Hisory Of Whisky

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 21
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Distillation first began around 4000 years ago. At first it was used to produced perfumes and wines, but when it spread to the UK, because of our lack of grapes we had to use malt and barley and thus whisky and beer were produced instead. Scotland and Ireland rapidly developed their whisky industries and now both countries are prized for their whisky making abilities.

Scotland''s whisky heritage is so important that there are laws governing what can be called a Scotch. Not only does it have to be produced in Scotland, but it also has to be distilled and matured for a minimum of three years and one day in oak casks.

Coming second only to the oil and gas industry, whisky is one of the country''s biggest exports and is worth ?4 billion to the Scottish economy. Not only this, but according to the Economics Impact of Scotch Whisky Production in Scotland report, it employs the same number of people as the country''s universities.

It looks set to be a healthy future for this tipple of choice. Scottish ministers have just approved plans to build a new ?5 million whisky distillery in Falkirk. Along with a restaurant ...
... and visitor centre the development could create up to 80 new jobs, according to the BBC.

Falkirk has a long whisky-making tradition. Way back in the 1840s the famous Rosebank Distillery produced triple-distilled single malts, but it closed its doors for the last time 17 years ago. Its bottles now sell for over ?200.

Scotland is trying to keep its whisky heritage alive elsewhere too. The Annandale Distillery in southern Scotland has just got the green light to open again after more than 90 years of closure.

90 years ago the distillery was closed and the area was used for farming. The ?4 million development will include a restaurant and visitor centre, in an attempt to around 25,000 visitors a year.

This will greatly boost tourism in the region, which only has five distilleries. It will also bring much needed jobs that in today''s current economic climate are welcome and more than necessary.

Scotland has placed a heavy emphasis on whisky to help it climb out of recession. But it looks likely to work, as our love of the good stuff is unlikely to cease any time soon. Pass the 30-year old bottle please. Bonny Kominek is a freelance writer and whisky connoisseur. They recommend Master of Malt for 30 year old Whisky.