Spelling Bee: Whiskey or Whisky?

Next time you go pick up a bottle of your favorite distilled spirit, do a little spell check in the whiskey section. You’ll find 2 different spellings – Whiskey and Whisky. The answer to the age old question of “Which one is correct?” is both.

The spelling Whisky – without the “e” – is generally used by whiskies from or influenced by Scotland, Canada, and Japan. It’s a sure bet that you’ll only find “whisky” in the Scotch section.

Here in America, following the status quo isn’t the norm. We always like to step it up a notch, and in this case, step it up a letter.  American (and Irish) whiskeys are traditionally spelled with the “e”. All that being said, you’ll still find a few exceptions from those that attribute their roots and heritage to one of the “Whisky” countries.

If you had any doubts, Old Glory will always be producing Whiskey.