11 whisky tidbits you must know to have fun World Whisky Day tomorrow

Story by Jono Carr. Jono is certainly one of our common Drinks Writers. He’s additionally co-owner of Sydney bar, About Time @abouttimesydney. You possibly can attain Jono at drinks@spantonmedia.com

World Whisky Day is a time to have fun the tremendous spirit in all its glory, irrespective of how you might prefer to get pleasure from it. World Whisky Day takes place on the third Saturday in Could annually. In contrast to plenty of the ‘days’ we have fun this one has been recognised by the Scottish parliament.

As our visitors develop into extra educated than ever, it’s additionally an excellent time to whip out a enjoyable truth about Scotch Whisky to flex as they contemplate your effectively thought out providing. Listed here are some well-known tidbits and maybe a number of new ones on your arsenal.

It’s vital we all know some stuff as Scotch is huge enterprise. In 2019 it made up over 20 per cent of all UK foods and drinks exports with a worth of £4.91 billion (AUS8.64 billion).

1. 1. 1. Whisky was first taxed by the Scottish Parliament in 1644, fixing the obligation at 13.3pence per pint of “aqua vitae or different sturdy liquor” – the Scots pint being roughly one-third of a gallon (1.5 litres) and 13.3pence can be value roughly 5 kilos now.
      2. There are nearly 4 casks of whisky per individual in Scotland. There are greater than 20 million barrels of Whisky in-store and a inhabitants of 5.4 million. If averaged out as all 200L normal barrels, there are over 4 billion litres of Whisky getting older, that means over 285 bottles per individual. Although cask sizes fluctuate massively from 80L Quarter casks to 700L Puncheons and every part in between, that may be a small estimate.
      3. In 2020 France was the biggest importer of Scotch with 176 million bottles, and the US the second-largest at 112million bottles. 90 per cent of the Scotch exported from Scotland is mixed.
      4. The founding father of Jameson’s Irish Whisky, John Jameson, was truly Scottish. Born in Alloa in 1740 right into a seafaring household, and served as Sheriff Clerk for the county of Clackmannanshire. In 1768 he married Margaret Haig, eldest daughter of John Haig. Disillusioned along with his profession as Sheriff Clerk, John Jameson moved along with his household to Eire. There’s a document of him becoming a member of the Convivial Lodge No 202 of the Dublin Freemasons on 24 June 1774.
      5. Dr Rachel Barrie, skilled initially as a chemist, was the primary feminine grasp whisky blender, beginning her profession 28 years in the past at Glenmorangie, Ardbeg, and Bowmore. In 2017 Dr Barrie moved to Brown-Forman to work as a grasp blender, charged with dealing with whisky creation throughout their distilleries of GlenDronach, Benriach, and Glenglassaugh.
      6. There are lots of of 1000’s of barley varieties although only some are appropriate for malt whisky manufacturing. Probably the most generally used malting varieties are Concerto and Odyssey. Nevertheless, different barley grains used embody RGT Planet, KWS Irina, Olympus, Sienna, Vault, Octavia, Propino, Quench, Moonshine, Tipple, Belgravia and Optic.
      7. A normal sized, ripe banana has extra energy than a median measure of Whisky, which has solely 64 energy. Sadly “laborious spirits” are described as empty energy with little to no “precise” well being advantages. Versus bananas containing affordable quantities of potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and fibre. Rattling.
      8. Whisky is gluten-free until aged in barrels beforehand holding beer or gluten merchandise. Unstable ethanol particles rise throughout distillation, whereas heavy gluten proteins sink to the underside. As soon as rectified, the spirit is gluten-free.

   

   “The typical American oak tree harvested for barrels is 100 years outdated. There are extra white oak bushes in the present day than 50 years in the past when there have been extra white oak 50 years in the past than 100 years in the past. Most different tree species would leak, however white oak is completely different on account of “tyloses”, a substance that clogs the pores.”

   9. A sometimes sized oak tree yields sufficient wooden for roughly two 200lt casks. The typical American oak tree harvested for barrels is 100 years outdated. There are extra white oak bushes in the present day than 50 years in the past when there have been extra white oak 50 years in the past than 100 years in the past. Most different tree species would leak, however white oak is completely different on account of “tyloses”, a substance that clogs the pores

2. 10. Often known as The Excellent Assortment’, with over 3,900 bottles from each single Scottish distillery was offered over two auctions in 2019/20 for AUD 11.7 million. Amassed by the late Richard Gooding, a non-public American collector from Colorado.
3. 11. Often known as “monkey shoulder”, a situation that brought about one arm to hold decrease than the opposite on account of repetitive movement, maltsters suffered throughout the malting course of. The barley was historically turned with a shovel to advertise even malting and cut back the tangling of barley sprouts.

I hope you get pleasure from a dram this World Whisky Day and get to share some information along with your visitors. Slainte