Editing Whisky (section)

=== Ireland and Scotland ===
The practice of distillation spread to Ireland and Scotland no later than the 15th century, as did the common European practice of distilling "[[aqua vitae]]", spirit alcohol, primarily for medicinal purposes.<ref name="whisky tech">Whiskey: Technology, Production and Marketing: Handbook of Alcoholic Beverages Series p2 Academic Press 2003</ref> The practice of medicinal distillation eventually passed from a monastic setting to the secular via professional medical practitioners of the time, The [[Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh#History|Guild of Barber Surgeons]].<ref name="whisky tech" /> The earliest mention of whiskey in Ireland comes from the ''[[Annals of Clonmacnoise]]'', which attributes the death of a chieftain in 1405 to "taking a surfeit of aqua vitae" at Christmas.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25508737 | jstor=25508737 | title=Guesting and Feasting in Gaelic Ireland | last1=Simms | first1=Katharine | journal=The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland | date=22 January 1978 | volume=108 | pages=67–100 }}</ref><ref name="Annals">{{Cite book|last1=O'Clery|first1=Michael|url=http://archive.org/details/annalsofkingdomo04ocleuoft|title=Annals of the kingdom of Ireland|last2=O'Clery|first2=Cucogry|last3=O'Mulconry|first3=Ferfeasa|last4=O'Duigenan|first4=Cucogry|last5=O'Clery|first5=Conary|last6=O'Donovan|first6=John|date=1856|publisher=Dublin, Hodges, Smith, and co.|others=PIMS – University of Toronto}}</ref> In Scotland, the first evidence of whisky production comes from an entry in the ''Exchequer Rolls'' for 1495 where malt is sent "To Friar [[John Cor]], by order of the king, to make aquavitae", enough to make about 500 bottles.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Great Britain. Public Record Office|url=http://archive.org/details/rotuliscaccariir10grea|title=Rotuli scaccarii regum Scotorum = The Exchequer rolls of Scotland|last2=Stuart|first2=John|last3=Burnett|first3=George|last4=Scotland. Court of Exchequer|date=1878|publisher=Edinburgh : H.M. General Register House|others=PIMS – University of Toronto}}</ref>

[[James IV of Scotland]] (r. 1488–1513) reportedly had a great liking for Scotch whisky, and in 1506 the town of [[Dundee]] purchased a large amount of whisky from the Guild of Barber-Surgeons, which held the monopoly on production at the time. 

[[File:Distillerie OldBushmills.jpg|thumb|[[Old Bushmills Distillery]], [[County Antrim]]]]

The distillation process was still in its infancy; whisky itself was not allowed to age, and as a result tasted very raw and brutal compared to today's versions. [[Renaissance]]-era whisky was also very potent and not diluted. Over time whisky evolved into a much smoother drink.