

[JakeB]

“To Friar John Cor, by order of the King (James IV of Scotland), to make aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt.”*

Historians are broadly in agreement that by specifically referring to ‘aqua vitae’ and the reference to malt (barley) in order to make it, Friar John Cor or one of his fellow friars must have been making spirits.

Aqua vitae means ‘water of life’ in Latin as does the Gaelic ‘uisge-beatha’, which was subsequently anglicised as ‘whisky’. Thus, goes the argument, this mention in 1494 marks the first record of whisky – or at the very least distilling – in Scotland.

[Stonecutter]

Ah yes, a very nice book. It sits next to my decorative barrel amongst my decanters. This should be a great thread Bushman!

9B3AEF9B-D4A0-47C5-8452-B3DC24BACA12.jpeg

[Stonecutter]

Nikola Tesla allegedly believed that drinking whiskey everyday would give him long life. 150 yrs to be exact.
https://lordsofthedrinks.wordpress.com/ ... r-alcohol/