General Chat

The Exchequer Rolls 1494–95 for Scotland state that on the 01 June 1494 ( some sources say it was 01 June 1495) they show the first record of whisky distilling in Scotland, this is considered to be the industry's founding document. It records Friar John Cor of Lindores Abbey being granted, eight bolls of malt to make "acqua vitae" by King James IV. Acqua vitae translates to water of life, and became "uisge beatha" in Gaelic before anglicisation into "Whisky"

Exchequer Rolls 1494–95, Vol x, p. 487:-

"To Friar John Cor, by order of the King, to make aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt"

The amount of malt, eight bolls (an old Scottish measure), was equivalent to approximately 2205 lbs and was enough to make 1,500 bottles of whisky ;-)

http://lostdistillery.com/photos/lindores01.jpg

You have passed the interview, OFG. I duly appoint you as Professor of Whisky History at University of Montrose :-D :-D

My favourite is Longmorn Glenlivet. Has to be Longmorn. Last bottle I bought was 30+ years ago - Harrods was only place!!!! Wonder if still made.

A whisky drinking tee totaller is very interesting.

I have spent many a happy night in Longmorn. Wonderful place.

I am on the cusp of a report, Errol. What did you exactly mean by "A whisky drinking tee totaller is very interesting".
:-S

Im a vimto drinking tee totaller does that count :-D :-D ;-)

Is it a single malt vimto?

My favourite tipple was a Laphroaig 15 Year Old from the beautiful Island of Islay, I don't think you can get it nowadays :-( but you can get a Laphroaig 18 Year Old, its successor :-)

All Laphroaig whisky's have a strong peaty and heathery flavour, so you need to acquire the taste for them ;-)

I still have a bottle of 15year old, unfortunately due to my health I no longer partake of a few nips, instead, every now and then I take the cork out and have a good sniff of that lovely aroma of peat and heather ;-)

OFG. I liked Laphroaig as well. I knew nothing about malts till I had a Christmas on my own nearly 40 years ago. Can't remember why as I usually went to my parents then - perhaps they were on holiday.

Anyway, I went to Harrods and bought a dozen miniatures. In each bottle there were 3 small nips. Poured myself 12 small glasses and the scored each one out of 30 for taste, smoothness etc. Average score - 11.

Then did the same again - average score 15. Then a third time - average score 19 :-D I was well away that Christmas.

But Longmorn Glenlivet came out firmly on top all 3 times. Laphroig was second at least once. Glenfiddick was the one I liked least. :-) :-)

If Laphroaig is good enough for Prince Charles to bless it in 1994, by granting it the the Royal Warrant "By appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales" it is good enough for me :-)

Maybe on that visit he had one too many en-route ;-)

On Wednesday the 29th of June 1994 HRH Prince Charles, accompanied by his private secretary Richard Aylard and detective Collin Tinning, paid an official visit to Laphroaig. This visit was well documented at the time but the columns were not so much filled with details of this visit as his unfortunate aeroplane crash. Charles overshot the runway attempting to land his plane on tricky windy Islay. The plane was so badly damaged that he was unable to fly back home to Highgrove. As a result, the 20 minute flying visit turned into a two-and-a half hour stay, much to the delight of the distillery manager, Iain Henderson. When a new aeroplane eventually arrived, the Prince left in somewhat of a hurry :-D :-D :-D

OFTG. Try the "Quarter Cask" you,ll like it.**M**. :-D :-D :-D :-D

Merlin when I worked on the Island of Iona, on clear calm sunny days a friend and I would sometimes visit Islay and pop into the distillery, when you live on an island you need to stock up on essentials when ever you can ;-)

Mark you on the return journey to Iona it was not our boat that was three sheets to the wind :-D :-D :-D