The word whisky is derived from an Irish Gaelic term, uisge beatha meaning “water of life”. The spelling whisky is generally used for whiskies distilled in Scotland, Canada, Australia and Japan, while whiskey is used for the spirits distilled in Ireland and America. Whisky is a strictly regulated spirit with many classes and types from around the world. All whisky production must include the fermentation of grains, distillation, and aging in wooden barrels. The amount of time spent in oak casks is what determines the age of a whisky, with the minimum legal amount of time varying by country.

Location

The most popular types of whiskey are scotch from Scotland, Irish Whiskey, Canadian Whisky, Japanese Whisky, and bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey from the United States.

Grains

The types of grain used can vary but the most common ones used to produce whisky are barley, wheat, rye and corn, employed either separately, or as a mixture.

Aging

While most whisky producing countries usually require at least 2 to 3 years of barrel aging, the best whisky producers usually go well beyond this.

Glass

The type of glass used depends largely on personal preference but some of the common types used by whisky fans include the tulip-shaped copita glass, the glencairn glass, the tumbler glass, the snifter glass and the relatively new NEAT glass.