What you didn't know about Whiskey The History Of Whiskey Briefly Explained Whiskey is a drink extracted by use of malted grain and is alcoholic. It is made from varies grains such as maize, rye, wheat and barley. The difference in the various types available is brought about by the method of distillation, how the grains are fermented and aging of the drink in wooden barrels. This article looks at the history of whiskey in order to appreciate this great drink. Before the discovery of the drink, the method of distillation was used in the production of perfumes and aromatics. In Ireland monks and pharmacists whose main use of this drink was medicinal used the art of distillation. It was used for ailments like common colds, cleaning of open wounds, congestion of sinuses, indigestion and the chest. This beverage came about when distillers in Ireland discovered that using barley could make alcohol. This came about because there were no grapes in that area. Later, King Henry the 7th would dissolve monasteries causing the monks to move to the community. Since the monks needed to make a living, they used their knowledge of distilling to make money. The art would then spread out to homes and farms of the community. In the formative years, the alcohol produced was not allowed enough maturity time and was thus rather bitter tasting. The modern whiskey came about by accident when the owner tasted the drink from an old forgotten barrel he found in the cellar. The color of the drink was richer and it was purer; it tasted sweet and soft and was very intoxicating. During the revolution in America this alcoholic drink came to be used as some currency form and also for consumption. The drink would be used in trade and was at the time imported from Ireland. Soon after, the Irish took their knowledge of making this beverage to America after migrating there. American whiskey was born and turned into a popular drink. A variety of distilling methods would be invented, like the 'Continuous Still' and after wards the 'Coffey Still'. These new inventions brought about easier ways of making the drink. The drink produced however, was of lesser quality than the Irish whiskey. The quantity produced increased, as the cost of production was low. However, the Irish did not accept the new methods used for distillation by the Americans. They preferred to use their traditional methods of distilling. This led to the invention of the blended brand. This technique saw the brand made from Coffey Still blended in with the traditional Irish whiskey. This was the Scottish brand, and it boosted volumes of the drink and the manufacturing process was made easier. In the 1880s, the French embraced this drink after a pest destroyed their grape crop. The manufacture of brandy became finished completely as the Scottish brand dominated the market completely. This alcoholic drink has increasingly become popular up to today around the world. Irish and Scotch brands are clearly different in that the Irish one is produced naturally with emphasis on the taste of the barley. The Scotch one has different flavors that are blended then distilled twice; this is referred to as triple distillation. The history of whiskey is long but it is still a popular alcoholic drink in all parts of the globe regardless of where it is manufactured.