Whisky

Discover the finest Whiskies

Whisky, often seen as a classy spirits for refined people, has a rich and complex history. The origins of common spirits distillation methods can be found somewhere in China and Egypt, 4,000 years ago, but the legend of Whisky is another kind of beast. The Irish will tell you that Saint Patrick (a Scotsman!) brought with him a medicinal liquor made with honey and herbs, when he came to the island in 432. The British would be the ones coining the official name "whisky" in 1170, when they invaded Ireland.

Although, if you look at the facts, the very first traces of distillation can be found around 1200 in Ireland but you have to wait until the 15th century for cereal distillates to appear. In 1494, whisky made its first appearance in Scotland. Nobody really knows when the first whisky house was founded, but we do know that the Bushmills distillery was the very first to obtain an official distillation license in 1608.

Whisky wasn't very popular (as well as quite illegal) at the time but it started blowing up in the early 19th century. Regulations and taxes, of course, followed. The golden age of whisky distilleries began in 1823, with the very first single malts. Today, Whisky is not simply an Irish or Scottish tradition, many countries now produce their own version of this famous spirits, like Japan, France or the USA. Brought from the Orient, what was once used as perfume turned into one of the flagships of European culture.

Browse our selection of fine whiskies.