The first evidence of whisky production in Scotland is a entry in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1494 saying that malt was sent to “Friar John Cor, by order of the king, to make aquavitae” (a Latin word for alcohol).
It was enough to make around 500 bottles of the spirit, which it’s thought had been made in Scotland’s monasteries since the Romans brought the art of winemaking – but no grapes – to Britain hundreds of years earlier.
Since then whisky has become one of Scotland’s best whisky brands, distinct from the ‘whiskey’ produced elsewhere, and a glass of Scotch is now a sign of sophistication around the world.
Here are 10 incredible facts and figures about Scotland’s national drink, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.




9. From the Higlands to the Lowlands
There are currently 134 operating Scotch Whisky distilleries across Scotland. The Highland Park distillery, in Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands, is the most northerly, with the Bladnoch Distillery, in Dumfries and Galloway, the southernmost. Photo: Canva/Getty Images

10. An international business
The USA is by far the biggest market for the Scotch Whisky industry, followed by France, Singapore, Taiwan and Latvia. The top ten countries that most like a dram are completed by Germany, Spain, Japan, China and Australia. Photo: Canva/Getty Images