The name usually used to qualify the Whiskey coming from Scotland is Scotch tape whiskey , this name is protected by a law from 1988, the Scotch Whiskey Act , which stipulates that the Scotch tape must be distilled and out-of-date in Scotland.

The text specifies moreover Whiskey indicates one spiritueux
(a) elaborate by distillation of one grinds cereals which has été

(I) saccharified by Diastase of the Malt that it contains, with or without addition of other natuelles enzymes,
(II) fermented by the yeast action, with a degree of alcohol of less than 94,8% of volume so that the distillate has a flavor and a taste derived from the raw materials used;
(b) aged during at least three years in barrels out of wooden of a capacity not exceeding 700 liters. 1

History

The first whiskey trace in Scotland goes up with 1494. It is about a note referring to the production of Eau-de-vie in an official document Exchequer' S roll which specifies testimony of a practice installed already well. It is generally considered that the monks of Dal Riada made benefit the Scot from their knowledge in the field of distillation when they came évangéliser the Pictes from Calédonie.

The 16th century, the development of cooling systems to water allow a clear qualitative improvement which accelerates the economic development of the Scotch whiskey. The Dissolution of the monasteries English then Scottish leads the monks to be melted with the secular population and to communicate their know-how. If the brandy resale in Scotland is licit only for the barbers and surgeons since 1505, it in parallel became a current activity with the farm where any surplus of grain is distilled.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Scottish Parliament tries to control the alcohol consumption which poses problem in Hébrides by prohibiting the liquor importation of the continent. The laws passed in 1609, 1616 then 1622 cause to encourage the local production. In 1644, a bad harvest highlights a risk of shortage out of barley related to the expansion of the production of the whiskey. A tax is founded on brandy, and the activity of legally limited distillation. The end of the century marks the beginnings of the industrialization of the production with the increase in the size of the stills of an artisanal size (from 100 to 250 L) with a mass production.

The Traité union which attaches Scotland to England in 1707 imposes the homogenization of the taxes between the two countries. It is the kickoff of a rise of the Contrebande and of a confrontation between the clandestine ones and the “Excisemen” charged to collect the taxes which will last until the 19th century. In 1713, the introduction of a tax on malt causes a revolt, weakens the local beer consumption (produced containing barley malted) and supports the domestic production (not subjected to the tax) of whiskey. In 1756, a catastrophic harvest leads the authorities to prohibit any distillation on the Scottish territory, carrying a blow moreover with the legal industry which goes bankrupt masses some (lowers 90  % with 200  000 liters per annum, the “private” whiskey represents ten times then more). In 1777 with Edinburgh, one counts eight distillings laid off against more than 400 stills. In 1781, in order to stop the phenomenon, domestic distillation is prohibited (it was up to that point tolerated provided the produced whiskey is reserved for the personal use) and the denouncement is rewarded by a premium. The clandestine distillers often benefitted from this premium by revealing the site of their old decayed equipment in order to be able to offer nine of them.

In parallel, of great legal distillings settle in the Lowlands, producing alcohols of bad quality starting from not malted cereals. The production is in very clear increase and distillation structure the economic activity of the area, exploiting the coal of the close mines, nourishing the cattle from grinds production and flooding the British market.

In 1784, the Wash Act seeks to simplify the system of taxation in order to make it more effective. Controls on official distillings are reinforced, the production is encouraged in Highlands by reduced taxes provided the production is not exported. Moreover, one size minimum of the stills is imposed. With the approach of the industrial revolution, the clandestine production still intensifies in the Highlands while the quality of these whiskeys is considered higher than that of Lowlands.

Distillation becomes legal only with the Excise Act of 1823.

Areas of production

One in general distinguishes five great areas which produce each very recognizable whiskeys:
  • the valley of the Spey ( Speyside ) in the North-East is the area of the most important production, and produced subtle and refined whiskeys (ex: Glenlivet, Glenfiddish)

  • the Highlands in north give more robust and marked whiskeys (ex: Glenmorangie)

  • the Lowlands in the south

    • Auchentoshan
    • Bladnoch
    • Glenkinchie (Pencaitland - East Lothian)
    • Inverlen (Dumbarton - Strathclyde)
    • Ladyburn (Girvan - Ayrs)
    • Littlemill (Bowling - Dunbarton)
    • Rosebank (Falkirk - Stirling)

  • the Îles offer very typified whiskeys.

  • Campbeltown

Among 32 distillings which existed in Campbeltown, only 2 remain: Springbank and Glen Scotia

Random links:Soft | Kiswa | Escanaffles | Maurice Van Moppès | Sónar

© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org