Exmoor White Horse Inn Malt Whisky Corner

Gaelic is the branch of Celtic language, once spoken and still spread in the Highlands of Scotland. From the roots of this ancient, beautiful language comes the name of the whisky, which was originally called „uisge beatha” meaning ‘water of life’.

The first written record of whisky comes from 1405 in Ireland, where it was distilled by monks. In Scotland the proof appears in the exchequer roll of 1494. King James IV ordered some from John Cor: “Eight Bolls of Malt to make aqua vitae”. That whisky may not have been for drinking. In those days it was used for alchemical and medicinal purposes – and back then that wasn’t an excuse.

The actual story of when or where whisky was first distilled is unknown. Some scholars believe distilled spirits were first produced between the 8 – 9th century AD in the Middle East and Christian monks have brought the knowhow back to Ireland and Britain. It is a popular legend that St. Patrick introduced distillation to Ireland and Scotland. Anyway, some say he lived too early for that to be possible.

There are discernible differences between whiskies made in different regions. Malt is essentially barley which has been allowed to germinate by soaking in water then has been dried by the application of heat.

The malting process converts the stored starch into soluble compounds such as the sugar maltose and by so doing makes fermentation possible. Drying the malt over a furnace stops the germinating process and lacing the furnace with peat imparts a peaty aroma to the malt.

From the 15th century onwards, whisky was heavily taxed in Scotland, to the point that most of the spirit was produced illegally. However, in 1823, Parliament passed an act making commercial distillation much more profitable, while imposing punishments on landowners when unlicensed distilleries were found on their properties. George Smith was the first person to take out a license for a distillery under the new law, founding the Glenlivet Distillery in 1824.

Here at the Exmoor White Horse Inn we have perhaps the finest single malt collection in South West England, with over 150 whiskies available at your pleasure. Painstakingly assembled over 20 years we believe that whatever your taste in whisky whether you are a newcomer to Single malts or a connoisseur we have a wee dram to suit!

See our Malt Whisky Corner Menu the malts are described by Region (Speyside, Highlands, Lowlands, Islay, Islands, Campbletown and Others) each of which is noted for producing whisky with different defining characteristics. They are then listed alphabetically with a brief description in order to aid your choice.

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