A fourteenth-century manuscript famed for having one of the first descriptions of whiskey distilling has gone on display in St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny.

The Red Book of Ossory, which gets its name from the colour of its leather binding, is an important medieval episcopal register associated with the Bishop of Ossory at St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny. 

The volume is internationally renowned as it contains important information such as documents of legal interest and the provisions of the Magna Carta. It also contains one of the earliest known recipes for whiskey distillation. The book refers to aqua vitae, meaning water of life. In Irish this became uisce beatha, which is where the word whiskey comes from.

The Red Book, pictured, has returned to its home in St Canice’s Cathedral to mark its 700-year anniversary. It has gone on public display so that visitors can see its unique content including where Ireland’s whiskey tradition began.

Although this is the first known written reference to whiskey distilling in Ireland, it is believed that the distillation process was actually introduced to Ireland by monks between the eighth and eleventh centuries. They learned the art of distillation during pilgrimages to eastern countries and brought the knowledge back with them. 

No matter how it started, whiskey distilling grew to become an important industry in Ireland and Irish whiskey became famous around the world. 

Today, whiskey is the island’s national drink and many new craft distilleries have opened adding to the diversity of Irish whiskey.    

A great way to discover new and not so new Irish whiskeys is on a whiskey tour, so during your visit to Kilkenny be sure to sign up for The Irish Whiskey Walk and Tasting. The tour starts at historic Kilkenny Castle, pictured above and in cover picture, and visits some of the fascinating medieval buildings in the city including 700-year-old Kyteler’s Inn, pictured at top. Here you will get to sample four specially selected Irish whiskeys.  

Words and pictures: www.ireland.com