Liquors!

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

So then what is your general name for the class of liquors that is comprised of whiskey, whisky, scotch and bourbon from all the various countries they come from?

I don't know of a written general name that covers them all. I would use the two names and write whiskies and whiskeys. For example if I made a thread that was supposed to be about bourbons as well as scotch, I would've called it "Whiskys & Whiskeys" or something similar.

Aquavit (Akevitt in Norway) is a scandinavian liquor sometimes made of grain but typically made from potatoes and flavoured with caraway seeds and sometimes other herbs. It has a rather unique flavour I think which I haven't come across anywhere else and aside from the flavourings I mentioned, I find the taste quite hard to describe.

Gammel Oppland is probably my favourite of our norwegian akevitts. It's matured in barrels so it's a brown liquor, though there are some clear akevitts out there as well.

You typically don't drink this on it's own. Usually, it's part of a rich meal around christmas times, often accompanied by a dark seasonal juleøl or yule-beer (christmas beer). Getting together for dinners and drinking is a tradition up here and with enough akevitt, it usually gets quite lively. People sing drinking songs and drink akevitt shots.

Aquavit is getting more and more recognition now outside Scandinavia which I personally think is great because it is awesome. However, it is always tied up with hearty meals like salty meat or fermented fish dishes with powerful flavours. If any of you ever come to visit during the later parts of the year, we'll get a bottle.

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

I don't know of a written general name that covers them all.

How about either "whiskey" or "whisky" as noted in the first paragraph of the very same Wikipedia article that you quoted to me earlier:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Whisky or whiskey refers to a broad category of alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize (corn). Most whiskies are aged in wooden casks (generally oak), the exception being some corn whiskeys.

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

How about either "whiskey" or "whisky" as noted in the first paragraph of the very same Wikipedia article that you quoted to me earlier:

What you quoted would be true regardless of wether or not you accept that spelling implies geographical origin. Notice that I'm writing implies, I'm not saying this is definite. Your average person may not be aware of this, but if you enter communities and discussions with people who have an interest in these liquors, they likely will be.

For example you can read here about a poor reviewer who got a lot of complaints from angry scotsmen and scotch-supporters when he accidentally called a "whisky" for "whiskey" ..

>> Whiskey versus Whisky - The Pour Blog - NYTimes.com

As you can see, the Times style guideline he posts suggests using the word "whiskey" even for scotch, but you can probably tell by the number of complaints that for many, that's not satisfactory and even offensive to some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by From the above link

I decided to check in with my favorite word authority, Jesse Sheidlower, editor at large of the Oxford English Dictionary, and this is what he said:

“As an aficionado of whisky and whiskey, I do have deep feelings on the usage, which is pretty much that the Times style should be changed. This isn’t a case where a small group of fanatics are insisting on some highly personal interpretation of an issue that is not adhered to by anyone outside their cult. It’s almost universally the case that the word is spelled ‘whisky’ in Scotland and Canada, and ‘whiskey’ elsewhere, and that, as you have seen, people really do care about this as an important distinction. I’d also observe that the O.E.D. points this out in its entry. So I would encourage you to adopt this distinction in the style book. I have no problem with using ‘whiskey’ as a the main generic form, if there’s no indication of location.’’

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

What you quoted would be true regardless of wether or not you accept that spelling implies geographical origin. Notice that I'm writing implies, I'm not saying this is definite. Your average person may not be aware of this, but if you enter communities and discussions with people who have an interest in these liquors, they likely will be.

For example you can read here about a poor reviewer who got a lot of complaints from angry scotsmen and scotch-supporters when he accidentally called a "whisky" for "whiskey" ..

>> Whiskey versus Whisky - The Pour Blog - NYTimes.com

As you can see, the Times style guideline he posts suggests using the word "whiskey" even for scotch, but you can probably tell by the number of complaints that for many, that's not satisfactory and even offensive to some.

This demonstrates that there are a lot of pedantic, hairsplitting people out there who enjoy making a big fuss out of nothing. The fact is the english language needs a word that covers the entire spectrum of this kind of beverage and in the common vernacular it has one in "whiskey" (or "whisky" depending on one's spelling preferences). This issue is the equivalent of Puerto Ricans insisting that rum from their shores must be called "ron" by everybody else on the planet (not saying they have, just that it would be ridiculous if they did). It's just silly.

"What's you favorite type of rum?"
"Bacardi."
"You fool! That's not rum, it's RON! Only Jamaican and Bajan sugarcane alcohol is called rum!"

Do you see how crazy this is?

FETCHER. · 09-15-2009, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Honestly I was going a little young when I said 80. That usage of flower is actually something I associate more with the 1800s or something.

really? its very common here, as i said before on teaching children. i was brought up using it

. must just be a thing that died out where you stay

.

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Do you see how crazy this is?

A bit maybe, but like Mr. Sheidlower wrote, it's a very consistent culture of spelling. Personally, I like that there's a word for (mainly) scottish whiskys which is the kind I like and so I consider it a good thing rather than a bad thing

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayleigh.

really? its very common here, as i said before on teaching children. i was brought up using it

. must just be a thing that died out where you stay

.

Language evolves differently in different places as demonstrated by this whole whisky/whiskey issue. There's nothing wrong with that, that's the beauty of having a world full of different cultures.

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

A bit maybe, but like Mr. Sheidlower wrote, it's a very consistent culture of spelling. Personally, I like that there's a word for (mainly) scottish whiskys which is the kind I like and so I consider it a good thing rather than a bad thing

There is a word: "scotch".

I understand that there's a consistent spelling of "whisky" in Scotland and Canada, but that's true of many english words. That doesn't mean "whiskey" and "whisky" don't refer to the same general thing any more than it means that "theater" and "theatre" don't refer to the the same general thing.

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 12:18 PM

^As I wrote, we don't have the word scotch in Norway. Regardless of what you think, among those who care for whiskeys, there's many who draw distinctions between whisky and whiskey. You can choose to respect it or not. If you don't respect it, you may get into language conflicts with those who do.

I do respect it and if I use the word "whisky" and not "whiskey", it's because I'm specifically referring to whiskys from specific localities. Scotch is a word I've yet to use much but maybe I should adopt it here to avoid future confusion.

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

^As I wrote, we don't have the word scotch in Norway. Regardless of what you think, among those who care for whiskeys, there's many who draw distinctions between whisky and whiskey. You can choose to respect it or not. If you don't respect it, you may get into language conflicts with those who do.

I do respect it and if I use the word "whisky" and not "whiskey", it's because I'm specifically referring to whiskys from specific localities. Scotch is a word I've yet to use much but maybe I should adopt it here to avoid future confusion.

"Whiskeys"? Wait... what's this? Did I just see you use one word to refer to this entire category of beverages regardless of their country of origin? Watch out or you might offend the delicate sensitivities of some of those New York Times readers!

As I mentioned in my first post in this thread I do care for whiskeys! Bourbon whiskeys specifically are my absolute favorite type of alcohol hands down. It's just the people who get hung up on minor regional spelling difference which sound exactly the same when spoken aloud that I don't care for.

09-15-2009, 12:18 PM	#29 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	^As I wrote, we don't have the word scotch in Norway. Regardless of what you think, among those who care for whiskeys, there's many who draw distinctions between whisky and whiskey. You can choose to respect it or not. If you don't respect it, you may get into language conflicts with those who do. I do respect it and if I use the word "whisky" and not "whiskey", it's because I'm specifically referring to whiskys from specific localities. Scotch is a word I've yet to use much but maybe I should adopt it here to avoid future confusion. __________________ Something Completely Different