c. 866 CE
A documentary milestone for alcohol distillation that bridges early fermentation and later distilled-spirit practice.
Abbasid intellectual world
By around 866, al-Kindi discussed distillation of date-palm wine in a work on perfume and distillations.
Date: c. 866 CE
The History of Bourbon and Other American Whiskies / 
The Scholar’s Corner
What happened
By around 866 CE, al-Kindi discussed distillation of date-palm wine in the Book of the Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations.
Why it matters
The text is a useful documentary bridge between ancient fermentation and the later history of distilled alcoholic beverages.
Evidence and its limits
The linked notes explain the supporting evidence and its historical context.
What this does not establish
This documents discussion of alcohol distillation; it does not establish the first-ever distillation of alcohol or identify a single inventor.
Connections
It precedes the transmission of distillation writing into Latin scholarship in medieval Europe.
Citations and further reading
Return to the story
- Lesson:
Before American Whiskey - Research timeline: The Scholar’s Corner