Whisky Words: Scotch Whisky

Where does the name Whisky come from? The Latin aqua vitae (water of life), from which is derived the Gaelic word “uisge beatha” (pronounced weshka bay) which phonetically became “usky” and later “whisky” in English. Scotch Whisky, or Whisky, has captivated the global market.

Nowadays, Scotch whisky accounts for aproximately 74% of Scottish food and drink exports and its worth over 5.4bn pounds. According to statistics from the Scottish Whisky Society (SWA)

Scotland has protected the term “Scotch.” For a whisky to be labeled Scotch it must be produced in Scotland. If it is to be called Scotch, it cannot be produced in England, Wales, Ireland, the US or anywhere else. Excellent Whiskies are made using similar methods in other countries, especially Japan, but none are “Scotch.” While they are great, there’s only one Scotch.

Bottom line: Whisky is a word of Gaelic origin and is used all over the world. The protected term that distinguishes whisky made in Scotland is: Scotch