So is it whisky or whiskey? Does whisky and whiskey taste different?
So is it whisky or whiskey?
Let’s start with the pronunciation of the the words. Whisky… Whiskey…. I don’t even notice the difference. Whisky and whiskey are both accurate, but the trick is matching the right spelling to the country of origin. Countries without E’s in their name, like Canada, Scotland, and Japan, spell it whisky. Countries with E’s in their names, like the United States and Ireland, tend to spell it whiskey. Of course there are exceptions: Makers Mark and Old Forester for example follow the E-less naming convention, so you can’t rely on spelling alone when deciding it’s origin.
There are more significantly historical explanations, like a translation of words from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic, or that Irish producers wanted to differentiate themselves, but sometimes the simple answer is enough for now. We can look at those another time.
Do whisky and whiskey taste different?
Of Course! Any whisk(e)y aficionado understands there are many categories/subcategories of the spirit. So, of course, an Irish whiskey is going to taste different from a Canadian whisky, which is going to taste different from a Scotch whisky, not because of the country but because each variety has is own process. If you look at one aspect of American, Scottish, and Irish whisk(e)ys there are general rules about the distillation process in the originating country. For example, most American bourbons are distilled twice, however it can be done as many times as the distiller wants in order to achieve the desired taste. In Scotland it is generally distilled twice, but again this it is up to the distiller. In Ireland it is typically triple distilled. Let us not forget the million other variables the help create whisk(e)y including, but not limited to mashbill, grains, malting, water, yeast, time, vessel, still type, distillation proof, barrel size, warehouse, temperature, age, and wood used in your barrel. So it would be incorrect to say that all whiskies or whiskeys taste alike.
