History of Whisky
Nine centuries of distillation, from the medieval cloister to the modern renaissance
Medieval monastic distillation
The earliest surviving records suggest that distillation was practised in the monasteries of Scotland and Ireland by the twelfth century, having reached the northern isles through the trade in medieval learning.
First written record of Scotch whisky
An entry in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls records the grant of eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor for the making of aqua vitae. It is the earliest surviving documentary reference to Scotch whisky.
The world's first licensed distillery
Old Bushmills in County Antrim is granted the world's first official distilling licence by King James I, a document that Bushmills preserves to this day.
Excise tax introduced in Scotland
Scotland introduces its first excise tax on whisky production, beginning a long period of tension between distillers and the Crown.
The Excise Act
The Excise Act removes many of the legal and financial barriers to licensed distillation in Scotland, opening the way for the establishment of many of the great modern distilleries.
The Coffey still is patented
Aeneas Coffey, an Irish Excise officer, patents the continuous column still. His invention makes possible the cheap production of grain spirit and, in due course, the great blended whiskies.
Glenmorangie is established
William Matheson founds Glenmorangie in the Northern Highlands, converting an existing brewery into a distillery at Morangie Farm.
The Spirits Act and the birth of blending
The Spirits Act permits for the first time the blending of malt and grain whisky under bond, giving rise to the great blended Scotch industry.
The Victorian distillery boom
The number of licensed distilleries in Scotland reaches an all-time peak as the great blending houses expand to meet worldwide demand.
American Prohibition
The prohibition of the sale of alcohol in the United States closes the largest export market for both Scotch and Irish whisky for more than a decade.
Japan's first malt distillery
Shinjiro Torii establishes the Yamazaki distillery near Kyoto, with Masataka Taketsuru as its founding manager. It is the first true malt whisky distillery in Japan.
Industry consolidation
The Scottish industry undergoes a major period of consolidation, with the closure or mothballing of many historic distilleries.
The Classic Malts campaign
Diageo's Classic Malts campaign selects six single malts as ambassadors for the category, transforming the international standing of single malt Scotch.
Global whisky expansion
Serious whisky production begins in India, Taiwan, Australia and Scandinavia, marking the beginning of a genuinely global industry.
The continuing renaissance
The English and Welsh craft revival continues, and single malt production reaches new markets and new levels of experimentation across the world.