From Roger Leitch, Bath, Somerset, UK
Chris Simms traces some effects of the destruction of grapevines in 19th-century France by aphid-like phylloxera (23/30 December 2017, p 60). One other effect was a shortage of cognac. As a result, particularly in the gentlemen's clubs in London, they drank malt whisky instead.
Until then, Scotland produced more whisky than it could consume and much was sent off to be turned into gin. But whisky became so popular after the phylloxera blight that distillers supplemented the malts with grain whisky, since these blends were cheaper to produce.
