Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic beverage crafted from fermented grain mash. It can be made from a variety of grains such as barley, rye, corn, or wheat and is typically aged in charred wood casks or barrels. The flavor can range from smoky and toasty to sweet and spicy. Whether you are a liquor connoisseur or just enjoy gathering trivia knowledge, here are 7 whiskey facts to tickle your fancy:
7 Whiskey Facts
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- Around 44 bottles of whiskey are exported from Scotland every second. (source) In 2021, Scotch whiskey exports were worth an incredible $5.6 billion (£4.5 billion).
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- The Jim Beam Distillery is the oldest business in Kentucky. (source) Established in 1795, it has been distilling whiskey in continuous operation since George Washington was president!
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- Kentucky produces 95% of the world’s bourbon. (source) The number of bourbon barrels aging in Kentucky (10.3 million) is over double the population of Kentucky (10.3 million).
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- Frank Sinatra was buried with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. (source) He was known to refer to it as the “nectar of the gods”.
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- In many Latin American countries, people say “Whiskey!” instead of “Cheese!” to smile in photographs. (source)
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- After prohibition ended, 69-year-old James B. Beam spent only 120 days getting his distillery up and running. (source) When it was announced that Prohibition would be repealed, Jim Beam wanted his first drink to be one of his family recipes, but there was nothing left of the distillery but ruins. So he recruited friends and family and set to work, rebuilding it in record time.
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- In April of 2022, a rare cask of whiskey sold for over $1.2 million after being purchased for $6,000 34 years ago. (source) The Macallan 1988 cask had been forgotten about until the distillery reminded the original owner that it was still maturing in a warehouse. The online sale drew bids from across the globe and sold to a private buyer from the United States. This shattered the previous record for a cask sale of over $547,000 in 2019.
