Uisge Beatha | Water of Life | Scotch whisky... Whether you call Scotland's national wine, and no matter what kind of Scotch you find, you know that it's a premium product, made in Scotland with a unique tradition dating back more than 500 years.
Early beginnings
The story of Scotch whisky began as early as the 15th century. The earliest distillation records in Scotland occurred in 1494. One entry listed "Eight Bell Malts given to Friar John Cole to make the Eau de Eau de Vie." "Friar John was lucky – this is enough to produce nearly 1,500 bottles of spirits that will be refined and refined over the years to come. However, the "water of life" of that year was not used for drinking, but mainly for alchemy and medicine. But this is enough to show that Scotland's whisky in the 15th century, although more as a cold repellent potion, but the entire industry has been thriving.
History of Scotch whisky development
Taxation and tax evasion
The growing popularity of Scotch whisky has caught the attention of the Scottish Parliament, hoping to profit from the emerging industry. Scotch whisky was first taxed before 1644, leading to an increase in the number of illegal distilled whiskies across Scotland.
Smuggling became standard practice for the next 150 years. Customs collectors or metronomers and illegal brewers are notoriously engaged in a cat-and-mouse game, and savvy Scots have come up with increasingly ingenious ways to protect the spirit from the effects of taxation. Even the usually honest clergy would hide Scotch whisky under the pulpit, and the liquor would even be transported away in coffins to avoid the tax collectors!
By the 1820s, as many as 14,000 illegal stills were confiscated each year, and more than half of the whiskies consumed in Scotland were enjoyed without tax cuts from tax collectors.
Towards modern industry
One of the most famous tax collectors of the 18th century was the Scottish bard Robert Burns. Before turning his attention to writing some of Scotland's most popular poems, he had trained in taxation. In 1785, Burns wrote "Scots Drink"—an ode to the nature of whisky and happiness—a community, cooperative, warm and friendly welcome—and his views embodied the true spirit of Scotch whisky.
Continued contempt for the law eventually prompted Duke Gordon to produce some of Scotland's finest illegal whiskies on his vast expanse of land, and he proposed in the House of Lords that the government should make legal production of whisky profitable. The Excise Act of 1823 was passed, which approved the distillation of whisky in exchange for a licence fee of £10 and a fixed fee per gallon of spirits. Over the next decade, smuggling disappeared almost entirely, and in fact, many of today's distilleries are located in locations used by smugglers more than two centuries ago.
The rise of grain whisky
Until now, this spirit — whether illegal or otherwise — has been malt whisky. However, before 1831, Aeneas Coffey invented a patented still that allowed the distillation process to take place. This led to the production of grain whisky, a spirit that differs from malt whisky. The blend of lighter grain whiskies with stronger malt whiskies expands the appeal of Scotch whisky to a wider market.
Scotch whisky goes out into the world
In the 19th century, whisky giants such as James Buchanan, Tommy Dewar, Johnny Harvest and James Chivas brought Scotch whisky out of Scotland for the first time. With their entrepreneurial spirit, they took whisky to the British Empire and beyond, from Hong Kong to Hanoi, from Sydney to San Francisco, from Montreal to Mumbai, from Bogotá to Berlin, from Cape Town to the Cape Verde Islands, and they developed a lasting love of Scotch whisky. The export markets they built are the cornerstone of Scotch whisky's success today. A little luck also helped with global expansion. In the 1880s, phylloxera ravaged Vineyards in France, and within a few years wine and brandy had almost disappeared from cellars everywhere.
Once again the shrewd Scots soon gained the upper hand. By the time French industry was reviving, Scotch whisky had replaced brandy as the spirit of choice.
SWA appears
The Scotch Whisky Association was founded against a backdrop of rising taxes, global expansion and the need for a unified industry voice. Prior to October 3, 1912, brand owners held a series of meetings to discuss how to protect the industry, and held major gatherings in London. In 1942, the two sides agreed to form the Wine and Spirits Brand Association, the Scotch Whisky Association.
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky worldwide
Churchill's association with Scotch whisky goes far beyond prohibition. As brewers increasingly looked for international opportunities, World War II reshaped the winemaking industry.
At the time, a minister said: "... The country needs food, the dollar means food, and the whisky means the dollar. ”
The annual export target has been agreed with the government, and Scotch whisky's journey to become the world's top whisky continues.
500 years later
Five centuries after it all began, in 1994 the Scotch whisky industry celebrated its 500th anniversary – and in style! Global exports of Scotch whisky crossed the £2 billion mark for the first time.
Protect Scotch whisky in the modern world
By law, Scotch whisky must be distilled and matured in Oak barrels in Scotland for at least three years and bottled at an alcohol concentration of at least 40%. Over time, strong legal protections for Scotch whisky – essential to maintain a spirit known worldwide for its quality – have been strengthened.
The first definition of Scotch whisky in English law was guaranteed in 1933, with the enactment of the Special Scotch Whisky Act in 1988 and the new Scotch Whisky Regulations in 2009. These comprehensive rules govern the Scotch whisky industry.
World Whisky
Today, Scotch whisky is popular in almost every country in the world. With 44 bottles of Scotch whisky shipped from Scotland to the world every second, it helps support tens of thousands of jobs in Scotland and ensures that millions of consumers can enjoy a glass of whisky.
A global industry, 500 years of development.
More about Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is Scotch whisky, which can only be called Scotch whisky if it is produced in Scotland under the supervision of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and is made in accordance with scotch whisky law, and this provision is even written into the laws of the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Scotch Whisky, also known as Scotch whisky, is undoubtedly the most noble and orthodox symbol of whisky, which is of course directly related to Scotland's strict regulatory protection and restrictions. Under the supervision of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), whiskies that are fully compliant with the provisions of The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 are called Scotch whiskies. Since this provision is even written into UK and EU law, it is no exaggeration to call it whiskey law. Scotch Whisky Act protects the authenticity and credibility of Scotch whisky and helps maintain its high-quality reputation and reputation. In 1831, Scotland introduced the tower distillation pot, which can be continuously distilled, which greatly improves the distillation efficiency, thereby reducing the price of whisky and making whisky more common.
All Scotch whiskies have a requirement that they need to be aged in oak barrels for not less than 3 years; depending on the alcohol content, whiskies can be divided into whiskies with different alcohol levels such as 40-60 degrees.
Scotch Whisky: A branded distillery in the main Scotch whisky region
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