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About Whisky
About Whisky
Whisky (or whiskey) (from Irish uisce beatha and/or Scottish Gaelic uisge baugh, both meaning "water of life", and ultimately a calque derived from Latin 'Aqua Vitae' (see below)) is an alcoholic beverage distilled from grain, often including malt, which has then been aged in wooden barrels.
Whisky History
Whisky production began in grain-growing regions (the same regions where beer was being produced) whereas the distillation of brandy developed in regions producing wine. The first traces of distilled barley go back to the 13th century in China. In those times, whisky was considered a medicine, helping to heal all kinds of diseases. It was used as an ointment as well as a drink.
Before bearing the name of "whisky" (or whiskey if produced in Ireland or the United States), the drink was called "Uisge Beatha", which means "Water of Life" in Gaelic. The name evolved through Anglicisation to become Usquebaugh, then Uisge and finally whisky (a term which has been re-borrowed into Irish Gaelic as Fuiscí).
The famous historian and chronicler Raphaël Holinshed wrote the following about the results of distillation of malted barley in his "Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland" in the 16th century:
"Being moderately taken, it slows the age, it cuts phlegm, it lightens the mind, it quickens the spirit, it cures the dropsy, it heals the strangulation, it pounces the stone, it repels gravel, it pulls away ventositie, it keeps and preserves the head from whirling, the eyes from dazzling, the tongue from lisping, the mouth from snuffling, the teeth from chattering, the throat from rattling, the weasan from stiffing, the stomach from womblying, the heart from swelling, the belly from wincing, the guts from rumbling, the hands from shivering, the sinews from shrinking, the veins from crumpling, the bones from aching, the marrow from soaking, and truly it is a sovereign liquor if it be orderly taken."
The first whisky distillery to gain a licence to produce was the Old Bushmills distillery, granted by James I in 1608.
Whisky Cocktails
Boilermaker
Comfortable Screw
Dom Pedro
Godfather
Horses Neck
Hot Totty
Irish Carbomb
Irish Coffee
Jimmy & Guinney
Jungle Juice
Manhattan
Old Fashioned
Rob Roy
Rusty Nail
Sazerac
Suburban
Whisky Sour
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