Whisky

So whisky or whiskey? You will find out too. Most importantly, however, it is a distillate made from cereals and aged in barrels - most often oak - for at least 3 years and 1 day. For centuries, whiskey was divided into malt and grain, until in 1863 William Sanderson reportedly introduced the world's first blended whiskey. When you say the word whiskey, you automatically think of Scotland. Not by chance. Whiskey is not only a rare export item for Scotland, but also one of its symbols. But when we follow in the footsteps of whiskey, we find that the Scots probably didn't burn it first. This honor is claimed by their Celtic relatives - the Irish. However, as the Scots say, "Irish whiskey may have been invented, but it was not until the Scots brought it to perfection!" There are also theories that they were the first to make alcohol from Welsh malt.

The name whiskey comes from the Celtic term "uisge beatha" - the water of life. Gradually shortening he changed the "usky" until he came to "whiskey". The oldest mention of whiskey comes from the 6th century, from the so-called Columbus's Codex - books of punishments imposed by the Irish abbot Columba on priests and monks who overemphasize the "uisge beatha". However, the first written mention of the production of whiskey from malt dates back to 1494. Until then, the "water of life" was burned only from wine. Scotch whiskey is characterized by a smoky aroma and taste, created by drying malting barley over an open peat fire. Distill twice. The Irish do not use peat fire for malt, so Irish whiskey lacks the typical smoky tone. In its production, raw barley is mixed into malt and it is burned three times.

The term whiskey is also used by American products, made mainly from corn and known as US whiskey, Tennessee whiskey or Bourbon. Canadian whiskey is also popular among connoisseurs, but Japanese whiskey is also gaining more and more popularity. And we're at the beginning - so when is whiskey and when is whiskey? The rule has been established among producers that in countries whose names contain "e" (UnitEd StatEs of America, Ireland) they use the name whiskEy. Countries that do not have "e" in their name (Canada, Scotland, Japan) produce whisky.