Whisky is one of the world’s oldest drinks. It comes from the Gaelic words uisce beatha, which means ‘water of life’. It may be more known as an alcoholic drink these days but many centuries ago, it had medicinal uses. When people needed an antiseptic and an anesthetic, they often turned to this golden-hued liquor for its anti-bacterial and numbing properties.
Early beginnings
Whisky is produced through a process called distillation. The process was practiced as early as 2000 BC but distillation of whisky did not begin until about the 12th century, when it was taught to monks in Ireland and Scotland. In lieu of grapes that were difficult to come by, the monks instead distilled barley beer, which resulted to an early form of whisky. Starting in 1536, the production of the liquor moved from the monasteries to private homes when the monasteries were dissolved. In the early 1700s, taxes on the drink increased, forcing people to produce it on the sly, using homemade implements. It was during this time when whisky became known as moonshine. Only the passing of the Excise Act in the 1820s significantly reduced the illicit production of the drink.
In 1831, an improved version of the whisky still was invented by Aeneas Coffey. Because it allowed continuous distillation, it reduced the cost of production significantly and made it possible to mix unmalted barley with malted barley and other grains to produce whisky at a low cost. Mass production at this time was a godsend, too, due to the pestilence that invaded grape plantations in France, effectively making it impossible to produce brandy. As a result, people turned to whisky.
In its earliest forms, whiskey was quite a potent drink and undiluted, could sometimes even be downright dangerous. It took some time until it was discovered that allowing whisky to age in its cask resulted to the smooth, wonderful drink we know today. Its taste has also improved over the years, thanks to patient experimentation and blending, making it one of the most versatile and popular liquors in the world.