Floating World Imports and the Cellar
Will be sampling some rare Whiskeys from Japan, Wales and Scotland.
Whiskey gets its name from the Gaelic word “uisge beatha,” meaning “water of life.”
The Scots spell it whisky and the Irish spell it whiskey, with an extra ‘e’. The difference in the spelling comes from the translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic forms and whiskey with the extra ‘e’ is also used when referring to American whiskies. This ‘e’ was brought to the United States by Irish immigrants in the 1700s and has been used ever since.
Scotland, Ireland and America all have a rich heritage in the whiskey industry. But Japan? And Wales? Who knew?
So what are the differences between these whiskies?
Scotch whisky is malt whisky or grain whisky made in Scotland. Scotch whisky must be made in a manner specified by law. All Scotch whisky was originally made from malted barley, but commercial distilleries began introducing whisky made from wheat and rye in the late 18th century.
Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: single malt Scotch whisky, single grain Scotch whisky, blended malt Scotch whisky, blended grain Scotch whisky, and blended Scotch whisky. All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years. Any age statement on a bottle of Scotch whisky, expressed in numerical form, must reflect the age of the youngest whisky used to produce that product. A whisky with an age statement is known as guaranteed-age whisky. A whisky without an age statement is known as a no age statement (NAS) whisky, the only guarantee being that all whisky contained in that bottle is at least three years old.
The first written mention of Scotch whisky is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, 1495. A friar named John Cor was the distiller at Lindores Abbey in Newburgh, Fife, where, in October 2017, malt whisky production restarted for the first time in 522 years.
Welsh whiskey has been distilled in Wales since the Middle Ages, but production died out in the late nineteenth century. In the 1990s attempts were made to revive the practice, resulting in the establishment of Wales’s first distillery in over one hundred years.
Japanese whiskey on the other hand is relatively new, compared to the whiskey’s from Britain, but is fast gaining in popularity. Whiskey production in Japan began earlier than you might think, around 1870, but the first commercial production was in 1924 upon the opening of the country’s first distillery, Yamazaki.
The style of Japanese whiskey is more similar to that of Scotch whisky than other major styles of whiskey. Several companies are producing whiskey in Japan, There are also many special bottlings and limited editions.
You probably grew up hearing that drinking a Hot Toddy is a great cure for a cold, but surprisingly, like chicken soup, this old wives tale has its basis in science. The ingredients of this favorite winter beverage have many of the same properties as a dose of Nyquil, without the icky chemicals! Whiskey acts as a decongestant by dilating your blood vessels, while the honey, lemon and tea have anesthetic properties, and can loosen mucus. Whiskey has also historically been used as a digestif in many cultures throughout the ages. If you’ve had a heavy meal, an after dinner shot of whiskey may be just what you need to finish it off properly.
Another great health benefit of whiskey is its high concentration of ellagic acid, a powerful antioxidant that is shown to neutralize cancer-causing free radicals in the human body. Single malt whiskey is said to contain more antioxidants than red wine. Because of its blood-thinning properties, a daily shot of whiskey can lower a person’s risk of stroke.
The key is to consume in moderation, so raise your glass and toast to these potential health benefits of drinking whiskey.
This Wednesday, November 20th, you can try a few rare brews from Japan, Wales and Scotland.
Floating World Imports will be pouring:
-Port Askaig
Islay, Scotland
-Penderyn Legend
Wales, UK
-Fukano
Kumamoto, Japan
-the Matsui
Kurayoshi, Japan
-the Kurayoshi 12yr
Kurayoshi, Japan
Please join Floating World Imports at the Cellar for this unique opportunity from 4-6pm.
For more information please visit the Cellar at their site linked below.
All images Stock Files
