A cheeky Scotch

I thought this ad appropriate for this, the first of June. You see twas this very day in 1495, did King James the fourth of Scotland commission the Friar Jon Cor to produce aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt.

This record, in the Exchequer Rolls 1494-1495, on page 487 that is the first mention in print of that most Scottish of beverages, the malted Scotch.

While some might say the order asks for aqua vitae and not whisky, they would soon be vanquished by a short entomological journey from the monks Latin through the French, Eau de Vie and on to the English, Water of Life, the name most distillates are ascribed through the depths of history.

So what, i hear you chortle, but our journey’s destination lies North of the border and in James native branch of Gaelic, where Water of Life translates to Uisge Beatha. Uisge is only a slurred introduction away from our well known name of whisky.

Time for a wee dram methinks.