Whiskey and whisky are alternative spellings of the same word. The extra “e” does not, by itself, identify a different recipe, production method or quality level. Follow the spelling used by the producer when referring to a particular bottle.
Which countries use each spelling?
The usual pattern, explained by WSET's spelling guide, is:
- Whiskey: Ireland and the United States.
- Whisky: Scotland, Canada and Japan.
These are conventions with exceptions. For example, the American producer Maker's Mark labels its Kentucky straight bourbon whisky.
Does spelling tell you where a bottle was made?
It is a clue to naming tradition, not proof of production origin. Read the bottle's stated origin and distinguish wording such as distilled, blended and bottled. A bottling address alone does not identify where distillation took place.
Our Oregon whiskey guide separates Oregon-distilled examples from sourced or finished products. For a defined production category, see American single malt whiskey.
Whiskeys or whiskies?
Use whiskeys as the plural of whiskey and whiskies as the plural of whisky. Either spelling can be appropriate in general writing; keep bottle and brand names as their producers write them.
WSET and producer sources checked 19 October 2026.