Distillery to Revive 184-Proof Whiskey
LONDON (AP) - A Scottish distillery said Monday it was reviving a centuries-old recipe for whisky so strong that one 17th-century writer feared more than two spoonfuls could be lethal.
Risk-taking whisky connoisseurs will have to wait, however - the spirit will not be ready for at least 10 years.
The Bruichladdich distillery on the Isle of Islay, off Scotland's west coast, is producing the quadruple-distilled 184-proof - or 92 percent alcohol - spirit "purely for fun," managing director Mark Reynier said.
Whisky usually is distilled twice and has an alcohol content of between 40 and 63.5 per cent.
Bruichladdich is using a recipe for a spirit known in the Gaelic language as usquebaugh-baul, "perilous water of life."
In 1695, travel writer Martin Martin described it as powerful enough to affect "all members of the body."
"Two spoonfuls of this last liquor is a sufficient dose; if any man should exceed this, it would presently stop his breath, and endanger his life," Martin wrote.
Reynier put Martin's test to the claim and consumed three spoonfuls.
"I can tell you, I had some and it indeed did take my breath away," Reynier said.
Bruichladdich, a small privately owned distillery founded in 1881, plans to make about 5,000 bottles of the whisky, which Reynier estimated would sell for about 400 pounds (US$695, euro590) per case of 12 bottles. Although whisky lovers can place their orders now, the actual spirit will not be delivered for about 10 years.
"You get a better drink if you wait because of the basic oxygenation through the oak barrels," Reynier said.
In the meantime, customers will be able to watch the whisky's progress on the distillery's webcams.
Now this last line of watching the whiskeys progress via webcam?So we can stare at barrels for 10 yrs?
Wow wonder how long it'll take some idiot to get alcohol poising after it comes out by being cool and drinking the bottle lol
grain is even a bigger proof then that :P
Wow. 92% alcohol! Thats insane! I think thats the highest content of alcohol i've ever seen. Well, in a drinkable state. As a chemist I frequently had to use 200 proof (or water free alcohol), but it wasn't pure and definitely not drinkable! It was so potent you could almost get drunk from the fumes though! lol
Ahhhhh college....Everclear and gatorade....so many memories that I can't....remember anymore. Can't wait for St. Paddy's Day. spb.gif
Quote from: pogohatesme on February 27, 2006, 03:55:10 PM
Wow wonder how long it'll take some idiot to get alcohol poising after it comes out by being cool and drinking the bottle lol
No kidding!! If it's so lethal, why put it on the market?
grain alcohol is 192 proof and is murder even when cut ???
I remember drinking moonshine out of a mason jar growing up. You could feel the burn from the time it crossed your lips till it hit your stomach. Ohhh what wonderful memories ... at least what I remember of it LOL
Quote from: Ethan_Hawley on February 27, 2006, 08:01:37 PM
Ahhhhh college....Everclear and gatorade....so many memories that I can't....remember anymore. Can't wait for St. Paddy's Day. spb.gif
lol...Everclear and Pink Lemonade here!
Can you even buy grain alcohol anymore? When I was in college, we had to drive 45 minutes away to get it...
Quote from: foxx on February 28, 2006, 08:45:49 AM
Quote from: Ethan_Hawley on February 27, 2006, 08:01:37 PM
Ahhhhh college....Everclear and gatorade....so many memories that I can't....remember anymore. Can't wait for St. Paddy's Day. spb.gif
lol...Everclear and Pink Lemonade here!
Can you even buy grain alcohol anymore? When I was in college, we had to drive 45 minutes away to get it...
Me too! Had to drive about an hour into West Virginia (from eastern Maryland) to get that stuff. Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking back then..even if it was not too long ago.
Sure brings back memories of growing up in those wva hills. I should try to get a jar full when I go to my family reunion. 1 drink & I'll probably be passed out :)) :))
they still have grain here.just one brand tho its graves. :P