The Origin of Scottish Whisky

The distillate's origins are lost in the mists of time and shrouded in mystery and legend, but its roots lie in Great Britain. The race to establish supremacy of the spirit has been going on for centuries and seems destined to never end. While Ireland claims that the invention of whiskey (as it is called by the Irish and Americans) is the work of its patron saint, St Patrick, Scotland claims to have the first historical evidence dating back to 1494: a document that mentions a batch of malt destined for Friar John Corr for the production of aqua vitae. This is a long-running dispute that seems to have no end in sight, and which today still has no official confirmation. However, considering the first historical evidence and the fact that Saint Patrick was of Scottish origin, it seems to tip the balance in favour of ancient Caledonia. It is precisely in this region that the Church and the monks contributed significantly to the spread of Scottish distillates, encouraging their development and refining the art of distillation, the famous ancient technique of using stills to extract the purest essence of grain, year after year.

Scotland-Whisky: an Unbreakable Bond

A land of legends, myths and heroes, Scotland is a unique and evocative nation, home to a wealth of extraordinary natural landscapes. By virtue of its majestic castles, famous superstitions (such as that of the Loch Ness monster), legendary myths (like Braveheart), wars for independence and much more, it is often tinged with gothic, historical and mysterious atmospheres that attract visitors from all over the world. Scotland is also synonymous with Whisky, as anyone who visits this land cannot miss a stop at a distillery and not try the finest Scottish spirit. Over the years, the reputation of Scotch Whiskey has grown considerably, becoming an icon for many connoisseurs and without doubt the noblest distillate in the world.

Legislation, Types and Production Areas

The most appropriate definition of Scotch is an alcoholic beverage produced by distilling the must of barley or other cereals, such as wheat, corn and rye, malted or unmalted, in varying percentages, which is then aged in wooden casks, usually made of oak.

The Scotch brand is reserved only for Scottish Whiskies produced exclusively by Scottish distilleries in accordance with the regulations approved by the British Parliament in 1988 which stipulate:

• Production and use of indigenous water and malted barley
• Distillation at an alcohol content of not less than 94,8 % by volume
• Maturation in 700-litre oak casks for a minimum of 3 years.
• Addition of water only (caramel is also tolerated) and no other substances

According to the 2009 amendments, five different categories are listed in the regulation:

• Single Malt: made from barley malt from a single distillery
• Single Grain: made from different cereals, malted or unmalted, added to the barley
• Blended: a blend of single malts and single grains
• Blended Malt: a blend of single malts from different distilleries
• Blended Grain: a blend of single grains from different distilleries.

The region can be divided into five production areas: Highlands, Speyside, Islay, Campbeltown and Lowlands.

The Highlands are one of the most famous and extensive production areas, comprising the northernmost part and the islands and characterised by a landscape of cliffs, waterfalls and steep mountains.

Speyside is the heart of Highland production and is an area in its own right where the most famous Scotch Whisky producers such as the Glenfiddich distillery, Chivas, Glen Grant, Macallan and many others are concentrated.

Islay is an island in the Hebridean archipelago made up of peat which yields products rich in notes of smoke and iodine.

Campbeltown is the peninsula to the south that extends into the Atlantic Ocean with very few distilleries still in operation.

The Lowlands, on the other hand, is the most densely populated and rich range to the south, geographically opposite the Highlands with little rock and dominated by rolling hills, plains and towns.

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