Whisky / Whiskey
German: Whisky Pronunciation: wis-ki Also known as: Whiskey
A spirit from fermented grain mash, distilled and matured in wooden casks. Origin and grain determine the style.
Whisky is distilled from fermented grain mash, such as barley, corn, rye or wheat, and then stored in wooden casks. Cask maturation gives colour and aromas and rounds off the taste. Minimum maturation times and further rules depend on the country of origin.
Spelling is not uniform: Scotland, Canada and Japan mostly say whisky, Ireland and the USA mostly whiskey. Important types are single malt, blended whisky, bourbon, rye and Irish whiskey. Taste ranges from mild and fruity to smoky and powerful.