Our answer? Whisky is the older spelling, the inclusion of an 'e' a relatively recent marketing wheeze. Though it may now be 'customary' to include an e in the US and Ireland it is not a legal requirement – there are exceptions to the rule even in the land of the e.
To make a long explanation short, whiskey (with an 'e') refers to grain spirits distilled in Ireland and the United States. Whisky (with no 'e') refers to Scottish, Canadian, or Japanese grain spirits.
Irish whiskey is always spelled with an e – this is a key difference between Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky. Irish whiskey uses little or no peat, so there is usually no smokiness in these whiskies. Irish whiskey may contain a distillate of malt, a barley distillate and a portion of grain spirit.
Ireland and Scotland were the first countries to seriously produce whiskey, or “uisge breatha” (water of life). Over time, it became known as whiskey. In the Irish dialect, that meant an “ey” to end the word, and in the Scottish dialect that meant only a “y.”
In general, it's pretty easy to remember who favours what spelling: Ireland and the U.S.: whiskey. Everywhere else (including Scotland, England, Australia, Canada, Japan, India, Finland, Germany, and Iceland): whisky.
It is widely believed that during the 19th century, Ireland's distillers began to use the 'e' as a way to differentiate their whiskeys from Scotch. They were becoming more popular and were regarded as being of higher quality.
Uisce beatha (Irish pronunciation: [ˈɪʃcə ˈbʲahə]), literally "water of life", is the name for whiskey in Irish. It is derived from the Old Irish uisce ("water") and bethu ("life").
Irish whiskey was one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe, arising around the 12th century. It is said that Irish monks invented the elixir we know now as whiskey, and were so fond of it they called it uisce beatha.
History of Irish Whiskey and Scotch
But official openings don't give us the full picture, and in actual fact, the first official record of Irish whiskey is from 1405, much to the upset of the Scots, whose earliest written evidence is nearly 90 years later in 1494.
It is generally spelled “whiskey”—with an e—in the United States and Ireland. It is spelled “whisky”—without the e—in Scotland and Canada, which are both well known for their whisk(e)y, and in several other countries.
Japan's whisky is not like Scotch. Japanese whiskies are made most commonly from barley and distilled in a continuous still (as opposed to the pot stills used for Scotch). Suntory, Yamazaki, and Hakushu (all owned by Kirin) all age their malt in casks that previously held bourbon, sherry, or other types of wine.
The tricky part is matching the right spelling with the right country of origin. If you're talking about a drink that's been made in Scotland, Canada, or Japan, use the spelling without the e—whisky. When referring to drinks distilled in the United States or Ireland, use the e—whiskey.
While distillation processes have been used around the globe for centuries, the first distillation of whiskey as we know it today took place in Scotland or Ireland in the early 1000s AD.
But the biggest difference between Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey is the distillation process. While both spirits are distilled liquors, Scotch is distilled twice to Irish whiskey's thrice. This extra distillation gives Irish whiskey a smoother finish and some say make it the best in the world.
Buffalo Trace claims to be the oldest continuously-operating distillery in the USA, though the name has changed over the years. Maker's Mark has the oldest bourbon distillery in the world, while Jack Daniel's is the oldest registered distillery in America.
Jameson Irish Whiskey
Ireland's most famous whiskey has been going since 1780 and is a perennial fixture among the spirits behind most bars. The body has notes of orchard fruits, both fresh and cooked with a little vanilla cream and the finish is medium-length with spice and honey.
Until beer, ale and whisky came along, most early Scots drank mead almost without exemption. The ancient Celts and Vikings loved it, too, and so it can be reasonably argued that mead was Scotland's first national drink.
The Four Types of Irish Whiskey are Single Malt Irish Whiskey (both peated and unpeated), Single Grain Irish Whiskey, Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and Blended Irish Whiskey.
There are so different ways to say “cheers” in many countries all over the world, however, in Scotland, it's Slàinte Mhath! Irish or Scots Gaelic? The term Slàinte Mhath (Pronounced Slanj-a-va) is actually both Irish and Scots Gaelic.
In Ireland, a standard dram remained at 35.5ml (the same as a quarter gill). In the UK, publicans can choose whether to serve a dram of either 25ml or 35ml. Some people to say 25ml should be a 'dram' or 'wee dram', and 35ml should be a 'large dram'. But there isn't an official definition of a dram in the UK.
The Latin name for distilled alcohol was 'aqua vitae' or 'water of life' and was translated into Gaelic as 'uisge beatha' (pronounced uska beg). Over time, the name became shortened to uska and eventually evolved into the word 'whisky' that we know today.
Churchill often drank Johnny Walker's Black label whisky first thing in the morning with soda water. AFP Winston Churchill, who was a keen amateur artist, created the work in the 1930s.
According to Luke Summers' worldwhisky.com, Australia currently has 26 whisky distilleries, with the most prominent producers being found in Tasmania.