Whisk[e]y Talk: Spirit and Taxes
The histories of scotch, Irish whiskey and, what would come to be known as bourbon are interesting to understate, and not a dialect of miracles and incidents if hyperbole is to be allowed. Each one of the historical phenomena somewhat mirroring that of the other and lending some foundation and noumenal inspiration for the other. You are left with the impression of some extra-phenomenal hand driving the whole thing.
Of these peculiarities, none stand out more than the issue of taxation. From the Irish, the Scots to the Colonist of the then New World, it seemed that the destiny of the spirit was tied to oppression by the Parlament, the Royal Crown and, later, the newly born United States government under then President George Washington. Whether it was because of post war debt or the sugar and molasses interests that, now and again, lobbied Parlament; or the ambition of much larger and commercial distilleries to consolidate their powers, it was the British empire and then, in an ironic twist of history, the United States Government that ultimately would visit the spirit with repression and taxes.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmbRUa1vQaQ8FH4rC3n6MMzvVEX5SRm4nP8GvYXsWu5gk4/Bow_Street_distillery_Alfred_Barnard.jpg)
With the foreign war efforts of the British Empire, the constant rebellion of the colonies and imperial expansionism, saw the Crown and Parliament in debt and looking to have for themselves a slice of the growing whiskey industries. The first of the efforts to tax the spirit could be said to have been the Malt Tax of 1682. The Irish, not seeing much of a way out but not thinking much of the British, decided to subvert it by including unmalted barley but not so the that trick would ruin the whiskey. And so Pot Still Whiskey was born.
![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmPZPRowWfjd9EUNY33HrqTC6rTpBaf6AkN5cEsVRivFx7/dfec61fc6fd7d66bd23e49f0634b346c--whiskey-still-scottish-highlands.jpg)
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmac2LhcJhuzbpWrFsoRxTotrtmmBTb2crjmHaUbH7Ezfr/Screen_Shot_2016-06-05_at_10.27.24_PM.png)
![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTrnMYkgqfsrencrzFzpZLqY3KKiH59xvLXRbv98BFv9n/180933-004-0853F728.jpg)
You will be hard put to find a history of the spirit that doesn't include repression by the powers that were. To find a instance of this is to have discovered a robbed pharaohs tomb or the library of Alexander with all but stone and pen.
Image Credits |
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References: |
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- Irish Whiskey,Everything You Need To Know...
- Wikipedia.org... Whiskey Rebellion
- Text of the 1791 excise act from the Library of Congress
- THE ORIGIN OF SCOTCH WHISKY
- Whiskey History: A Timeline of Whiskey
- Irish Whiskey... Then & Now
Related: - Whisk[e]y Talk: How To Have Your Whisk[e]y
- Whisk[e]y Talk: Blended Whisk[e]y
- Whisk[e]y Talk: Blended Malt and Blended Grain Whisk[e]y
- Whisk[e]y Talk: Single Malt v Single Grain Whisk[e]y
- Whisk(e)ys Of South Africa...They Exist
- The Best of Whisk[e]y: Pure American Ember
- The Best of Whisk[e]ys: Taste Of The Scots
- The Best of Whisk[e]ys: The Irish Spirit|
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Very interesting article @deadsparrow
Super interesting article.. Makes me want to make myself a drink =)
Have yourself a drink, friend. It isnt a sin.
LoL! I agree.
Awesome post friend.
I like your all content because your content type and quality is so good.
best of luck go ahead friend.
Very interesting stuff. The government sees something that people love, like whiskey, and immediately sees an opportunity to start taxing and regulating it so that it benefits them. Greedy politicians and lobbyists have been around a looong time! I love history. And I like booze too lol, although I'm more of a vodka guy.
It is always good to be educative. Yh man this is really awesome! I am so so much in love with your post.
Thank you, @richforever. It's always great having people tell me how much they love the content.
Welcome sir
This is a nice post. Nice illustrating pictures you have there.
@seyiodus.
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Whiskey, history and a feel of Christmas. Too great for a quiet evening, cheers man!
Slainte, @clairen.
Awesome post friend.
really super & mind touch post and pic like it.
I like your all content because your content type and quality is so good.
best of luck go ahead friend.vote,cmmnt back
Well written and an informative, interesting read.