History and providence are both major components of what gives Scotch whisky its enduring appeal, and many of the most desirable bottles and casks to own have typically been allowed to distil for a very long time.
There is an appeal in owning a spirit lovingly made in the distant past or one that came from a distillery that is no longer in operation and may not even exist. History is as much a part of the experience as the bottle or the nose.
This, naturally, leads to the question of how far back this tradition goes and where the proud and lengthy history of Scotch whisky begins.
Determining this for sure may not be possible, but the earliest written record of Scotch being produced may provide some insight.
Eight Bolls Of Malt For Aqua Vitae
The history of whisky production is indelibly linked to aqua vitae (water of life), the ancient historic term for any distilled spirit, and the first mention of its production in Scotland comes from a relatively archaic set of government accounts.
The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland is a set of historical financial records that cover a wide range of official expenses of the King of Scotland, but a particular entry dated 1st June 1495 is of particular interest to the Scotch whisky industry.
It was an order for a Mr John Cor (some accounts use the transliteration “Carr”) to use “eight bolls” of malt to “make aquavitae”.
This would make it the first written record of the distillation of whisky, the first mention of the drink in a Scottish source, and given that the Exchequer Rolls date back to 1326, potentially the first official order of whisky in Scotland in history.
A boll is an old Scottish measurement of grain, equal to four firlots but since the mass of a firlot frequently changed depending on where and when you measured it, the exact amount it equates to will vary.
It is believed to be, based on a 1426 attempt to standardise the firlot, around 640 litres, which would make around 500 bottles worth of whisky.
It was believed that King James IV of Scotland loved Scotch whisky, and following this 1495 order, a significant order was bought for Dundee.
Who Was John Cor?
Another part of the mystery was John Cor/Carr, the merchant friar provided the malt to produce the whisky.
He was a member of the Order Of Preachers, believed to be connected to the Blackfriars of Edinburgh.
If other references to “Friar Cor” are also him, he was gifted 14 shillings by the King on Christmas Day 1488, and then in 1494 was gifted an amount of black cloth from Flanders.
At the time, the monopoly for producing whisky would come from monasteries, although this would quickly change to the Guild of Barber-Surgeons due to the use of medicinal alcohol at the time.
This means that it was possible that King James had either paid him in advance for the whisky or was calling in a favour in order to get a significant supply of bottles, but in either case the production of whisky would rapidly spread until it became one of the most popular spirits in the world.