Know About Whiskey

Despite whiskey’s incredible surge in popularity lo these past 10-15 years, most people honestly can’t tell their whisky from their whiskey or their blends from their single-malts. If you’re going to buy into the hype that dad needs a bottle of the brown stuff for his special day, he (and you) should at least understand what it is you’re drinking. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about whiskey (or is it whisky?).

What’s with that pesky “E?”

Historically, the prime whisky-making territories of Scotland and Canada spelled the word “whisky” and the Irish rebels added an “E” because the word translates differently from Irish Gaelic than from Scottish, though why Americans adopted the Irish form despite both Scots and Irishmen flooding the young nation in the 18th century is unclear. For a long time, these comprised the only four nations that mattered to the whiskey-consuming world, though the rare foreign producer did follow the Scottish naming convention. While the rule still holds true, whiskey nomenclature has grown more complicated with production thriving in new-world countries like Japan, India and Australia, which all eschew the E.

Personally, I follow the protocol of my brown liquor mentor, Lew Bryson, author of ‘Tasting Whiskey,’ by identifying the liquid according to its country of origin or using the E when referencing it generally because, well, I’m American. Fun fact: The plural of whiskey is “whiskeys” while the plural of whisky is ‘whiskies.’ Now you know.

Barrels are seen outside the Auchentoshan Distillery, a Single Malt whisky distillery, on the outskirts of Glasgow on December 12, 2016. While most of Scotland voted against leaving the European Union, whisky makers have quietly been raising a wee dram to a side-effect of the Brexit vote -- a plunge in the value of the pound. The currency devaluation has made exports cheaper, generating a bump since 90 percent of Scotch whisky is sold outside Britain, although the industry warns the longer-term outlook is far more cloudy. 

You don’t spell it, Son, you drink it. So why don’t you just tell me what I need to know?

There are two main types of whiskey: malt and grain. Malt whisky comes primarily from Scotland, is made exclusively from fermented malted barley and gets distilled in pot stills. A single malt designation occurs when the product uses malt whisky from just one distillery.

Grain whiskey can combine base ingredients, from barley to corn to wheat to rye, and can be distilled in a pot or column still. These grains may or may not be malted. Again, a blended whiskey is the name given to liquid that mixes these grains rather than sticking with a single one.

However, “Blended Malt Scotch is a marriage of only single malts from different Scottish distilleries, creating an orchestra flavour, quite different from Blended Scotch,” explains Ewan Henderson, global brand ambassador for The Lost Distillery in Scotland.

Pot vs. column?

Allow me to steal borrow quote liberally from the venerable Whiskey Wash website here, as its explanation is as clear as they come.

A pot still at its simplest consists of a large kettle or pot which is heated from the bottom, boiling off the alcohol and allowing the vapors to be sent to a condenser and separated. With column distillation, the mash enters near the top of the still and begins flowing downward. This brings it closer to the heating source, and once it’s heated enough to evaporate, the vapor rises up through a series of partitions known as plates or stripping plates. … The most important point of difference between pot stills and column stills is that pot stills operate on a batch by batch basis, while column stills may be operated continuously.

What are the main whiskey producing regions, AKA where’s Islay and how the do I pronounce it?

Okay, here’s where the confusion really sets in. As I said, whiskey traditionally originates in Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the U.S., with Japan and India very recently surging ahead at full speed. But many varieties exist within those regions, particularly Scotland and America. So here’s how things break down.

Scotland – As the Master of Malts website notes, Scotch regions don’t define themselves quite as neatly as wine regions. Though certain characteristics do tend to describe each one, Scotch can’t be counted on to reflect its terroir every time.

The Highlands – As the largest region in Scotland, covering most of the northern part of the country, Highlands Scotch varies quite a bit. Most finish dry but that’s where the comparisons end. West Highlands Scotch starts sweet, while North Highlands Scotch tends toward the spicy. Other Highlands Scotches are generally slightly sweet and light. Glenmorangie is arguably this region’s most famous export.

Islay – Scotches from this western island’s handful of distilleries are not for the uninitiated. When you think of smoky (AKA peaty) Scotches, they’re generally grown here and get their peat intensity from the naturally occurring moss that distillers use as fuel to malt the barley. Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, Lagavulin and Laphroaig all hail from Islay, which is pronounced EYE-lah.

Campbeltown – Only three distilleries still operate on this southwestern peninsula and none have become famous here across the pond. Maybe they should, considering Master of Malt describes the single malts as “very distinctive, tending to be full bodied, renowned for their depth of flavour and also for their slightly salty finish. With peat adding a hint of flavour similar to that found in an Islay malt.”

Speyside and The Islands – Though both of these territories are officially subdivisions within The Highlands, they factor heavily in the production of Scotch. Speyside, in the northeastern corner of Scotland, boasts more distilleries than anywhere else in the country, with bold-faced names like Glenfiddich, The Macallan, Balvenie and Glenlivet making their home here. Six western landmasses comprise The Islands region, which produces softly peated Scotch influenced by the sea and salty air. Arran is probably the best-known among these brands.

The U.S. – Home to bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, along with rye, corn, wheat, moonshine and others, the U.S. has been producing its own since the earliest days of American immigration.

Bourbon - of course, is the most widely recognized but it does not, contrary to conventional wisdom, have to be produced in Kentucky. To qualify as legal bourbon under federal law, the liquid must be made in the U.S., contain at least 51% corn and be aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years.

Tennessee - whiskey, on the other hand, does need Tennessee roots (since 2013, when the Volunteer State became the first to obtain its own designation) and should be filtered through charcoal. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same as bourbon. Jack Daniels falls into this category.

Everything else - is a hodge-podge. Legal classifications dictate how much grain needs to go into a product before it can identify itself with it. Rye, for example, has to make up at least 51% of a rye whiskey’s mash bill. White whiskey, otherwise known as ‘moonshine’ or ‘white dog,’ is simply unaged whiskey. It’s clear in appearance because it hasn’t sat in the barrels that give most whiskeys their brown color.

Canadian whisky – There’s one qualification for Canadian whiskey: it must be fermented, distilled and aged in Canada. Though rye has been most closely associated with Canadian distillers, they do use other base malts, too, and typically ferment, distill and age each one separately then blend the liquids together at the end. Crown Royal, Canadian Club and Seagram’s are those most commonly found south of the border.

Irish whiskey – Who hasn’t heard of Jameson, Tullamore Dew and Bushmills? The recent success of these three Irish whiskey producers helped bring the industry back from the brink of annihilation after various forces combined to decimate it throughout most of the 20^thWith its lighter flavor – commonly derived from blending malts and grains -- Irish whiskey proves easy on the lips and conducive to many a shot at so-called ‘Irish’ bars around the globe.

Japanese, Indian and other whiskies 

Japan - Over the past decade or so, international whiskey drinkers have caught on to the fact that Japan makes some of the best Scotch- and (to a lesser extent) bourbon-style liquors in the world. Suntory, the mega-distiller that bought Jim Beam and its many associated brands, is a Japanese company.

India – Though not many have made it to America, India produces more whisky than any other country and consistently wins top awards for its quality. Interestingly, India distills most of its liquid from molasses instead of grains so the European Union doesn’t recognize it as whisky. Despite that, The Whisky Exchange claims this nation makes eight of the top 10 bestselling whiskies in the world.

Elsewhere – Thanks in part to the global whiskey boom, Australia now makes a good bit, as does Scandinavia and South Africa. Most New World whisky countries don’t regulate the definition of whisky, so they can generally be of any style and use any type of production methods.

Ok, I sort of get it. So are older whiskeys better than younger ones?

Not necessarily. Something that’s been aged a long time tends to get viewed as more special because it’s taken up space in a distillery, sometimes for decades or even generations. And whiskies pick up more flavors from the barrel (think wood, caramel, vanilla, etc…) the longer they age, and that’s considered a good thing. But bourbon doesn’t age as well as Scotch so age statements (the age of the liquid, as displayed on the bottle) on bourbon can mislead a novice buyer into thinking older is better, and because an age statements can only be as high as the youngest liquid in a blend, they don’t always tell the whole story. Plus, with producers rushing to meet demand, they’re whisking product out the door and not aging some like they used to. So even some of Scotland’s most noble distilleries are doing away with age statements because they don’t want to broadcast the fact that their liquid may only be aging for the minimum required time or a few short years beyond.

What whiskeys are used in some of my favorite drinks?

Thank The Drinks Business for running a Google analysis on the most searched-for whiskey cocktails of 2016 and presenting us with their ingredients. Here are a few of the classics, listed in descending order of popularity.

Old Fashioned: Bourbon or rye, Angostura bitters, sugar, water

Manhattan: Rye or Canadian whiskey, sweet red vermouth, Angostura bitters

Whiskey Sour: Bourbon, egg white, lemon juice, simple syrup

Sazerac: Rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters and a sugar cube.

Mint Julep: Bourbon, fresh mint, sugar and water over ice

Rob Roy: Scotch, Drambuie

Lynchburg Lemonade: Jack Daniel’s, triple sec, Angostura bitters, lemon juice, simple syrup, soda water

Rob Roy: Scotch, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters

Journey of Whiskey

Journey of Whiskey

Whiskey history is a long, adventurous story, and many brave people fought to keep the drink flowing along the way. Fittingly, some exact dates were forgotten (whiskey was involved, after all), but this timeline will help you grasp the basics and understand its origin; who played key roles in the history of distilling, how whiskey came to be, how it evolved to be the whiskey / bourbon / rye / scotch we know today, and some fun little annals of history.

The History of Whiskey

2000 BC

Arguably, the art of distillation was founded in ancient Mesopotamia (the modern day equivalent is an area covering parts of Iraq and Syria), often used as a way to produce perfumes and aromatics.

100 AD

Here we find the first written record of distilling. Ancient Greek philosopher Alexander of Aphrodisiac describes the process of taking sea water and distilling it into pure drinking water. Medieval civilizations evolved their techniques over the following centuries, although still not resulting in alcohol.

500-1000 AD

Knowledge of distillation spread to Europe along with the travelling Moors of the early first millennia. The process is picked up by those in the Christian religion, using it to produce ingredients for various ceremonies, and also medicines for colic, palsy and smallpox.

1000-1200 AD

The origin of whiskey began over 1000 year ago when distillation made the migration from mainland Europe into Scotland and Ireland via travelling monks. The Scottish and Irish monasteries, lacking the vineyards and grapes of the continent, turn to fermenting grain mash, resulting in the first distillations of modern whisky. 

1250

Around this time, the earliest records of alcohol distillation appear in Italy, with it being distilled from wine. The technique was recounted by Ramon Llull (1232 – 1315). 

1405

The first written record of ‘whisky’ appears in the Irish Annals of Clonmacnoise, where it was written that the head of a clan died after “taking a surfeit [excessive amount] of aqua vitae” at Christmas.

1494

By this time, the distilling of whisky in Scotland is fully underway, as evident by a record in the Exchequer Rolls of 1494 where King James IV of Scotland granted a large amount of malt “To Friar John Cor, by order of the king, to make aquavit.”

1536-1541

The production of whisky shifted to the general public, after King Henry VIII of England dissolved the monasteries, making a large number of monks independent and looking for new ways to make a living. Distillation was it.

1600-onwards

As the European colonists began to arrive in America, they brought with them the practice of distilling whiskey. Many Scottish and Irish immigrants settled in their new territories, eventually beginning to distil their new types of grains and mash.

1608

The Old Bush mills Distillery is licensed in Northern Ireland, and today holds the title of oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world.

 

1707-1725

The Acts of Union resulted in the merging of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, creating Great Britain, and in the following years, taxes rose dramatically. The English Malt Tax of 1725 seriously threatened the production of whisky, and led the majority of Scottish distilleries to head underground and begin production at night, giving whisky one if its finest nicknames, “moonshine.”

1775-1783

After many years of producing their own whiskey, and seeing its value to the general population, distillers often used whiskey as a currency during the American Revolutionary War.

1783

The first commercial distillery is founded in Louisville, Kentucky on the banks of the Ohio River by Evan Williams.

1791

A new excise was introduced to help fund debt from the Revolutionary War. Import duties were already high, and so an excise tax on domestically produced distilled spirits was levied – the first of its kind by the new national government. Although the tax applied to distilled spirits of any kind, whiskey was the most popular, and so the excise became commonly known as the “Whiskey Tax.”

1791-1794

The ensuing unrest between grain farmers and the US government was soon dubbed the “Whiskey Rebellion“. Farmers were used to distilling their surplus grains into whiskey and a united protest gathered speed, particularly in the western counties of Pennsylvania where federal officials were intimidated in order to deny collection of the tax.

The rebellion came to a turning point in July 1794 when the home of tax inspector General John Neville was attacked by nearly 600 armed men. President Washington responded by sending in a militia force of around 13,000 to march west and meets any resistance with force. The rebels disbanded before their arrival, key leaders fled to safety, and the mass protesting came to an end.

1801

While the physical rebellion halted, opposition to the Whiskey Tax continued, and became a significant issue in following political elections. The newly formed Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson, would pledge to repeal the tax if voted into power, and when Jefferson took office in 1801, he did just that.

1820

A certain Scottish grocer named John Walker began producing his own whisky, which would become one of the most famous and most widely distributed brands of Scotch whisky in the world. John Walker himself was a teetotaller.

1823

The United Kingdom brought “moonshine” production to an end, when they gave Scottish distilleries an option to legalize their operations by paying a fee.

1823

The process that is sour mash was developed by Dr. James C. Crow at what is now the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky. In the process, an amount of spent mash is added to a new mash, and the balance of acid and live yeast that is contained controls the growth of foreign bacteria, improving consistency between batches so that every bottle is as close to the previous as possible. This revolutionized the way in which bourbon is made, and is also a current legal requirement when producing Tennessee whiskey.

1831

After inventing a “continuous still” and improving the technology involved in distillation, Irish inventor Aeneas Coffey patented the Coffey still, allowing manufacturers to produce whiskey more efficiently, and at a lower cost.

1840

Old Bourbon County had been producing “Old Bourbon County Whiskey” for some years; the name was used to differentiate it from other whiskeys because Old Bourbon was the first corn whiskey that most people had come across. It wasn’t until 1840 that it was officially given the name Bourbon, when a distiller by the name of Jacob Spears was the first to label his product as “Bourbon whiskey. “

1850

The first blended whisky comes into production. Andrew Usher mixed traditional pot still whiskey with that of a new batch produced in a Coffey still. Usher met stubborn resistance from traditional Irish distillers, many of whom claimed that this new blend was not whisky at all. Still, his company became the first to produce and mass-market a bottled blended scotch, and even became a popular import in the U.S. after finding distribution with Nicholas & Co. in 1853.

1920-1933

For 13 years, the American Prohibition era banned all production, sale, and use of alcohol. However, the federal government made an exception: the prescription of medicinal whiskey from a doctor, to be sold through a licensed pharmacy. (During this same timeframe, the pharmacy chain Walgreens used this to their advantage, growing from 20 stores to nearly 400.)

1964

Bourbon really hit the big time, as American Congress declared bourbon whiskey the country’s official distilled spirit. They also laid out the specific regulations that are to be met in order to label a whiskey as bourbon. (For more details, read what is Bourbon? section of our whiskey introduction.)

2004

The American Whiskey Trail is launched to promote many of the historical sites and operating distilleries in Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York. 

First Things in the world of Beverages

First Things in the world of Beverages

in the world many things invented of beverages and bar, some things have evidences and somethings have just myths and stories. here you will know about when first things about beverages introduced.

First Whiskey Distillation 

1000-1200 AD the origin of whiskey began over 1000 year ago when distillation made the migration from mainland Europe into Scotland and Ireland via travelling monks. The Scottish and Irish monasteries, lacking the vineyards and grapes of the continent, turn to fermenting grain mash, resulting in the first distillations of modern whisky.

First Whiskey

1405 The first written record of ‘whisky’ appears in the Irish Annals of Clonmacnoise, where is written that the head of a clan died after “taking a surfeit [excessive amount] of aqua vitae” at Christmas.

First Commercial Distillery

1783 The first commercial distillery is founded in Louisville, Kentucky on the banks of the Ohio River by Evan Williams.

 First Corn Whiskey 

Old Bourbon was the first corn whiskey that most people had come across. It wasn’t until 1840 that it was officially given the name Bourbon, when a distiller by the name of Jacob Spears was the first to label his product as “Bourbon whiskey.

First Blended Whisky

1850 The first blended whisky comes into production. Andrew Usher mixed traditional pot still whiskey with that of a new batch produced in a Coffey still. Usher met stubborn resistance from traditional Irish distillers, many of whom claimed that this new blend was not whisky at all. Still, his company became the first to produce and mass-market a bottled blended scotch, and even became a popular import in the U.S. after finding distribution with Nicholas & Co. in 1853.

First Bartender

Jerry Thomas (bartender) Jeremiah "Jerry" P. Thomas (October 30, 1830 – December 15, 1885) was an American bartender who owned and operated saloons in New York City. Because of his pioneering work in popularizing cocktails across the United States as well, he is considered "the father of American mixology."

First Bar 

The first bar in the country opened in Boston 382 years ago on March 4. Alcohol was served to early settlers of the Shawmut Peninsula thanks to a Puritan man named Samuel Cole. Born in 1597, Cole and his family made the voyage to the colonies with John Winthrop in 1630.

First Beer 

In Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq), early evidence of beer is a 3900-year-old Sumerian poem honouring Ninkasi, the patron goddess of brewing, which contains the oldest surviving beer recipe, describing the production of beer from barley via bread. Approximately 5000 years ago, workers in the city of Uruk were paid by their employers in beer

First Winery

The oldest-known winery was discovered in the "Areni-1" cave in Vayots Dzor, Armenia. Dated to c. 4100 BC, the site contained a wine press, fermentation vats, jars, and cups. Archaeologists also found V. vinifera seeds and vines. Commenting on the importance of the find, McGovern said, "The fact that winemaking was already so well developed in 4000 BC suggests that the technology probably goes back much earlier."

First Champagne

In 1772, Philippe Clicquot-Muiron established the original enterprise which eventually became the house of Veuve Clicquot. In 1775, it was credited to be the first Champagne house to produce rosé Champagne, using the method of adding red wine during production

First Coffee

The story of Kaldi, the 9th-century Ethiopian goatherd who discovered coffee when he noticed how excited his goats became after eating the beans from a coffee plant, did not appear in writing until 1671 and is probably apocryphal.

First Milk Shake 

When the term "milkshake" was first used in print in 1885, milkshakes were an alcoholic whiskey drink that has been described as a "sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink, with eggs, whiskey, etc., served as a tonic as well as a treat".However, by 1900, the term referred to "wholesome drinks made with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrups." By the "early 1900s people were asking for the new treat, often with ice cream." By the 1930s, milkshakes were a popular drink at malt shops, which were the "typical soda fountain of the period ... used by students as a meeting place or hangout."

First Mix Drink

Peychaud's Bitters, which are a must for the Sazerac, were also created in New Orleans, in the 1830s, by a pharmacist named Antoine Amedie Peychaud (in fact, the cocktail was actually first mixed by Peychaud, before it even had a name). Despite what some claim, the Sazerac is not the original cocktail.

First Tequila 

Jose Antonio de Cuervo y Valdes obtained land from the King of Spain in 1758 and began producing tequila – all before Mexico became an independent republic. In 1795, his son, Jose María Guadalupe de Cuervo, began selling the very first Vino Mezcal de Tequila de Jose Cuervo after receiving the first official charter from the King of Spain to produce tequila commercially.

First Tap Beer

John Lofting invented the original beer engine in the late seventeenth century. However, it was after Joseph Bramah developed and patented the technology that beer commonly started being served from a tap as opposed to a cask.

First Cognac

The Dutch, not the French, invented cognac as we know it. In the 17th century, merchants from Holland brought French wine home for distillation—and soon found that wine from the Cognac region produced a smoother spirit than that from anywhere else. Eventually, the Cognaçais began making wine expressly for distillation.

First Liqueurs

Liqueurs are historical descendants of herbal medicines; they were made in Italy as early as the 13th century and were often prepared by monks (e.g. Chartreuse). Nowadays, liqueurs are made worldwide and are served in many ways: by themselves, poured over ice, with coffee, mixed with cream or other mixers to create cocktails, etc. They are often served with or after a dessert. Liqueurs are also used in cooking.

First Gin 

The first written evidence of genievre is found in the 1552 Constelijck Distilleer boek (Constelijck Distillery Book). There is also evidence suggesting juniper flavoured distillate where made in the 1560s by Hugenot  refuges in Flanders, on the north border of France , and by this time juniper flavoured spirits were also available throughout the low countries (Holland, Belgium, and parts of northern France.) 

 First Canned Beer

1935: The first canned beer in the United States goes on sale in Richmond, Virginia. By the end of the year, 37 breweries follow the lead of the Gottfried Krueger Brewery.

The American Can Co. began experimenting with canned beer in 1909. But the cans couldn't withstand the pressure from carbonation – up to 80 pounds per square inch – and exploded. Just before the end of the Prohibition in 1933, the company developed a “keg-lining” technique, coating the inside of the can the same as a keg.

First Fermented Beverages

Fermented beverages existed in early Egyptian civilization, and there is evidence of an early alcoholic drink in China around 7000 B.C. In India, an alcoholic beverage called sura, distilled from rice, was in use between 3000 and 2000 B.C.

First Cocktail Shaker

Long before there was the Boston, the French or the cobbler, the cocktail shaker had been invented in South America. Fragments of gourd with traces of alcohol in them have been identified as being for the purpose of mixing drinks as early as 7000 BCE. By 1520 CE, explorer Hernando Cortez wrote back to Spain of frothy cacao mixtures prepared in a "golden cylinder-shaped container."

First Rum

Rum is one of the oldest distilled spirits and it has one of the most colorful histories of any alcoholic beverage. Entire books have been written that detail rum's history and Wayne Curtis' "And a Bottle of Rum" is one of the best available. We will only touch briefly on its expansive history here. Columbus introduced sugarcane to the West Indies in 1493. The first rum was produced in Brazil, Barbados, and Jamaica, making rum the first distilled spirit of the New World. By the mid-1700s, rum was being made throughout the Caribbean and South America. It soon became popular in New England and was produced there as well. Today, rum is produced throughout the world.

First drinkable man-made glass of carbonated water 

In the 17th century, street vendors in Paris sold a version of lemonade — the first drinkable man-made glass of carbonated water was invented in the 1760s. Natural mineral waters were thought to have curative powers at least since the Roman period, and the earliest soft-drink makers wanted to reproduce those in the laboratory. The earliest inventors used chalk and acid to carbonate water.

First Soft drink

The history of soda pop (also known in different regions of the United States as soda, pop, coke, soft drinks, or carbonated beverages), dates back to the 1700s. Let's take a brief look at the timeline of the creation of this popular drink. 

 First Barrel

Around 350 BC they were already using watertight, barrel-shaped wooden containers that were able to withstand stress and could be rolled and stacked. For nearly 2,000 years, barrels were the most convenient form of shipping or storage container for those who could afford them. All kinds of bulk goods, from nails to gold coins, were stored in them. Bags and most crates were cheaper, but they were not as sturdy and they were more difficult to manhandle for the same weight. The use of barrels for the transportation of bulk goods slowly lost its importance in the 20th century with the introduction of pallet-based logistics and containerization. However, they are still of great importance in the aging of wines and spirits.

First Tonic Water 

Quinine was added to the drink as a prophylactic against malaria, since it was originally intended for consumption in tropical areas of South Asia and Africa, where the disease is endemic. Quinine powder was so bitter that British officials stationed in early 19th century India and other tropical posts began mixing the powder with soda and sugar, and a basic tonic water was created. The first commercial tonic water was produced in 1858. The mixed drink gin and tonic also originated in British colonial India, when the British population would mix their medicinal quinine tonic with gin.

First Energy Drink

Energy drinks were an active subset of the early soft drink industry; Pepsi, for instance, was originally marketed as an energy booster. Coca-Cola's name was derived from its two active ingredients, both known stimulants: coca leaves and kola nuts (a source of caffeine). Fresh coca leaves were replaced by "spent" ones in 1904 because of concerns over the use of cocaine in food products; the federal lawsuit United States v. Forty Barrels and Twenty Kegs of Coca-Cola pressured The Coca-Cola Company into reducing the amount of caffeine in its formula by 1916. These developments brought an end to the first wave of energy drinks.

First Tea

A great deal of legend and myth surrounds the story of the origin of tea. One legend says that, in the year 2737 BC, the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung noticed that a green leaf had blown into a bowl of boiling water, colouring the water and creating what became known as tea. From then on the emperor desired nothing but tea to drink. Tea is first mentioned in Chinese documents some 4,700 years ago. It follows that tea probably originated in China. Today, the teabush grows in different regions of the world, among them India, Sri Lanka, China and Africa. The map of the world illustrates which varieties are grown in which countries.