The History Of Whiskey: Let’s Take It Back To The Beginning

Whiskey is nothing new. The spirit has actually been around since the 11th century, being used for both medicinal purposes as well as libation. In early years, whiskey was prescribed by doctors for a variety of ailments and in today’s world, it’s the drink of choice for many. 

Prohibition, which went into effect in 1920, made the consumption, sale, import, and transport of all alcoholic beverages illegal. During the prohibition, having a medical prescription for whiskey, cognac, or scotch was one of the only legal ways to get your hands on a bottle. Well, with rules comes rule-breaking and the bootlegging business took off! 

The response to this prohibition resulted in exactly that...bootlegging, smuggling, gangs, and speakeasies!

As a result of the prohibition of alcohol being prohibited, the alcohol industry flourished underground with illegal importing, production, and sales. Secret bars, known as speakeasies, started popping up in cities across the nation and whiskey was readily available...if you were a rule breaker.

 

The Rise Of Whiskey

When the prohibition ended 13 years later, America’s whiskey industry was hardly existent. Ireland and Scotland had also lost their largest market, as Americans were no longer able to support them. This resulted in many distilleries going out of business and the whole industry taking a huge hit. In the 20th century, the popularity of Irish Whisky and Scottish whiskey made a return!

A celebration for whiskey connoisseurs and liquor companies worldwide is known as “Repeal day”, which is the day the prohibition ended. On December 5, 1933, the Federal Government ratified the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, repealing the prohibition and making alcohol production, distribution, and consumption legal again. 

With this came the revival of the whiskey industry!

Now that we have gone over the history of whiskey and how it became what it is today, let’s now learn about where whisky comes from and why it is unique.

 

Is it Bourbon? Scotch? Whisky or whiskey?

Whiskey is an umbrella term with many different variants below it. Whiskey is produced in many countries resulting in different variants, tastes, and processes. Below we will discuss the different countries that produce whiskey and how they are unique.

 

 

The Big Five: The Most Popular Whiskey Producing Countries

In the world of whiskey, there are five of the most well-known countries that produce whiskey. Many whiskey lovers refer to these as the big five: Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, and Japan. 

 

Scottish Whiskey

Have you been wondering where the word “scotch” came from? Well, know you know! Scotland is the home to scotch whisky...yes, whiskey without an ‘e’.

A whiskey spelling tip:

If the country has the letter ‘e’ in the spelling, whiskey is usually spelled with an ‘e’ in it. If the county does not have the letter ‘e’ in the spelling, whiskey is usually spelled without an ‘e’.

Scotland is one of the biggest whiskey producing countries in the world. In Scotland five different categories of whiskey are produced. These include blended scotch, blended malt scotch, blended grain scotch, single malt scotch, and single grain scotch. These 5 different blends make scotch a versatile type of whiskey with flavors and scents to match each whiskey drinker's pallet.

Love rare scotch? Check out this bottle of Macallan Scotch here. 

 

Irish Whisky 

Irish whiskey anyone!? In Ireland, the country produces its very own variants of whiskey. The country produces single pot, single malt, blended, and single grain whiskey.

In the years prior to the prohibition, Irish whiskey was a very popular choice for Americans. Whiskey was actually one of Ireland's largest exports from their country. With the prohibition, the industry took a hit as well as with the rise of Scotch and American whiskey but is now back to its popular place. 

What makes Irish whiskey special? One thing that sets Irish whiskey apart from the others is that they require that all bottled whiskey is at least aged for 3 years. This produces a lighter whiskey without compromising the delicious flavor. Irish whiskey is commonly produced in a single pot, which includes malted and unmalted barley. 

 Interested in rare and hard-to-find Irish whiskey? Check out this popular bottle here. 

 

American Whiskey

American whiskey is very popular and has a wide variety of different types. One of the most popular, bourbon, is a well-known and loved spirit by many whiskey lovers. For whiskey to be considered bourbon it must follow some laws. It must be made in America, aged in an oak barrel, be made from at least 51% corn, and be no higher than 160 proof alcohol. Bourbon has a sweeter taste than other whiskeys and can be described as having notes of vanilla, corn, oak, and caramel.

In addition to bourbon, another popular whiskey in America is Tennessee Whiskey. Tennessee whiskey must be produced in Tennessee and must follow all the same rules that apply to Bourbon. In order to be considered "Tennessee whiskey", it must go through the Lincoln County Process (LCP) which dictates that the spirit has had contact with charcoal prior to barreling. 

Last, we have rye whiskey. Rye whiskey can be produced anywhere in the world and is becoming more and more popular in whiskey producing countries. Rye whiskey must be produced similar to bourbon and must have a minimum of 51% corn. It is a bit bolder and has more flavor than a lighter bourbon. 

Interested in rare American bourbon? Check out our collection of expensive bourbon here. 

 

Canadian Whisky 

In Canada, the country produces all kinds of different variations of whiskey including 100% rye. Canadian whisky distilleries often add coloring or flavoring to their whiskey. This allows them to market flavors such as peach, cinnamon, maple, or apple. This process is not legal in many countries, making it unique to Canada and a reason Canadian whisky is different.

Canadian whiskey distillers must follow some laws to be considered Canadian whiskey. The whiskey must be distilled from Canada, aged for at least three years, and include a maximum of 9.09% non-whiskey (flavor or color). In addition, Canadian whiskey must use use cereal grains and ensure a minimum of 40% alcohol in each bottle.

  

Japanese Whisky 

One of the rarest whiskys, Japanese whisky, has become very popular over the years. The very first distillery in Japan was the Yamazaki distillery which was opened by Shinjiro Torii and Taketsuru in 1923.

Japanese whisky uses rice which is then fermented with koji. In Japanese distilleries, they use a unique process called parallel-dual fermentation which results in a light yet district flavor. This process is also used for other spirits made in Japan.

As Japanese whisky is quite rare, there are not many laws regulating how it is made. The only requirement is that it is made from malted grains, and bottled in Japan. Now...the hard part is getting your hands on a bottle of Japanese whisky!

Interested in rare Japanese whiskey? Check out this bottle of The Yamazaki here. 

 

In addition to the popular whiskey choices mentioned above, there are many other whiskey-producing countries worldwide. With the rise in popularity of craft cocktails and at-home bars we hope this lesson helps you choose your next rare whiskey, bourbon, scotch, or rye bottle from Allocated Liquor!