The Making of Scotch Whisky
by Michael S. Moss and John R. Hume
A History of the Scotch Whisky Distilling Industry
Published to commemorate the centenary of Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay, 1881-1981 by James & James, Edinburgh 1981

title	author	publisher	year (first)	isbn	language	pp	book	size	edition
The Making of Scotch Whisky	Michael J. Moss & John R. Hume	James & James, Edinburgh, UK	1981	0907383009	english	303	hardcover, ill(bw+col)	172x253	1st

 

One of the pictures in this book: Miss Bessie Williamson, former owner of Laphroaig Distillery, Islay watching the Spirit Safe with the stillman, as a still came on stream in 1965. The heavily locked Spirit safes were made compulsory by the Act of 1823, but not introduced until 1825.

This is a wonderful book with colour plates, lots of pictures and abundance of historical information and it contains maps, references, tables etc. and a list of about 50 pages(!) with information on all the licenced distilleries which have operated in Scotland since the middle of the 18th century. The introductory text on the cover reads: The Western World's most popular drink which had is origin as a humble domestic craft in medieval times, is now one of the United Kingdom's largest exports and Scotland's greatest asset. It was not until the eighteenth century that commercial distilleries were set up and the history then becomes turbulent and romantic. As a result of changes in the law in the 1780s may distillers turned to working illicit stils and smuggling became common practice. The legal trade came into it's own in the 1820s and, with the invention of the patent still, it began to develop quickly; the new blended whiskies were, before long, becoming popular all over the world. Michael Moss and John Hume, drawing on the rich archives of the industry, examine the technical and commercial developments, showing how the new vatting and blending processes led in thei turn to new marketing methods. The evolution of Scotch whiksy distilling is illustrated by many fine old photographs and superb pictures of the modern scene. These are completed by period engravings of advertisement and bottle labels. These illustrations combine with the text to recreate the atmosphere of a developing industry. Old distilleries are always architecturally interesting and their modern counterparts, agains the lovely settings of the Highlands and Islands, have their own attraction. The industry faced problems again after 1898, during both World Wars and Americal Prohibition. How these difficulties were borne and overcome is a fascinating tale. Athough British colonists and business men had established 'Scotch' in many parts of the world from the nineteenth century up to 1939, it was after the Second World War that the boom began and Scotch Whisky became the predominant drink of the sophisticated world. By the fities it was being drunk in the fashionable bars ofd the Champs Elysée in paris, and in the United Sates it was ordered by brand name - not ust as 'Scotch'. A great spirit had become an accepted aprt of social life wellnigh everywhere. There was no more welcome gift for travellers to take with them htan a botle of 'Scotch' be their destination New York or Moscow. While the earlier parts of the history are always interesting and often romantic, the latter period of explosive succes is exciting and it is something that has not hitherto been adequately told. Now this narrative history recounts it all in a broad sweep never overlooking the part played by individuals, for this is social and political as well as commercial history. There is a mass of detail in appendices and a gazeteer that make the book useful as handy reference for the trade and the tourist. Authors Michael S. Moss has, since 1974, been Archivist of the University of Glasgow. John R. Hume has, since 1964, been a lecurer in the Department of History, University of Strathclyde, teaching the history of technology and economic history.   The contents of this book consist of Preface by the authors List of Plates   List of Tables   Acknowledgements   chapter I Making Scotch Whiksy chapter II From Usquebaugh to Whisky: to 1787 chapter III Whisky Making in a Time of Strife: 1788-1823 chapter IV Growth and Decline: 1824-57 chapter V Victorian Heyday: 1858-99 chapter VI Succeeding in the Bad Times: 1900-45 chapter VII Scotch Triumphant: 1945-80 chapter VIII And the Future? Bibliography   List of Parliamentary Papers Consulted   References   Tables   List of Distilleries   I Lowland Malt II Highland Malt III Campbeltown Malt IV Islay Malt V Grain Index

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