Whisky Production

Scotland’s National Drink

History

Legend says that Irish monks brought Whisky production to Scotland in the 4th or 5th centuries AD.

Important events

1644 – introduction of tax

1780 – only 8 legal distilleries

1823 – new laws introduced

1831 – patent still introduced

1880 – French wine & cognac    production destroyed

1990 – current legislation

Legal Definition

Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, to which only other whole grains may be added, have been processed at that distillery into a mash, converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems, and fermented only by the addition of yeast,

Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume so that it retains the flavour of the raw materials used in its production,

Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for no less than three years,

Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel colouring, and

May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume.

Production Process

Production consists of 5 stages

Malting

Brewing

Distillation

Maturation

Bottling

Malting

Malting

Brewing

Brewing

Distillation

Maturation

Bottling

The Finished Product

The Scottish Life

…

---