Whiskey or whisky? You may have found yourself, at one time, doing a double take at a liquor store. Yes, if you’re a whisk(e)y fan, you may have noticed some brands are spelled with an “e” while others skip the extra vowel. But why? In short, it has to do with a particular brand’s country of origin. Generally speaking, Irish whiskeys add the extra “e.” Likewise, the United States, with its heavy Irish heritage, typically spells whiskey with the extra letter, as well. Scottish distillers prefer “whisky”—without the “e”—as do other major distillers in Canada and Japan. A few notable exceptions to this rule include American brands Maker’s Mark and George Dickel, which refrain from using the “e.” In the case of Maker’s, this omission was a nod to the brand’s founding Samuels family’s Scottish ancestry, according to Scotchwhiskey.com. Another notable exception to this rule: legal usage. The Bureau of…
Whiskey vs. Whisky: What’s the difference?
