Use Estreicher, “Distillation and Distilled Wines,” page 129. Consult the underlying translation history before detailed attribution to individual translators or texts.
Arabic and Persian writing on distillation was translated into Latin at Salerno in the mid-twelfth century, where references to distilled alcohol used the term aqua ardens; this marks documented transmission, not a single invention event.
Reverified on 2026-09-02 against the complete official Cambridge PDF attached to the Source, page 129.
The review later acknowledges more than one possible route into Western Europe. Do not imply that every practice or text moved through Salerno alone.
The source explicitly links Arabic and Persian writing, Latin translation at Salerno, and the term aqua ardens, supplying a clear knowledge-transmission milestone between earlier Islamic scholarship and later European distilled-spirit practice.
Used and link-verified on the public history page “Before American Whiskey — Fermentation, Distillation, and Transatlantic Knowledge” on 2026-09-02. Retain the recorded qualifications in future revisions.
Claim
Distillation writing entered Latin scholarship at Salerno in the mid-twelfth century.
Evidence judgment
The reviewed passage reports translation of Arabic and Persian material into Latin and identifies aqua ardens in the resulting medical tradition.
Boundary
Knowledge transmission is not the same as invention, universal adoption, or one exclusive route.
Drafting guardrail
Describe this as a documented transmission milestone and retain the route qualification.
Readiness decision
Ready for Drafting with Moderate evidence and High confidence.