Consider Whiskey

By Richie Cardiel

Photo by Julia Kicova on Unsplash

Whiskey is an alcoholic spirit that is the byproduct of distilling grains. These grains can vary depending on the type of whiskey, which include Scotch whisky (notice there is no ’e’) that uses malt, Bourbon that uses corn, Rye that uses rye, and some Japanese whiskeys that use rice. Aside from being a popular libation, whiskey has had a profound effect on the world culturally and was once even thought to be healthy. Whiskey is the official state beverage of Alabama and in 1964 American Congress declared Bourbon whiskey the country’s official distilled spirit. The pepper mash in Tabasco hot sauce is aged in Jack Daniels barrels before being made into sauce and in certain Latin American countries people say “whiskey” instead of “cheese” when taking a photo. In 1956, ‘Whiskey’ replaced ‘William’ in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet. Scotch whisky is a major part of the UK economy, contributing nearly £5 billion a year. In fact, with a value of £4.91 billion, Scotch whisky exports accounted for over 20 percent of all UK food and drink exports in 2019, which is about $201.24 per second.

Barrels of tabasco peppers ferment on Avery Island for up to five years before they are ready to be made into sauce

Each batch of Scotch Whisky has distinct flavors which are largely based off the geographical location of the distillery and subsequently the height above sea level. This is why many people refer to different types of scotch as lowland or highland. Lowland scotch often has a “boggy” taste from the peat moss used in the mash, whereas highland scotch often has a “lighter” taste. On the map below you can explore every Scottish distillery's location.

[embed]Distillery Map View a map showing all the Scotch Whisky distilleries in Scotlandwww.scotch-whisky.org.uk

Let’s begin with the history of whiskey. The art of distillation was created in ancient Mesopotamia to produce perfumes and aromatics as long ago as 2000 BCE but was not used to create alcohol until 1000–1200 CE when European monks migrated from mainland Europe into Scotland and Ireland. When they realized there were no grapes or vineyards there, they turned to fermentation of grain mash, making the first modern whisky. In Italy around 1250, the earliest records of alcohol distillation appeared, using wine to create grappa, which is similar to cognac and brandy. In 1275, the Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland opens its doors, although some sources say this wasn’t until 1608 but regardless, remains to this day the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. In 1536–1531, King Henry VIII of England dissolved the monasteries, forcing many monks to turn to distillation for their own livelihood, shifting the production of whiskey to the public.

Artists rendering of Medieval distilling

Drinking whiskey is cool and fun! I recall being in college in 2014, watching Mad Men and thinking how cool Don Draper was drinking his whiskey at work, before long I had a friend buy me some Jack Daniels, and I just felt so cool, although I couldn’t hold it too close to my face without feeling like my eyes were burning. Communities have been formed around whiskey where people can argue about their own personal tastes. Many celebrities have their own brands. Drinking whiskey is a tradition older than apple pie and can be an expensive hobby. The Guiness World Record for oldest bottle of whisky was bottled between 1851 and 1858 and was sold at auction for $20,000 . This pales in comparison to the $2.8 million price tag of the current most expensive bottle of whiskey. It’s called ‘The Emerald Isle’, a rare triple-distilled single malt made by ‘The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’ and in 2024 surpassed the previously most expensive whisky, a bottle of Macallan 1926 that fetched $2.7 at an auction.

[embed]“The Emerald Isle” by The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.

It’s hard to say what the cheapest whiskey is definitively but most people who drink whiskey aren’t collectors. Now that I’m a bit older and have developed my taste for whiskey, I personally enjoy Crown Royal Canadian blended whiskey, or if I’m feeling Scotch I enjoy Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt, neither of which are particularly expensive. Frank Sinatra was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniels which is also reasonably priced.

Frank Sinatra pouring himself some Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey

Most people who drink whiskey are looking to catch a buzz, or get drunk, or party hardy. Before the late 1800’s, alcohol was considered healthy and was thought to help body heat and digestion. It was used in medical procedures as a painkiller and was prescribed to treat colds and fevers. It was even given to pregnant women during labor for sedation. Physician Benjamin Rush was the first to recognize drunkenness as an illness and a cause for alcoholism. Alcohol is extremely addictive, in fact one of the founding members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) requested whiskey on their deathbed but was refused. We are all aware now how dangerous and addictive alcoholic beverages can be and how they impair our judgement and motor skills but unfortunately alcohol abuse is still a huge problem all around the world. According to the CDC, about 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year in the United States alone.

[embed]Facts About U.S. Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use Learn about the deaths from excessive alcohol use in the United States.www.cdc.gov

Facts About U.S. Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use from the CDC

Here’s some more history. In 1893, Charles Duryea and J. Frank invented the automobile, and began sales in 1896. 485 companies entered the market between 1899 and 1909 trying to be the big name and in 1906, Henry Ford did so, selling cars for a whopping $300 and cars were everywhere. In 1910, New York passed the first laws against driving drunk with California and other states following soon after. Didn’t take much time, did it? The initial tests for checking drunkenness were simple and included looking for bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, the smell of alcohol, and testing the person’s ability to walk in a straight line, and the punishment for conviction was a fine of $1000 and a year in jail.

Henry Ford and his Model T

By 1920, Americans had, had enough of immorality, domestic violence, and child abandonment and leaders such as Carry Nation and Irving Fisher blamed alcohol, and helped pass the 18th amendment to the US Constitution known better as ‘Prohibition’ meaning that the production, transportation, and sale of alcohol was illegal. Americas ‘dry period’ lasted less than 14 years, and those years weren’t so dry. Mortality rates due to alcohol consumption were higher than before as the growth of underground speakeasies increased.

Carry’s Home Defenders

By 1933, the 21st amendment was passed, repealing prohibition, but in 1931, biochemistry professor at Indiana University Medical School, Dr. Rolla N. Harger was testing a portable tester that tested the alcohol levels in breath after discovering a correlation between alcohol in breath and alcohol in blood. In 1936, the ‘Drunkometer’ is patented and in early August of 1937, Roy and Neva Gordon are arrested after failing breath tests. Apparently, they both admitted to drinking a bit, but the tests result showed they had woefully under-reporting their alcohol consumption. In court, their attorney attempted to debunk the ‘Drunkometer’ by testing it. The attorneys test didn’t seem to register much, then they announced that they’d had three shots and a beer at lunch. This backfired, only making his clients look more guilty because if their tests had been as strong as they were and he’d had that much to drink, they must have had loads more. Ultimately, they were not convicted due to the fuss of the testing. In 1954, the Breathalyzer is invented and is still used in some forms today.

The ‘Drunkometer’ in action

I’m not really sure where I was going with this, but alcohol for better or worse had made a huge impact on science, technology, culture, and the economy. I found it very interesting that when I was researching whiskey, that the sources I found celebrated it and honored its rich history. I personally enjoy whiskey as my liquor of choice and enjoy learning about the stories and the details of production for what I’m drinking. I have also found that these same sources rarely if ever mention the potential dangers of alcohol overuse and the importance of responsible drinking. Conversely, when researching the darker side of drinking, I found few mentions of any different types of spirit or specific beverage or brand, they were just lumped together as alcohol, which makes sense when approaching alcohol scientifically. In summation, whiskey is an alcoholic beverage that should only be consumed by a responsible adult in a safe place, that has a rich history, can be made many different ways, and is enjoyed by many all over the world.

If you need help with your alcohol consumption there are many treatment options available such as Alcoholics Anonymous (https://www.aa.org/new-to-aa) or the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/treatment-alcohol-problems-finding-and-getting-help).