The History Of Whiskey

May 29, 2021

Are you a whiskey lover? Are you thinking of giving out a Whisky Hampers as a gift this year? Do you know the history of Whiskey? If not, we've put together this comprehensive blog post for you. The beginning of the Whiskey trade dates back to almost a thousand years ago. The first whiskey was drunk in Scotland in 1494 according to an entry in the Exchequer Rolls. 

Whiskey was initially used as medicine. It served as both an anesthetic and an antibiotic. The earliest production of whiskey began in Ireland and Scotland from barley. Distillation was used to extract the liquid known as whiskey. 

For some time, Christian missionaries used to export whiskey. They used their distillation techniques to distill off whiskey liquor from barley. These methods were preserved and used for many years. Farmers also used these methods to produce whiskey if there was surplus produce. 

Types Of Whiskey

Whiskey has many kinds depending on the raw material used in fermentation. All whiskeys are made from fermentation, then distilled off, and stored in wooden barrels for aging which improves the taste of the wine.

However, several countries have their collection of whiskeys such as America, Mexico, India, Georgia, Canada, and many more. 

The most common type of whiskeys includes Irish and Scotch. Irish whiskeys are made from a mash of malt and stored in barrels for 3 years to achieve their smooth flavor. It is widely used in making cocktails. 

Scotch whisky or Scotch is a whisky produced in Scotland using malt or grain. The aging process takes up to 3 years. The same distillation process is followed by every producer which abides by their law. Scotch is commonly consumed as an after-dinner drink. 

Rye Whiskey, as the name suggests, is an American whiskey made containing 51% rye. The remaining percentage constitutes corn and barley. The whiskey is produced in the same way as bourbon whiskeys using the same process of distillation. The minimum aging period is 2-3 years. 

If a rye whiskey is not mixed with other kinds of whiskeys after the aging period, it is simply called a ‘straight rye whiskey’. Rye Whiskey is not as sweet as a bourbon whiskey but it also has a smooth taste like the latter. 

Blended whiskey is a mixture of different whiskeys with different colors and tastes as well as grains. They are important in making cocktails as different mixtures can be made to bring out different types of flavors.

Prices of Whisky vary hugely. Entry level bottles (large bottles) can be bought for as little as £10 nowadays, with luxury, high end premium whisky’s selling into the £000’s! The world’s most expensive ever whisky is the Macallan Fine and Rate 60 year old - which sold for a whopping $1.9m at Sotheby’s in London.

Whiskey Hampers

Drinking whiskey is common during celebrations and outings. Whiskeys have become a vital gift over the years. People gift special kinds of whiskeys and wines to each other on occasions such as Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas parties. 

Whiskeys are usually gifted individually but you can gift more than one as well in the form of a hamper. Whiskey hampers combine whiskeys from different countries and of different types in a collection. 

People like to buy whiskey hampers as a gift for occasions like birthdays and weddings. Brands like the awesome hamper companies combine tasty whiskeys into a single basket hamper packed as a gift that you can buy for your loved ones. 

Whisky Hampers serve as excellent gifts for whiskey lovers who like to try out different types of whiskeys of different origins.

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