IN GOOD SPIRITS

What does Vermouth mean? Uncovering the names of alcoholic beverages

Published on November 25, 2024

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You probably know many alcoholic beverages that you enjoy drinking alone or combined in different cocktails, but do you know where their names come from? From whiskey and gin to rum and absinthe, the origins of spirits have fascinating stories to tell. Are you ready to explore them? You will surely learn some curious facts to share at your next party!

Whiskey

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Whiskey is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. It is produced by distilling malt fermented with cereals such as wheat, barley, corn, and rye, and the resulting spirit is subsequently aged in white oak barrels.

In the Middle Ages, alcoholic beverages were classified into two main groups: "aqua ardens" (burning water) and "aqua vitae" (water of life). Whiskey falls into the category of "aqua vitae." The Latin term was translated into Middle Irish as usque beatha, which in turn derived into usquebaugh, pronounced: "wiskyba," giving rise to "whisky" (Scotland) and "whiskey" (Ireland and the United States).

Brandy

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The word brandy is an abbreviation of brandywine, an English term dating from the early 17th century. It comes from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning "burnt wine" or "burning wine," referring to the distillation process.

Brandy is made from the distillate of wine or fermented fruit pulp, primarily grape skins. There are different types of brandy. Perhaps one of the best known is cognac, a high-quality wine distillate, named after the city in France where it is produced.

Gin

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Gin is a distilled drink made from juniper berries, among other ingredients. The term gin is an abbreviation of the Old English word genever, which in turn derives from the Dutch jenever and the French genièvre. Moreover, all these words trace back to the Latin word for juniper, juniperus.

This drink emerged among European monks during the Middle Ages as a medicinal liquor. Then, in the 17th century, gin gained popularity in England and transitioned into the modern drink we know and love. Nowadays, gin is used to prepare different cocktails, including Tom Collins, Negroni, and the popular Gin & Tonic.

Rum

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The first references to this drink date back to the mid-17th century in Barbados, a small Caribbean island with sugar plantations that was under British rule for several centuries. When rum began to be produced on a large scale in the colonies, the English imported it to Europe and popularized it throughout the continent.

There are many theories about the origin of the word rum. The most accepted one suggests that it comes from the English slang word rumbullion which means "great tumult." This term might have originated in the Devonshire area on the southwest coast of England. From rumbullion, it became known as rum in English, rhum in French, and ron in Spanish.

Vodka

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Vodka is an emblematic drink of Eastern European countries and is used to prepare a multitude of cocktails, including the Martini Vesper, Moscow Mule, White Russian, Cosmopolitan, and Bloody Mary, among others. The word vodka comes from the Russian word voda, which means "water." The ending -ka makes it diminutive, translating to "little water."

Vodka is a distillate that comes from the fermentation of potatoes, wheat, barley, grapes, beets, or any plant rich in starch. Originally, the aim was to obtain a simple, alcoholic liquid composed of ethanol and water, with no pretensions in terms of aroma or flavor. It also needed to have a high alcohol content to cope with the harsh Russian winters. Traditionally it has a graduation around 40º, although there are vodkas that reach 80º and up to 96º. It is hard to believe that it’s simply called water!

Bourbon

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This distillate made mainly from corn, was first introduced in the United States in the 18th century. The first known producer was Reverend Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister. Legend has it that the clergyman established the first distillery in Fayette County, Kentucky, with the help of a Southern farmer who provided surplus corn from his harvest.

Although it was born in Fayette, this variety of whiskey was named after another nearby county, Bourbon County, where the spirit began to be produced on a large scale. The names of both Kentucky counties have their origin in the same historical figure: Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat related to the House of Bourbon.

Vermouth

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The word vermouth comes from the German word wermut, which means "wormwood," one of the main herbs used to make this beverage. This fortified wine, flavored with different botanicals (flowers, herbs, roots, and spices), has been used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. However, the modern version we know today was first introduced in Turin, Italy, in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, vermouth became a global trend thanks to the rise of bars and cocktails, as it was —and still is— an essential ingredient to prepare classic drinks such as Martinis, Negronis, and Manhattans.

Tequila

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Tequila is, without a doubt, a staple of Mexican culture and a famous drink around the world. In ancient times, it was considered a gift from the gods. Today it’s served as an aperitif or combined with other beverages and ingredients to prepare cocktails.

This spirit is produced from the distillation of fermented juice obtained from the heart of a plant known as "blue agave." Its name comes from the Nahuatl word Tekilan, which means "place of the workers."

Absinthe

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This popular anise-flavored spirit, made from wormwood oil and other herbs, has a high alcohol concentration. With a bitter taste, absinthe’s color is usually pale green. Its name derives from the Latin absinthium, which in turn comes from the Greek apsínthion, meaning "wormwood."

The use of wormwood to make alcoholic beverages dates back to the 1st century, but it was not until the end of the 18th century, in French-speaking Switzerland, that the drink we know today was created. At the end of the 19th century, absinthe, often called "Green Fairy," was the most popular spirit in Europe, enjoyed by all social classes, especially artists and bohemians. However, years later its consumption was limited because it could cause hallucinations, which gave birth to the term absinthism.

Pisco

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Peru and Chile, neighboring South American countries, share many things: the Andes mountain range, common ancestors, customs, and, notably, the debate over the origin of pisco. The true birthplace of this spirit has long been questioned, with both countries claiming it as their own. What we do know is that the name pisco may derive from the Quechua word Pisku, meaning "bird."

Peruvian and Chilean pisco are different varieties but have in common that they are grape distillations, made similarly to brandy and cognac. Despite the ongoing controversy, no one should miss trying a good pisco sour!

Master of wordplay

Are you a night owl? 10 words coined by Shakespeare you need to know

Published on November 25, 2024

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It’s not always possible to attribute the origin of a precise word to a particular person. However, it is believed that William Shakespeare contributed more than 1,700 terms and expressions to the English language, many of which we still use today. The way Shakespeare invented, reused, and modified words is a living testament to his creativity and innovation. In this article, we have handpicked 10 words and phrases that you probably didn’t know were coined by the genius English poet and playwright. And the next time you use them, remember that you are following in the footsteps of a true linguistic legend!

Lonely

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Loneliness is a sentiment we can all relate to. Who hasn't felt lonely at some point? Feeling sad about being apart from others is universal. But the interesting thing is that this word, which we use frequently in the English language, was first introduced in a play by William Shakespeare.

Written between 1605 and 1608, Coriolanus is a tragedy set in the earliest days of the Roman Republic. In the first scene of Act 4, General Coriolanus, speaks to his mother Volumnia, who tries to convince him not to attack Rome, and says: "Believe 't not lightly-though I go alone, / Like to a lonely dragon that his fen."

Good Riddance

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Thanks to William Shakespeare, we have a polite and decent idiom to express we are happy and relieved to see someone leave without resorting to insults and rudeness. What a treat! Although riddance is practically an obsolete term in modern English, the expression "good riddance" has stood the test of time.

Shakespeare first used it in The Merchant of Venice when Portia says to the Prince of Morocco: "A gentle riddance! Draw the curtains, go, / Let all of his complexion choose me so." In this case, the phrase didn’t have the ironic connotation that it would acquire later and that we still use today. That aspect would come with Patroclus' comment in Troilus and Cressida replying to Thersites' insolence when he finally leaves: "A good riddance."

Gossip

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The word gossip has a long and intricate history. It is believed to derive from the combination of the Old English word sibb, meaning "relative", and the word god. The term godsibb was used to refer to a person spiritually related to another, that is, a godparent. A few centuries later the word evolved into its current form, gossip, and its meaning was extended to anyone who liked to talk about other people's private lives.

However, the verb form we use today, to gossip, is entirely due to Romeo and Juliet's creator. It was Shakespeare who first used the term as a verb in three of his comedies: The Comedy of Errors, All's Well That Ends Well, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Well, no wonder—a good writer is, at heart, a great gossip.

Brave New World

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You may be familiar with this line from Aldous Huxley's famous book published in 1932. But the truth is that Huxley borrowed the title for his dystopian novel from Shakespeare. The English playwright used the phrase ironically for the first time in his play The Tempest. The naïve Miranda, confined since childhood to an island with no contact with men other than her father, says upon seeing some sailors: "O wonder! / How many goodly creatures are there here! / How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, / That has such people in 't."

Today, we use the phrase in the same cynical and ironic way Shakespeare conceived it more than 400 years ago. When something is about to change in history or society but we are not quite confident about the outcome, "brave new world" comes to mind, and it is impossible to resist using it. At least now we know its origin!

Hazel

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Romeo and Juliet is a symbol of romantic love and is a story that has been adapted thousands of times in literature, film, television, and music. The words used by Shakespeare to describe the landscapes of Verona and the characters’ physical attributes are unforgettable and have remained in the memory of readers for centuries. Even when we are not aware that many of those words were invented or put on paper for the first time under the pen of the genius playwright!

"Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking / nuts, having no other reason but because thou / hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy / out such a quarrel?" says Mercutio. This is the earliest record of the word hazel in reference to a color, in this case, to describe Romeo’s eyes. Fun fact: in the Elizabethan period, it was considered a reddish-brown color, rather than the greenish-brown we think of today.

Night Owl

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Do you consider yourself a nocturnal person? Someone who prefers to be active at night rather than during the day? If so, you are probably a night owl! But did you know that Shakespeare was the first to use the expression figuratively to describe people keen on nightlife?

In classical literature, the owl was an animal with negative connotations and was typically associated with bad omens. In Shakespeare's plays, they appear frequently, usually to announce that something bad is about to happen. However, in the narrative poem "The Rape of Lucrece," the night owl refers directly to a person: "The dove sleeps fast that this night-owl will catch: / Thus treason works ere traitors be espied." We’ve all felt a bit like a night owl at one time or another, but fortunately, nowadays the expression doesn't carry that negative connotation.

Bandit

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Shakespeare's fascination with Italy is well known. Renaissance literature was profoundly influenced by the ideas, styles, and themes that emerged in Italy during this period. In the case of Shakespeare, the Italian influence is evident in the settings, themes, characters, and language of his plays.

In the same way that the author recovered terms and expressions from Old English, he also adapted words from other languages that were later incorporated into the popular lexicon. This is the case of the word bandit, which derives from the Italian bandito and literally means "one who is banished," referring to an outlaw who lives by stealing and other misdeeds. The first written record of bandit can be found in the play Timon of Athens.

Green-Eyed Monster

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Jealousy is a common human emotion that can eat away at a person. Literature has dealt with this topic in many ways, and Shakespeare is one of the authors who has done it most brilliantly. In fact, he coined a term to describe people who suffer from such deep jealousy that they can cause harm to others and themselves: the "Green-Eyed Monster."

In The Merchant of Venice, The Bard had already linked the color green with envy when Portia says: "And shudd'ring fear, and green-eyed jealousy!". Then, in Othello, the arch-villain Iago warns the protagonist, who is blind with jealousy over his wife Desdemona's alleged affair with Cassio: "O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock / The meat it feeds on."

Jessica

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William Shakespeare not only invented words, turned nouns into verbs, and added prefixes, but he's also credited with having coined a few female names that are still very popular today. Miranda, Olivia, Cordelia, and Imogen are just some of them.

This is also the case with Jessica, who first appears in The Merchant of Venice as the rebellious daughter of Shylock. As was his habit, it is believed that the author anglicized a biblical name from the Old Testament —possibly 𝘠𝘪𝘴𝘬á𝘩. Some years later, in the late 18th century, people in Britain began naming their daughters Jessica after the Shakespearean character. Fast forward to this day, the name has crossed the pond, and chances are you have a friend or cousin named Jessica.

Unfriend

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Shakespeare loved to play with language: he invented words, redefined others, and gave new life to thousands of forgotten terms and expressions. As far as we know he especially liked to add the prefix un-. He created or gave new meanings to more than 300 words that begin with it, such as unaware, unreal, uncomfortable, and undress. One of the most curious words in this group is unfriend.

Although the word already existed, it had not been used as a verb before the 17th century. The English author includes it in several of his works to refer to someone who has been left alone, without friends. For example, it appears in the romantic comedy Twelfth Night and King Lear: "Will you, with those infirmities she owes, / Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate." In the 21st century, the term had a revival with the advent of Facebook. Shakespeare could never have imagined the rise of social media, but he would surely be happy that his contributions to language are still relevant today.