Whiskey: A Global History (Edible)
Kevin R. Kosar
Language: English
Pages: 144
ISBN: 1861897804
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
A Manhattan or a Sazerac; neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of soda—no matter how it’s served up, whiskey is synonymous with the poet’s inspiration and the devil’s spirit. Be it bourbon, rye, corn, Irish, or Scotch, whiskey has an infamous and celebrated history from a sometimes lethal, herb-infused concoction to a high-quality, meticulously crafted liquor.
In Whiskey, Kevin R. Kosardelivers an informative, concise narrative of the drink’s history, from its obscure medieval origins to the globally traded product that it is today. Focusing on three nations—Scotland, Ireland, and America—Kosarcharts how the technique of distillation moved from ancient Egypt to the British Isles. Contrary to popular claims, there were no good old days of whiskey: before the twentieth century, consumers could never be sure just what was being poured in their cup—unscrupulous profiteers could distill anything into booze and pawn it off as whiskey. Eventually, government and industry established legal definitions of what whiskey is and how it could be made, allowing for the distinctive styles of whiskey known today.
Whiskey explains what whiskey is, how it is made, and how the types of whiskey differ. With a list of suggested brands and classic cocktail recipes for the thirsty reader, this book is perfect for drink and food enthusiasts and history lovers alike.
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whisky was distilled at all. Distilled spirits produced in Scotland (us gallons). Nonetheless, the Scotch distilleries lived on. Product diversification helped – with their continuous stills, Scotch distillers produced tens of million of gallons of industrial alcohol for the UK during both the world wars. (Ireland and England, meanwhile, had a retaliatory trade war in the 1930s, and Ireland remained neutral in the Second World War.) Additionally, the Scots benefited from their previous
whiskies, though they tend to be less intense, and they show other light flavours. The five Scotch whisky regions. Some of the most famous Scotch whiskies, such as The Glenlivet, Glenmorangie and Talisker, are made in the Highlands, an area situated immediately above the Lowlands. The distilleries there make an astonishingly diverse range of whiskies. Perhaps the only characteristics that Highland whiskies share are a tendency towards fruity flavours and a generally high quality.
still can be found for $10 or £15 a litre, but they have been shoved aside by legion luxury whiskies. First it was the single-malt Scotches, then the blends and now Irish, bourbon and rye whiskies appear in sleek bottles and are priced at $40 a bottle (or £30) or more. Auctions now are held to sell of rare lots of whiskies, and the prices often defy belief. Nuns’ Island distillery of Galway, Ireland closed in 1913. When an unopened bottle of its whiskey surfaced a few years ago, bidding was to
these poteens are unaged and water-clear. Bunratty weighs in at 80 proof, while Knockeen Hills is produced at three strengths: 120 proof, 140 proof and an eye-popping 180 proof. Sales are modest, but climbing. Not much more than a century ago, the Crown employed armed troops to quash the production of poteen. In a surreal twist, now one finds bottles of Knockeen Hills for sale in Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 3. Whiskey-makers and public relations firms like to speak of the ‘good old days of
(How long the whiskey has been in the bottle is not reflected on the label.) A bottle of ‘blended’ or ‘vatted’ whiskey contains whiskies of different ages, and the age on the label must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the mix. As an imperfect rule of thumb, if the label does not state the whiskey’s age, then it is likely that the whiskey was aged for less than four years. The Types of Whiskey A good way to give oneself a headache is to stand in the whiskey section of a liquor store