World Whisky Day

Whether you're a whiskey novice or a seasoned pro passionate about infusing the right flavors into your beers, you can enjoy World Whiskey Day on the third Saturday in May.

If you're friends with Jack and Jim and spend the weekend with Jameson and Johnnie, then World Whisky Day will have a special meaning to you.

Whiskey is one of the iconic drinks of true wine lovers and is the basis of some of the most amazing drinks known to man. However, who needs an excuse to indulge in these wonderful lies? If you would like one, World Whisky Day is for you!

History of World Whisky Day

The 'water of life' has a long past. The first evidence of distillation - the essential process for making whiskey - dates back to Mesopotamia around 2000 BC. It wasn't until AD 100 that Alexander of Aphrodisias created the first recorded case of distillation - he distilled seawater to make it pure drinking water! The technique of distilling whiskey only appeared as early as about 1100, when monks traveling to Scotland ground fermented grain and created the first soft drink.

However, the first year whiskey was officially considered a distilled product was in 1405. History records that someone in their family died after drinking too much at Christmas. Over the next hundred years, the distillation of whiskey became popular in Scotland. Later, when King Henry VII of England dissolved the monasteries, many monks made a living selling the whiskey they distilled to the public. Before long, whiskey was available to everyone!

As early as the 1600s, Scottish immigrants to the new American colonies brought with them distilling methods and whiskey was present fairly early in North America. Around the same time, the first whiskey distillery in Ireland was officially licensed in 1608. Whiskey made another notable appearance in the 1770s and 1780s, during the American Revolution, when it is so valuable that many distilleries actually use it as currency.

To help finance the Revolutionary War debt, the newly formed US government imposed a whiskey tax on the import and export of the product. This led to unrest between the government and the whiskey farmers, eventually leading to the Whiskey Rebellion from 1791 to 1794. Although George Washington sent national forces to quell the Rebellion. The whiskey tax remained a contentious issue until Thomas Jefferson's presidency, when it was repealed.

Throughout the 19th century, there were many inventions and practices that industrialized whiskey. For example, continuous modernize the distillation process allows for much cheaper and more efficient production of whiskey. This soft drink was on the US Prohibited list thanks to a loophole - it was allowed as a medicinal product and is still sold in pharmacies! Walgreens has profited greatly from being able to sell spirits. Bourbon became hugely popular around 1964, and even today, whiskey is historic and beloved liquor around the world.

Some truths about whisky

• Let's start with the disturbing fact that whiskey may have been banned. If it weren't for the medical loophole during Prohibition, the drink would have been banned entirely. However, because there is a law that allows doctors to prescribe whiskey as medicine, it still exists.
• The word whiskey actually means "water of life". This is because it derives from a Gaelic word meaning "uisge beathe".
• There are several expensive bottles of whiskey around the world. The most expensive, however, is the Macallan 'M' whiskey. This whiskey lalique decanter was sold at auction in Hong Kong for £393,109. The deluxe decanter has six liters of whiskey, poured from Spanish oak sherry casks, dating from the 40s to the 90s.
• The whiskey with more than 150 years old is the oldest one. The Guinness World Record for the oldest whiskey in the world currently belongs to a 400ml bottle of Glenavon Special Liqueur Whiskey. It is owned by a family from Ireland. However, it did fetch £14,850 at auction when it was sold to Bonhams in London. It is believed to have been packaged sometime between 1851 and 1858.
• The spelling of the whiskey is interesting. Have you ever seen it written as whiskey? The version without the letter 'e' is used for Canadian and Scottish whiskeys. However, for other drinks, you choose to write whiskey.
• Last but not least, whiskey begins life as a beer! This is because it is made with wort, a distilled form of beer. In fact, wort is made using all the ingredients that you have enjoyed in a good lager, i.e. malt, yeast and water.

Some reasons for World Whisky Day being loved

• It is Interesting!

All in all, whiskey and distillation are incredibly complex and can yield subtle but noticeable flavor differences. World Whisky Day is an amazing day to enjoy the subtleties of whiskey flavors with a whiskey flight or tour of a distillery to understand which flavors come from which process.

• It is fun

For many people, drinking a glass of whiskey (especially with close friends) is the ideal way to relax. Take a breather on World Whiskey Day and get your problems out - it's a great time!

• Whiskey is a timeless classic

Whiskey has been loved by everyone, from kings to commoners, for over 500 years. It is the hobby, craft and passion of many people who seek to blend the delicate flavors they love. It was brewed by monks since the 1100s. Over many years, whiskey has been a favorite classic.

How to celebrate World Whisky Day

• Tasting premium whiskeys with friends

On World Whiskey Day, treat yourself to a sip of expensive, well-crafted whiskey! Even better, invite your fellow whiskey aficionados to sip with you. Nothing is more interesting than a drink with friends.

• Posted with #WorldWhiskyDay

This hashtag is great to use on World Whiskey Day! Thousands of people take part in the holiday. Post a photo of your gorgeous mug or a sip with friends to boast your participation!

• Read about whiskey

Do you know your tulips from your cup? Did you even know those were whiskey glasses? There is so much interesting things to learn about this drink of life, therefore, let study more about aged whiskeys, whiskey glasses, whiskey cocktails and how whiskey was made to celebrate World Whisky Day!

How to make Whisky Sour

Ingredients:

• Lemon zest
• Ice
• ½ fresh egg white
• Two dashes of Angostura bitters
• 12 ½ ml of sugar syrup
• 35ml lemon juice
• 50ml bourbon

Instructions:

Place all ingredients, except lemon zest, into a cocktail glass. Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice, and then strain them into an ice glass filled with ice. You should then squeeze the lemon zest, with the shiny side down on the top of the drink. The purpose of this is to have the aromatic oils spray all over the top of the drink. Remove the rind and finish with extra garnish, and then it's ready to enjoy.