Liquors!

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Wait... what? I think we're operating on completely different information here. To my knowledge "whiskey" and "whisky" are just two different spellings of the same word referring to the same type of alcohol. The word that specifies it being from Scotland is "scotch".

There's a naming culture where these liquors are called whisky (plural "whiskies") in Scotland, Canada, India and Japan and whiskey (plural "whiskeys") in Ireland and America. There are some exceptions to the rule, though. People are more or less serious about this. If you joined a forum for scottish whiskys and use the word "whiskey" to describe them, you would get corrected.

Flower for vagina .. That's cute.

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

There's a naming culture where these liquors are called whisky (plural "whiskies") in Scotland, Canada, India and Japan and whiskey (plural "whiskeys") in Ireland and America. There are some exceptions to the rule, though. People are more or less serious about this. If you joined a forum for scottish whiskys and use the word "whiskey" to describe them, you would get corrected.

If I were talking about Scottish whisky I would say "scotch". If I were talking about the type of liquor in general I would spell it "whiskey" since that's the way the word is spelled in my country of origin but I wouldn't object to a person from Scotland or Japan referring to American or Irish whiskey as "whisky" since that's the way they spell it where they come from.

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

If I were talking about Scottish whisky I would say "scotch". If I were talking about the type of liquor in general I would spell it "whiskey" since that's the way the word is spelled in my country of origin but I wouldn't object to a person from Scotland or Japan referring to American or Irish whiskey as "whisky" since that's the way they spell it where they come from.

Interestingly, scotch is a word I've only heard in american movies and television shows although I guess maybe it's used in other english-speaking parts of the world. We don't use the word in Norway and there's no norwegian equivalent, so we're stuck with whisky and whiskey.

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

Interestingly, scotch is a word I've only heard in american movies and television shows although I guess maybe it's used in other english-speaking parts of the world. We don't use the word in Norway and there's no norwegian equivalent, so we're stuck with whisky and whiskey.

Well that kind of reinforces my point, the terms and spellings may vary from place to place but whiskey, whisky, scotch and bourbon are all referring to the same general class of alcohol which is distinct from other forms of liquor like rum or vodka.

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Well that kind of reinforces my point, the terms and spellings may vary from place to place but whiskey, whisky, scotch and bourbon are all referring to the same general type of alcohol which is distinct from other type of liquor like rum or vodka.

Yes and no, the different uses of the word do imply where the liquor is from. Even if the products were identical, I would write an irish whiskey or - if it was scottish - a scottish whisky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

With few exceptions, the spelling is Scottish, Canadian, and Japanese whisky (plural: whiskies), but Irish and American whiskey (whiskeys).

I'm quite sure someone from Scotland or Ireland who cares about this would also make sure he or she was consistent with spelling it "right", either as whiskey or whisky depending on where the product is from. In other words, the slightly separate spellings do serve a function.

**Janszoon** · 09-15-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

Yes and no, the different uses of the word do imply where the liquor is from. Even if the products were identical, I would write an irish whiskey or - if it was scottish - a scottish whisky.

I'm quite sure someone from Scotland or Ireland who cares about this would also make sure he or she was consistent with spelling it "right", either as whiskey or whisky depending on where the product is from. In other words, the slightly separate spellings do serve a function.

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?

Guybrush · 09-15-2009, 09:56 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.