INTRODUCTION

1994 is a unique year for the Scotch Whisky industry. It marks 500 years since theü@distillation of Scotland's famous ügaquavitaeüh was first recorded - ironically with the excise man of the day.

Accordingly, 1994 presents unrivalled opportunities to promote Scotch Whisky and this fact pack provides background information on the industry.

Few industries can trace their roots back 500 years, but, thanks to Friar John Cor, the Scotch Whisky industry can trace its roots clearly back to 1494 as the year in which it was first registered - officially.

For it was in 1494 that Scottish Exchequer Roll Number 305 listed the following:

ügDelivery of eight bolls of malt to Friar John Cor wherewith to make aquavitaeüh. Eight bolls is roughly equivalent to 1200kg or just over one ton. Thus the existence of ügthe water of lifeühwas first formally recorded.

Today, Scotch Whisky is of major importance to the economy not only of Scotland, but of the United Kingdom as a whole. Scotland's most famous product is exported to and sold in almost 200 countries around the world. No other product from so small a geographical area has achieved such international success.

In 1992 shipments of Scotch Whisky earned almost üÆ2 billion in export markets,representing over 20% of the total value of Scottish manufacturing exports. Every year exports account for 85% of Scotch Whisky sales. The Scotch Whisky industry also makes an enormous contribution of more than üÆI billion to the British Government each year in taxes.

The Scotch Whisky industry is an important employer, with around 15,000 people employed directly. Every worker in the industry supports up to four jobs with suppliers and distributors, thereby generating a further 56,000 jobs indirectly. Scotch Whisky is also vital to many rural areas of Scotland where distilling is the life blood which prevents major depopulation, and to areas of high unemployment where many of the blending and bottling halls are to be found. The sales success of Scotch Whisky around the world embodies the celebrated entrepreneurial achievement of the Scot and is a symbol of all good things Scottish-originality and versatility, quality and consistency, history and heritage. It is the veritable ügSpirit of Scotlandüh, a theme which The Scotch Whisky Association has adopted to celebrate 500 years of Scotch Whisky.