[MR] Scotch Whisky

[Groff, Garth (ggg9y)]

Noble Friends, Especially the Fellow Scots,

This past Saturday, June 1, is a monumental day in Scottish history. On this day in 1495 (1494 in some sources), scotch whisky is mentioned for the first time: "To Friar John Cor, by order of the King<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_IV_of_Scotland>, to make aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malt>." - Exchequer<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchequer> Rolls 1494-95, Vol x, p. 487. For those of you who don't do Latin, aqua vitae means "water of life".

John Cor was a Tironensian<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tironensian_Order> friar from Lindores Abbey<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindores_Abbey> in Fife<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fife,_Scotland>. He is mentioned in several royal documents, and was apparently a personal servant to King James IV. He is thought to have been an apothecary, a skill for which the Tironensians were famous.

1494 is often stated to be the actual year of discovery of the "strong waters" (as they are called in some Scottish sources). While there are no actual records, distillation must have been going on well before 1495 for the process to be brought to the attention of the King. My T-shirt says, "Whisky: Making white men dance since 1494."

So my friends, when you raise a glass with a "wee dram", think kindly of John Cor.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, That Crazy Scot