| − | '''Whisky''' refers to a group of [[Alcoholic drinks|alcoholic beverage]]s (liquors) distilled from fermented cereal grains such as barley, rye, wheat or maize. The word derives from the Gaeilc ''uisge beatha'' - water of life. (c.f. ''eau de vie'' for French spirits). The conventional spelling is '''whisky''' for spirits distilled in Scotland [[Scotch]]), Wales, Japan and Canada while '''whiskey''' is used for spirits from Ireland and the USA. | + | '''Whisky''' refers to a group of [[Alcoholic drinks|alcoholic beverage]]s (liquors) distilled from fermented cereal grains such as barley, rye, wheat or maize. The word derives from the Gaeilc ''uisge beatha'' - water of life. (c.f. ''eau de vie'' for French spirits, ''aqua vitae'' Italian, ''aquavit'' or ''akvavit'' Scandinavian, ''okovita'' [[vodka]] in Poland and Ukraine). The conventional spelling is '''whisky''' for spirits distilled in Scotland [[Scotch]]), Wales, Japan and Canada while '''whiskey''' is used for spirits from Ireland and the USA. |
| | + | Known as Scotch (the term only refers to the beverage, not the people) there are two main types [[Malt]] and [[Grain]]. Malt whisky is made from malted [[barley]] and distilled in a pot still. Malt whiskies may be [[single]] and come from one distillery (such as ''Glenfiddich'', ''Glenmorangie'' or ''Highland Park'') or [[vatted]] - a blend of malts from several distilleries (''Johnny Walker Blue Label''). Grain whiskies are made from unmalted cereals and fermented in a continuous distillation process. Generally grain whiskies are blended with unnamed malts to supply the cheaper end of the market (''Bells'', ''Teachers'', ''Famous Grouse'', ''Johnny Walker Red Label''). Malt whiskies are normally the choice of connoisseurs with different regions of Scotland producing notably different styles. Blended whiskies are often used in mixed drinks. |