World Whisky Day is on Saturday the 15th of May 2021 and is a global celebration of the uisge beatha, ‘the water of life’ – or as we may know it, whisky! You can celebrate by trying a dram and joining in on the #WorldWhiskyDay conversation via social media.
We’re going to kick things off by sharing some of our favourite whisky facts, and a cheeky new Whisky Cocktail: Kentucky Blueberry Lemonade. Created by our mixologist, Terrence Lundy, especially for World Whisky Day, this cocktail is perfect for seasoned whisky specialists and newcomers alike!
5 Facts About Whisky We Bet You Didn’t Know
- 36 bottles of Scotch Whisky are shipped from Scotland to 166 markets around the world each second, totalling over 1.14 billion every year!
- 2% of the liquid evaporates every year from a whisky barrel while it’s sorted for maturation – this is known as the Angel’s Share. It’s said that this 2% keeps the angels in good spirits!
- Scotland is home to more aging casks of whisky than people! With a population of 5.3 million, and more than 20 million barrels of whisky in-store – Scotland has almost four casks of whisky per person.
- Cats play a significant role in the history of whisky! Numerous famous distilleries are known to have cats lurking about, offering protection from the mice who like to hang around barley. Glenturret’s distillery famous cat, Towser the Mouser, is said to have caught 28,899 mice in its 24-year lifetime!
- The Guinness World Record for the world’s oldest bottle of whisky belongs to the Glenavon Special Liqueur Whisky. Bottled between 1851 and 1858, it sold at auction for an astounding £14,850 in 2006.
Kentucky Blueberry Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients:
- 50ml Makers Mark Whisky
- 1x lemon
- 15 blueberries
- 2-3 dashes of angostura bitters
- 20ml sugar syrup
- Soda water
Method
Add most of the blueberries, juice of 1 lemon and the bitters to a shaker and muddle until the blueberries are sufficiently juiced.
Add in the Makers Mark and sugar syrup, give it a hard shake with ice.
Single strain into a chilled hi-ball glass filled with fresh cubed ice, then finish with ice cold soda water.
Garnish with some extra blueberries and grated lemon zest.
Bonus Fact on Maker’s Mark Whisky
Although it is made in America and is an all American recipe the Maker’s Mark founder William Samuels wanted to pay homage to, and capitalize on, the Scottish heritage of whiskies (the founder did not originate from Scotland, like some people think). He just thought that they were smoother and in general better than their American “Whiskey” counterparts. So they used the Scottish spelling of Whisky to market their spirit.
Enjoy world whisky day and make sure to tag @boozyevents if you recreate the cocktail or any whisky drinks for yourself!