A Brief History of Distillation and Its Connection to Wine

Long before winemakers swirled glasses and inhaled aromas, someone—somewhere—stumbled upon the first sip of alcohol. A tale of discovery, craft, and a touch of magic.

How a Wine Guy Found Spirits in an Ancient Journey

Let me tell you a story. A story of how, long before winemakers swirled glasses and nosed aromas, before sommeliers spoke of terroir and tannins, someone—somewhere—stumbled upon the first sip of alcohol.

Picture this: A monkey in the jungle picks up a half-rotten fruit, takes a bite, and suddenly feels… different. A little looser, a little happier, maybe even a little dizzy. That monkey, my friends, was the first accidental drinker. And we, as humans, were not far behind.

You see, fermentation is nature’s way of letting us in on a secret. When fruit rots, yeasts go to work, breaking down sugars and turning them into alcohol. And at some point in history, a curious human—maybe a hunter, maybe a gatherer—took a sip of that fermented fruit juice. And just like that, alcohol entered human civilization.

But here’s where the real magic begins.

The First Distillers: The Curious Ones

Now, early humans weren’t chemists, but they were observant. One day, maybe by accident, a hot stone fell into a bowl of fermented liquid. As the heat rose, vapors formed, and some clever soul noticed the droplets collecting on a nearby surface. When they tasted it, they realized something incredible—it was stronger than anything they had ever drunk before.

This, my friends, was the first distillation.

Of course, humans being humans, they didn’t stop there. In freezing climates, they discovered that if you left fermented liquid out in the cold, ice would form—and what was left behind? A stronger drink. And in some places, they used dried animal bladders (yes, you heard that right) to filter out water and keep the good stuff. Primitive? Sure. But effective? Absolutely.

The Egyptians, The Greeks, and The Birth of Spirits

Fast forward a few thousand years to Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were obsessed with beauty and medicine, so they started using distillation in copper alembics—not to drink (yet), but to make perfumes and healing oils. But let’s be real—someone, at some point, must have asked, “What happens if we try this with wine?”

The Greeks took things a step further. They already worshipped wine—after all, they had Dionysus, the god of revelry. They refined winemaking, built copper stills, and wrote about distillation, though mostly for water purification and alchemy. The word “alembic”, which we still use today, comes from the Greek word “άμβυξ”.

Then came the Arab alchemists, the true masters of the craft. Around the 8th–10th centuries, they perfected distillation, isolating alcohol in a way no one had done before. They called it “al-kohl”, and their writings kept this knowledge alive while much of Europe was still in the dark ages.

The Monks Who Bottled the Spirit

But here’s where things get really interesting. When the knowledge of distillation finally reached medieval Europe, it landed in the hands of… monks. Yes, monks.

Picture a Benedictine monastery, rows of vineyards, barrels of wine aging in cool cellars. The monks weren’t just men of faith—they were scientists in robes. They distilled wine to create aqua vitae—the water of life, believing it had medicinal properties.

And guess what? It caught on. Soon, French brandy, Scotch whisky, and Italian grappa followed, all thanks to monks who, in their quest to heal, gave us some of the world’s greatest spirits.

Cyprus: A Sweet Wine, A Strong Spirit

Now, let’s bring this story home. Here in Cyprus, we have something older than Cognac, older than Champagne—Commandaria, the world’s oldest named wine. The Knights Templar drank it, Richard the Lionheart loved it, and for centuries, Cypriots knew it wasn’t just for sipping—it could also be distilled.

Generations of Cypriot farmers took leftover wine, distilled it, and created Zivania, a fiery, pure grape spirit. The monks in Mount Athos did the same, using leftover grape skins to craft something stronger, something meant to warm the soul and cure the body.

From Wine to Spirits: The Journey Continues

So here we are, thousands of years later. We swirl our wines, we analyze our spirits, but deep down, it’s all part of the same journey—fermentation, distillation, transformation.

And that’s why I, a wine guy, can’t help but be fascinated by spirits. Because whether it’s a glass of aged Commandaria or a fiery shot of Zivania, it’s all telling the same ancient story. A story of discovery, craft, and a little bit of magic.

And that, my friends, is how a wine guy becomes spiritual. 😊🍷🔥