whisky

IPA/ˈwɪski/
KK[wˈɪski]IPA/ˈwɪski/

whisky — noun

  • whiskysingular
  • whiskiesplural

1. a type of strong alcoholic drink with a golden-brown colour, made by fermenting

1.nounB1
Definition

a type of strong alcoholic drink with a golden-brown colour, made by fermenting and then distilling grains such as barley, corn, or rye

Example

Takeshi ordered a glass of single malt whisky after dinner.

uncountable: refers to the drink in general

The distillery on the Scottish island has produced whisky since 1845.

collocation: produce whisky

Common collocations
  • single malt whisky
  • blended whisky
  • Scotch whisky
  • aged whisky
  • smooth whisky
  • whisky on the rocks
  • neat whisky
Synonyms
  • Scotch

    refers specifically to whisky made in Scotland

  • bourbon

    an American whisky made mostly from corn, with a sweeter taste

  • single malt

    whisky made at one distillery from malted barley only

Grammar Patterns

uncountable: drink / like / buy whisky

countable: a single malt whisky / two blended whiskies

Usage Note

Whisky is usually uncountable when talking about the drink in general (I enjoy whisky). It becomes countable when referring to specific varieties (a smooth single malt whisky) or servings (two whiskies). In Irish and American contexts, the spelling whiskey is common.

Common Mistakes

Whisky are made from grain.
Whisky is made from grain.
Whisky is uncountable here, so it takes a singular verb.
I bought a whisky.' (when you mean a bottle of the drink)
I bought some whisky.
Use the uncountable form unless referring to a specific type or a serving in a glass.

2. a single serving of this drink, usually poured into a short glass and sometimes

2.nounB1
Definition

a single serving of this drink, usually poured into a short glass and sometimes ordered by the number of servings

Example

Liam ordered two whiskies — one for himself and one for his guest.

countable: two whiskies = two servings

The bartender poured Rafael a generous whisky and slid the glass across the counter.

Common collocations
  • a whisky
  • another whisky
  • two whiskies
  • a generous whisky
  • a double whisky
Synonyms
  • shot

    a small measure of strong alcohol, often served in one gulp

  • dram

    a small amount of whisky, especially in Scottish contexts; slightly informal or poetic

Grammar Patterns

a / one / two + whisky / whiskies

another + whisky

Usage Note

This countable sense is used when ordering or referring to individual servings. A whisky means one glass or measure. The plural form is whiskies. In Irish and American contexts, the spellings whiskey and whiskeys are common.

Common Mistakes

I drank three whisky last night.
I drank three whiskies last night.
When referring to servings, whisky is countable and needs a plural form.
Could I have two whisky, please?
Could I have two whiskies, please?
Use the plural form whiskies for multiple servings.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Whisky and whiskey refer to the same type of drink but differ in spelling by region: whisky is used for Scottish, Canadian, and Japanese varieties, while whiskey is used for Irish and American ones. Scotch is whisky that must be made in Scotland from malted barley and aged for at least three years. Bourbon is an American whiskey made from at least 51% corn, giving it a naturally sweeter, fuller taste compared to Scotch. Single malt refers to whisky produced at a single distillery using only malted barley, as opposed to blended whisky which mixes grain whisky with malt whisky. For everyday use, whisky is the general term; specify Scotch or bourbon when the origin or flavour profile matters.

whisky ↗whiskey ↗Scotchbourbon ↗single malt ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Scottish GaelicEnglish

Whisky comes from the Scottish Gaelic phrase 'uisge beatha' (pronounced 'ish-ka ba-ha'), which literally means 'water of life'. The Gaelic term was shortened to 'usquebaugh' in English around the 1500s, then gradually reduced to 'whisky' by the 1700s. The same idea of 'water of life' appears in other spirits: the French 'eau-de-vie' and Scandinavian 'akvavit' share the same root concept.