Histroy Of Whiskey

1. ZULU Whiskey Club
A Brief History of Whiskey

2. ZULU Whiskey Club

3. Objectives
• Understand the origins of whiskey
• Describe the distillation process and regional differences
that lead to different styles of whiskey
• Introduce the impact of whiskey on American history
• Compare and contrast several whiskey styles
• Explore the interaction of whiskey with food

4. WATER OF LIFE
• Distilling was used by Phoenician sailors, Babylonian alchemists,
and others in the production of potions, perfumes, and medicines
before recorded history and pre-civilization
• Distilling a mix of grain, water, yeast produces whiskey
• Uisge bethea, iskie bae, aquae vitae literally mean:
• “Water of Life” or usquebaugh which became usky …..whisky in
Scottish English or whiskey in Irish or American English

5. Origins in Western Civilization
• Distilling brought to Europe by Moors
• Monks who couldn’t grow grapes could distill beer made from barley (Friar John Cor,
1495)
• Aqua Vitae was introduced by “wise doctors” for medicinal purposes in Scotland
(probably Presbyterians)
• In 1506 the town of Dundee purchased “a large amount” of whiskey from the Guild of
Surgeon Barbers
• When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, distilling moved from the monks to the
masses
• 1608 government gets involved, Old Bushmill’s is the 1st licensed distillery in Ireland
• 1725 English Malt Tax drove production underground. Unlicensed stills were
operated by the light of the moon

6. Whiskey in America
• Scotch Irish immigrants brought beer and distilling techniques to America
• Recipes adapted to indigenous grains: corn, wheat, rye
• 1753 John Shenk, Mennonite farmer starts distillery in Schaefferstown, PA
creating rye whiskey
• As settlers moved west, corn became the grain used
• Bourbon County, Kentucky became the center of corn based whiskey
production
• Bourbon is at least 51% corn, no more than 160 proof and aged in charred
white oak barrels at least 2 years

7. WHISKEY AND POLITICS
• George Washington was the largest distiller in America in his retirement
• President Washington led troops in the field during the suppression of the
“Whiskey Rebellion” in western Pennsylvania in 1794.
• Jefferson as Governor of Virginia offered 60 acres to any settler who would
move to the “bourbon region”, grow corn, and erect a semi-permanent
structure
• Abe Lincoln’s father worked at a distillery owned by the Boone family. He
later owned several “dry goods” which sold whiskey
• Lincoln, defending the selection of Grant to lead the Union army asked
“which whiskey is it that General Grant prefers? I would like to send some
to my other generals!” (Grant preferred Old Crow!)
• 18th Amendment (1919) prohibiting manufacture, sale or transportation of
liquor was led by women before women could vote (1920). Repeal (1933)
was led by a republican woman who despised hypocrisy more than alcohol
and wanted to tax it! The law was signed by FDR.
• FDR drank Old Fashioneds “every night”, even during prohibition. Truman
was drinking a bourbon when told he was replacing FDR
• Appreciation of scotch appears to be non-partisan: both LBJ and Nixon
preferred scotch and soda

8. Whiskey Rebellion
• 1st Secretary of Treasury, Hamilton was looking for way to retire the 65
million debt from the revolution
• Seen as unfairly taxing small distillers who refused to pay the excise tax.
Tarred and feathered the government officials who came to collect.
• Administration in Philadelphia raised a 13,000 man army from NJ, PA, MD,
VA to suppress the resistance
• 2 civilians killed (Myerstown, Middlesex) as troops marched across PA
• Washington reviewed the troops in Carlisle
• Pamphleteer, preacher and political reformer Herman Husband raised a
liberty pole in Somerset proclaiming “Liberty and No Excise”. He was tried,
sentenced to death, released from prison but died on his way home.
• Whiskey tax repealed when Jefferson’s Republicans defeated Hamilton’s
Federalists in 1800

9. Process
• Barley (grain) is malted then dried
• Drying (can involve the burning of peat)
• Next it is mashed (mixed with hot water)
• Yeast is added and mixture is fermented
• The wash is distilled and collected
• Matured in casks (bourbon barrels)
• Single Malt vs blends

10. Flavor Factors
• Grain that is used
• Water - snow melt flowing into burns (Livet, Fiddich)
picks up local microclimate characteristics
• Rock (limestone in Kentucky)
• Soil and peat
• Shape of the still (potstill vs column)
• Climate/temperature
• Atmosphere (effects aging)
• Casks or barrels for aging (from moonshine to liquid
gold)

11. Flavors and Scents
• Esters fruit/flowers, toffee, honey
• Aldehydes hay, grass, leather, cereal
• Phenols peaty, smoky, medicinal
• Carbonyls sulfur
• Guiacols smoky
• Other oils piney, resin, butter, nutty

12. Major Whiskey Regions
Scotland
Ireland
Kentucky
Tennessee

13. Tonight’s Whiskey
• Oban
• Red Breast
ZULU Whiskey Club
• Maker’s Mark
• Michter’s Rye
• Macallan
• Lagavulin
Brief History of Whiskey
Brief History of Whiskey

14. Tasting Factors
• Whiskey, water, glasses and humility
• Color
• Nose
• Flavor (Palate)
• Finish

15. • Smell is 1000 times more sensitive and
picks up to 30 distinct smells
• Tongue picks up sour, sweet, salty, bitter
• Palate can detect flavors and establishes
the finish

17. Tasting Notes

18. How to Taste
Scotch Malt Whisky Society: “put some in a glass,
swirl it, stick your snout in the hole and sniff
• Look: color hints of complexity, more color generally
equals more complex flavor
• Sniff: 80% of taste is driven by smell (30 primary
smells)
• Taste: get to back of tongue, front is more affected by
sting of alcohol (4 primary tastes)
• Kentucky Chew: move around the mouth expose the
entire palate

19. Tasting Notes
Color
Nose
Flavor
Finish

20. Oban
• West Highland
• Nose: malty, liquorish, apple
• Taste: bitter-apple, baker’s chocolate
• Finish: vanilla extract

21. Redbreast
• Pure Irish Potstill Whiskey, from Midleton
Distillery, County Cork (malted/unmalted
barley)
• Color – light amber
• Nose - unripe fruit, green apples
• Flavor – fruity, honey
• Finish – sweet, sherry finish

22. Maker’s Mark
• 1840 Samuels family, one of original Kentucky
settlers
• 70% Corn,16% wheat, 14% barley in the recipe,
limestone water
• Color - Amber, reddish amber
• Nose - Honey, caramel, dried fruit
• Flavor – honey, caramel, light oak,
dried fruit
• Finish - sweet

23. Michter’s Rye
• Original distillery near Lebanon PA,
legend claims it was whiskey that warmed
the revolution?
• Color – medium brown
• Aroma – sweet, peppery
• Flavor – sweet, spicy
• Finish – short and
sweet

24. Macallan
• Highland (original and spiritual home is
Speyside)
• Nose: sherry, candy, sweetness,
light smoke,
• Taste: toffee, malty, oatmeal, wine
• Finish: clean, spice, caramel

25. Lagavulin
• Islay
• Nose: smoke, camp fire extinguished with
water, honey
• Taste: sweet, vanillia, rootbeer
• Finish: burnt cedar

26. Ideas for Whiskey/Food Pairings
• Cheeses
• Whiskey with chocolate
• Beef
• Salmon

27. • No married man is genuinely happy if he has to
drink worse whisky than he used to drink when
he was single. ~ H. L. Mencken

28. A woman drove me to drink…I didn’t even
have the courtesy to thank her!

29. “Too much of anything is bad, but too much
of good whiskey is barely enough.”