Is it Whisky or Whiskey?

Few debates in the world of spirits are as friendly, or as confusing, as the one over the spelling of “whiskey” versus “whisky”.

You’ll see both spellings on bottles, bar menus, and distillery signs. It’s natural to wonder if one is correct. Do they mean different things? Is it just a branding quirk?

It’s actually a mix of history and geography with a bit of marketing thrown in for good measure.

Back in the 1800s, there wasn’t a standard spelling. Everyone spelled it however they wanted.

Scottish, Irish, and American distillers used both spellings. They switched spelling depending on the preference of whomever was running the distillery. Sometimes spelling switched for the same distillery in the same decade!

Eventually most Irish producers started adding the “e” to whiskey to set themselves apart from the Scots. At the time, the market was becoming flooded with cheaper blended spirits.

The Irish wanted something to show the distinction. Some say it was simply clever marketing, like wearing a brighter color so you stand out in a crowd.

When Irish immigrants brought their whiskey to America, the spelling came with them.

Over time, most American distillers adopted the “e” in their spelling. Except for some ‘rebels’ like Makers Mark and George Dickel. They keep it “whisky” to honor their Scottish heritage.

To make it even messier, the legal term in U.S. regulations is actually “whisky”. Even though the standard American spelling is “whiskey”.

The distillers who spell it with an “e” are technically the ones breaking tradition! Although it’s only in spelling, not in spirit.

There’s an easy way to remember the difference between “whiskey” and “whisky”

Countries with an “e” in their name, like Ireland and the United States, tend to spell it “whiskey”

Countries without an “e” in their name, like Scotland, Canada, and Japan, stick with “whisky”

The real question is….are you team “whiskey” or “whisky”?