The development of liquor in the 16th century was slow. The production and distribution of spirits spread very gradual. Spirit drinking was still largely for medicinal purposes throughout most of the sixteenth century.
This is Part of a Series
18th Century Liquor Developments.
16th Century Liquor Developments.
Overview.
- This has been said of distilled alcohol. That “the sixteenth century created it; the seventeenth century consolidated it; the eighteenth popularized it.”1 That’s an over-generalization. Yet it’s a useful way to think in general about spirits.
- The original grain spirit, whiskey, appears to have first been distilled in Ireland. Its specific origins are unknown.2 But there is evidence that by the 16th century it was widely consumed in some parts of Scotland.3
Liquor in the 16th Century
1505
The Guild of Surgeon Barbers in Edinburgh was granted a charter to sell whisky. That reflected its medicinal use.
1506
King James IV of Scotland bought large amounts of Scotch whisky. It was from the Guild of Surgeon Barbers in the town of Dundee. That was one of the best known whisky producers of that time.
Cir. 1510
The liqueur Benedictine was first produced by Benedictine monks in France.4
1520s
The Irish judged quality of spirits in an unusual way. It was the higher the proportion of spices and aromatics it contained, the higher the quality.5
1521
“Although tequila and mescal are considered national beverages [of Mexico], they made their appearance only after the Conquest. That’s when the Spaniards brought the knowledge of distillation processes they had learned from the Moors.”6
1536-1541
King Henry VIII of England abolished the monasteries. This shifted the distillation of whisky from the monks to members of the general population.
Cir. 1532-1539
Cachaca was first distilled in Brazil. It is made from fermented sugarcane juice, rather than molasses (as is rum). The exact date of its first made is not known. It’s usually estimated to have been between 1532 and 1539. Cachaca is currently the third most-consumed distilled beverage in the world.7
1556
The Irish Parliament required distillers to obtain a license.8
1559
Distilling had become so common in Bordeaux that it was banned as a fire hazard.9
1575
Lucius Bols established a distillery near Amsterdam. He appears to have been the first to produce gin commercially.10 It is the oldest distillery in the Netherlands and one of the oldest in the world.11
1577
First recorded export of whisky from Ireland.
1590
Holinshed’s Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland praised whisky.
Resource
Web
Specific Spirits
Fun here…
Popular Books
- Austin, G. Alcohol in Western Society from Antiquity to 1800.
- Forbes, R. Short History of the Art of Distillation.
- Ford, G. Wines, Brews, & Spirits.
- Gately, I. Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol.
- Heath, D., (Ed.) International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture.
- Samuelson, J. The History of Drink.
- Sutherland, D. Raise Your Glasses.
Footnotes
1 Braudel, F. Capitalism and Material Life, 1400-1800, p. 170.
2 Magee, M. 1000 Years of Irish Whiskey, p. 7.
3 Roueche, B. Alcohol in Human Culture. In: Lucia, S., (Ed). Alcohol and Civilization, pp. 167-182. pp. 175-176.
4 Seward, D. Monks and Wine, p. 152.
5 Morewood, S. Philosophical and Statistical History of Inventions, p. 618.
6 Rey, G. Mexico. In: Heath, p. 179.
8 Morewood, p. 619.
9 Younger, W. Gods, Men, and Wine, p. 326.
10 Watney, J. Mother’s Ruin, p. 10. Doxat, J. The World of Drinks and Drinking, p. 98.
11 Lucas Bols website.