If you have always wondered whether the amber nectar is referred to as whisky or whiskey, then put your thinking caps down for a moment.

Both are correct, even if we tend to prefer the spelling of whiskey, this is simply a matter of convention – and therefore boils down to a personal choice. Before the 20th century, Scotch whiskey used the whiskey spelling but since then, it is referred to as whisky. This therefore lead to the following terminology: whisky usually denotes Scotch whisky and Scotch-inspired spirits, and whiskey denotes the Irish and American spirits. Using whiskey to refer to Scotch whisky can get you in a spot of trouble in Scotland so be careful, as will using whisky as a spelling in Ireland.