Whisky, A Very Peculiar History电子书

Cover

Front Matter

Title Page

Publisher Information

Dedication

Whisky

Quotes

Introduction: Scotland in a bottle?

A magic potion?

The most expensive whisky in the world?

Tasting notes

Whisky’s worldwide winners

Jekyll and Hyde?

Whisky or whiskey?

Wearable whisky?

The very devil…

CHAPTER ONE: The Water of Life

Distillation

Perfume and paint

But not to drink?

Skill or sorcery?

Bubble, bubble…

Pelicans?

Everlasting

To Scotland – how and why?

CHAPTER TWO: Monks, medicine and magic

First make your beer…

Right royal drinker

…then boil it

Distillers’ skills

At your peril

Golden grains

Home is where the still is

The peat reek

A warm welcome

The bride’s cog

Don’t try this at home!

That’s better!

Herbs and spices

Surgery – and spells

Horse sense?

Good health and long life!

‘A soveraigne liquour’

Scotch – or what?

CHAPTER THREE: What’s Your Poison?

Losing control

Express delivery

Good, bad or ugly?

Say when!

Quite a glassful

Proof of what?

America, America

You have been warned!

Fatal draught – or the cup that kills

On the other hand…

Shared pleasures

More and more

Something special

Awaiting the morning dram

Whisky takes its place

CHAPTER FOUR: Smugglers and Excisemen

Law and disorder

Scotland’s cannibal clan?

‘Barbarity, impiety and incivility…’

Secret stills

Money-maker

Excise, duties, taxes, licences

An excise timeline

Never on a Sunday

A rallying cry

It’s a job…

On patrol

Rough justice?

The Deil’s awa wi’ th’Exciseman

CHAPTER FIVE: ‘A most rascally liquor’

Big business

GIGO (Garbage in, garbage out)

What’s inside?

Profits – and taxes

Farewell Ferintosh?

You take the high road…

…and I’ll take the low road

Duty up, output up

A golden age – for smugglers

Get the best

Top tips for smugglers

No choice!

Auld Reekie

Why be an exciseman?

Royal – and ridiculous

CHAPTER SIX: New laws, new technology

Smugglers’ revenge

Weird whisky words

Choose your grains!

Transformed by technology

CHAPTER SEVEN: Barrels, Bottles, Blends - And Bugs

A decent dram

Very tasty!

Friends and enemies

Way out west

It’s progress!

Whisky in the jar

That’s my whisky!

Bright ideas

Old, older, oldest

Thirsty work, being holy…

By Royal Appointment

Six-legged – and nasty!

The demon Drink

On the other hand…

From boom to bust

The poor Pattisons

CHAPTER EIGHT: Meanwhile, In America...

Applejack

Keep out!

‘Whiskey’ Washington?

We have the technology…

Bourbon (Isn’t that a biscuit?)

The cup that cheers

Stormy weather…

Which whiskey?

By the light of the silvery moon

Another Scottish stereotype?

Second best?

CHAPTER NINE: Whisky goes global

What is whisky?

Prohibition!

But it’s medicinal!

Cheers!

Cocktails?

Walk on the wild side

Survival strategies

Whisky galore

Export – or die!

Whisky wonderland

Going global

End of an era

A world of whiskies

Timeline of distilleries in the British Isles still active in 2010

Speyside malt

Highland malt

Highland grain

Lowland malt

Lowland grain

Islay and Islands malt

Campbeltown malt

Orkney malt

Ireland

England

Wales

End matter

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