12/02/2014
Things maybe you didn't know about whisky
The French drink more Whisky than Cognac
The phrase "The real McCoy" referred to whisky smuggled into the USA during Prohibition by Captain Bill McCoy. . or maybe not ..
During Prohibition whisky could be legally obtained through a doctor, for "medicinal" purposes.
Malt whisk(e)y is made in Scotland, Ireland, Japan and New Zealand.
Bourbon takes its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, where it was first made.
Whisky may not legally be described as such in the UK until it has matured for 3 years.
In 1994 there were about 2.5 BILLION litres-pure-alcohol of whisky stored in bonded warehouses in Scotland. Allowing that the value of whisky is about £8 per litre of alcohol, that means stocks are worth about £20,000,000,000 at sale.
A single butt (barrel) of whisky contains some 500 litres of spirit. It will lose 1-2% alcohol per annum through evapouration as it matures. Such a barrel of good 15 y.o. malt will therefore contain some 400 litres (600 bottles) and thus be worth some £20,000 at shop prices.
The most expensive bottle sold to date (1994) was a bottle of 50-yr-old single malt which went for £47,000 at a charity auction in Milan. [they don't say which though bottles of 50 and 60 y.o. Macallan can fetch over £5000 at auction]
The oldest whiskies reported at recent auctions have been a Dalintober 40 y.o. (1868) which fetched £2,400 and a Dallas Dhu 64 y.o. (1921) which went for around £2,900. Whisky does not mature once bottled and very rarely improves in the wood once past 25 y.o. so these bottles probably have rarity value but not much else.
The name "White Horse" comes from an ancient inn in Edinburgh's Canongate frequented it is said by Bonnie Prince Charlie's men. A white horse has long been a symbol of victory. John(ny) Walker was originally a licensed grocer in Kilmarnock before he, but principally his son, built up the business and the brand name. [rjsm]
It is reckoned that at one time there were over 40,000 whisky stills in Scotland.
The shape of the conventional whisky 'shot' glass, being wide at the top and tapering in towards the bottom was originally designed to disguise the taste of raw grain spirit in inferior whisky by dissipating its smell. Serious appreciation of whisky requires a tulip-shaped 'nosing' glass (illustrated) which retains the 'nose' or aroma of the whisky.
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