If you have ever gone into a whisky shop or visited an online whisky exchange you will be have been surprised by the different arrays of whiskies https://www.selectscotchwhisky.com.au/ on display. But have you ever wondered what is it that makes this drink so special? In order to fully appreciate scotch single malt whisky it’s essential to know how it is produced and where to buy high quality Scotch whisky. On the Internet there are many places to purchase good quality Scotch, like a whisky exchange or online whisky shop.
Origins of Whisky
It is possible that the distillation process was started in ancient Babylon around 2000 BC. Although this wasn’t to distil spirits, but for perfumes. It is thought that the art of distilling spirits was developed around the 13th century in Italy, where wine was distilled to extract the alcohol. Then the practice spread to Ireland and Scotland.
In the Gaelic language (the language spoken by the Irish and Scots) the words ‘whisky’ literally means “water of life”. It is thought that the process of distilling grains came from Ireland and that the Scots may have learned whisky distillation from the Christian missionary monks, who had travelled over from Ireland. Although the Socts claim to have the earliest recorded accounts of distilling spirits, no one can be certain just when the drink from distilled grains was produced.
In order for a whisky to be called ‘Scotch Whisky’ it has to have been produced in Scotland and have been matured in wooden casks, on Scottish ground, for at least 3 years. Whisky is produced in other countries and the spelling of it depends on where it is produced. Whiskey produced in the US and Ireland has the ‘e’ at the end. Whereas whisky produced in Scotland, Canada and Japan don’t have the ‘e’ at the end. Although many countries have tried to produce their own whiskies, nothing can compare to the uniqueness of a fine Scotch single malt.
What Is Needed For High Quality Whisky?
The three main factors to make a good quality Scotch single malt are: pure water, barley and peat. Scotland has been blessed with all three of these factors. The Scottish climate produces high quality barley. Although Scottish distillers prefer using Scottish barley, the source isn’t important. For making high quality whisky the barley needs to have a higher sugar content. The water from the hills is clean and pure and fresh peat is in abundance. The water in Scotland is naturally ‘soft’, it is in abundance and is naturally filtered through peat. This all combines to give Scotch whisky a unique taste.