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“Trestarig” - The World’s First Islay Triple-Distilled Whisky. “Trestarig”, pronounced “trace-arak”, is a long forgotten Hebridean whisky according to a 300 year old manuscript. It refers to a triple distilled spirit that may have it’s origins in ‘Arak’, the original Middle Eastern spirit distilled from wine. Arak means ‘sweat’ - beads of condensed alcohol associated with distilling process. Distilling was discovered in 9th Century Syria for making ladies’ eye shadow called ‘al-kohl’. Alcohol may have been discovered earlier than the 9th century, but unable to separate poisonous methanol from drinkable ethanol (the elusive ‘middle cut’) the secret died with the tasters! The art of making “burnt wine” and it’s aniseed-flavoured descendants (Raki, Pastis etc.) spread with Islam around the Mediterranean. Christianity took it on to Ireland and the pagan Gaels of the Scottish Hebrides where barely replaced the vine. In 1703 ‘A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland’ by Martin Martin observes: “the air is temperately cold and moist, and for the corrective, the natives use a dose of Trestarig” described as “aquavitae three times distilled” - not the usual two. Bruichladdich has distilled Trestarig once again. The first triple-distilled spirit in the Western Isles for many centuries was created by Master Distiller Jim McEwan: “This is without doubt the very best new spirit I have ever tasted, coming into spirit at 88% alcohol after a 7 hour spirit run - the longest I have ever witnessed. The elusive ‘middle cut’ was made between 86% to 81.5%. This is a rock show of a malt. At this strength you would expect the spirit to be volcanic, ‘spirity’ and unpleasant to the nose, but it’s just the very opposite. The texture is silky & concentrated; it oozes rather than runs over the palate with a superb fructose glucose mouth-feel. The nose is amazing. It’s minty cool as though it had just been removed from a refrigerator - rather than a pot still. The aromas explode in a sonic boom of heady, full-flavoured, wild zesty mint, thyme, rowan berries, fern, flowering currant, clove, cinnamon. Then a second wave brings green apple, pear, green banana, honeysuckle and coming towards the end of the run - its malty, mead, biscuity, cereal aromas that emerge. It’s a beautiful zestful, luscious, juicy, menthol cool spirit. I can only imagine, in years to come after maturation in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels, this will become an outstanding Islay single malt and will take its rightful place in the history of the ‘island of whiskies’ - where change is seldom seen.” The word “Trestarig” may be Gaelic or Viking in origin. Unusually, both share the Arabic word “Arak” inferring “distilled spirit”. ‘Treas’ is the Gaelic for ‘triple’, while the Norse ‘trost’, meaning ‘protection’. To the pagan Viking invaders "protection spirit" may have been needed against the cold, illness, pain, or just missionaries. The Eastern Vikings are known to have voyaged to Turkey and the Black Sea via the large rivers of central Europe. Intriguingly, they could have brought the knowledge of triple- distilled Arak to the Hebrides before the Christians. 12,000 litres of Bruichladdich Trestarig, the world’s first triple-distilled Islay single malt- were laid down at 84.5 %. alcohol.. At this strength it will protect you from anything. “Futures” of Trestarig are on sale here. Read the taste note here
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