10 Facts about Whiskey Every Man Should Know

Whiskey is a fantastic beverage to sip, shoot, or enjoy with coke, but do you really know everything about your favorite adult beverage? Here are 10 facts about whiskey that every man should know.

1. Spelling Is Key. Have you ever noticed how Scottish whiskey is spelled whisky? In general, distilleries in Scotland are the only ones who can spell whiskey without the ‘e.’ Apparently, they believe that adding more vowels wastes valuable drinking time.
2. It’s Beer. Whiskey is beer, brewed without hops, that has been distilled a few times. Some American and Canadian distilleries do use hops though. Jack Daniel’s used to use hops for their brewing. The only distilleries that don’t use hops at all and never have are the ones that are based in Ireland and Scotland.
3. Even Angels Love Whiskey. Whiskey is stored in a barrel before it is bottled. The ‘angel’s tax’ refers to the whiskey that is able to evaporate from those barrels every year, usually about 4%. This doesn’t apply once the whiskey is bottled.
4. It’s the Water of Life. If you translate ‘whiskey’ in to Gaelic, you get uisce beatha, which translates to ‘water of life.’
5. There Are 5 Whiskey Regions. Whiskey is classified by the area in which it is produced. Bourbon whiskey is produced in Kentucky, Tennessee whiskey is produced in (you guessed it) Tennessee, Scotch and Irish whiskey are produced in their respective countries, and Canadian whiskey is produced in Canada.
6. It’s Rye! Canadian whiskey, which is the top imported spirit to the United States, uses malted rye as its primary grain. Famous examples include Seagram’s and Sons and Crown Royal.
7. Free Whiskey Is Always Good. Jack Daniel’s is one of the two brands of whiskey produced in Tennessee. Employees in good standing are given a free bottle of whiskey on the first Friday of every month. You can never go wrong with free alcohol.
8. To Smoke or Not to Smoke. The main difference between Scotch and Irish whiskey is the way the grain is prepared. Scotch is ‘smoky’ due to the grains being dried over a peat fire. Irish whiskey uses malted barley that is never smoked.
9. Sweet Whiskey Is Sweet. Bourbon is a type of whiskey that is made from corn rather than other grains, giving it an overall sweeter taste. While most of it is still made in Kentucky, it is no longer restricted to Bourbon County, so it can be produced anywhere.
10. Whiskey from the Islands. There are two ‘other’ whiskey regions, though they are not generally accepted in most conversations about the drink. Japanese whiskey is made in the style of Scotch whiskey. New Zealand also had a whiskey trade, but their last distillery closed down in 1997.

Now you have a better idea of the history of your favorite adult beverage. Share some of these tidbits with your friends the next time you’re enjoying a shot of Jack Daniels or a glass of scotch!