Talk:Whisky

History

Are these two statements contardictory = I'm talking specifically about the parts regarding Ireand. In the first distillation was bought to Ireland between the 6th and 7th century and in the second it is 1100 o 1300:

The art of distillation began with the Babylonians in Mesopotamia (in what is now Iraq) from at least the 2nd millennium BC,[2] with perfumes and aromatics being distilled long before potable spirits. It is possible that the art of distillation was brought from the Mediterranean regions to Ireland by Irish missionaries between the 6th century and 7th century. Distillation was brought from Africa to Europe by the Moors,[3][4] and its use spread through the monasteries,[5] largely for medicinal purposes, such as the treatment of colic, palsy, and smallpox.[6]

Between 1100 and 1300, distillation spread to Ireland and Scotland,[7] —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jonathanwalshuk (talk • contribs) 23:04, 10 July 2010 (UTC)

Name

This page and whiskey should be merged, and one made a redirect to the other. Any preferences for which to keep and which to make a redirect? Gentgeen 08:36, 5 Nov 2003 (UTC)

I merged them. I kept "whisky" since it appears to have been created first (whiskey started out as a redirect). ( 12:31, 6 Nov 2003 (UTC)

That's the way I would have gone, but my reason was because more Scotch and Canadian is produced than Irish and American.Gentgeen

Since the word is derived originally from the Irish, Uisce Beatha, should the Irish version of the word, whiskey, not then stand as the definitve one? Just my tuppence worth Dave 22:57, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

The word is derived from the Gaelic family of languages which includes Irish and Scottish Gaelic, so your argument isn't valid. Jizz 14:37, 15 July 2006 (UTC)

Absolutely incorrect scottish is a dialect of Irish. The name should be changed to Whiskey.

83.70.161.187 19:51, 5 September 2007 (UTC)

im afraid sir, it is you who is incorrect Myself0101 (talk) 22:49, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

According to Title 27, Part 5, Subpart C, section 5ff., the proper designation of a spirit distilled from a mash of grain to less than 190proof and aged in oak containers, is "whisky" (plural whiskies). "Whiskey" is only allowed as a historical curiosity. Maker's Mark and George Dickel are two that use the official spelling on their bottles. Thus, 'whisky' ought to be the title for the article (sorry, Ireland!) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.94.14.184 (talk) 18:36, 21 August 2008 (UTC)

hehe - "historical curiosty" how are you! Although I have a history I am by no means a "historical curioristy" when I use the spelling "whiskey". Whiskey is the "proper" spelling to every normal persion and "whisky" is the ultimate "historical curiosity". It is only tightness to drop the 'e'. Huh, the Scots. I can also attest, here ar meisce as I am, that Jamesons, Bushmills and Paddy - may all their children be bishops - also have the proper and correct spelling: W-H-I-S-K-E-Y. The fact the the English and the Scots can't spell should come as no surprise to us ;-)193.1.172.145 (talk) 17:28, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

The following sentence in the introduction contains some redundancies, since malting is necessary to convert the starch in grains to fermentable sugar: "Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and maize (corn)." Damn Sexy 18:59, 30 March 2007 (UTC)Damn_Sexy

Whisky vs. whiskey

The Agreement between the European Community and Canada on trade in wines and spirit drinks seems to indicate that the term "whisky" (without an "e") is as valid for Canadian whisky as it is for Scotch. I've more or less reverted the first paragraphs of Spelling to reflect this, but I'm not so sure about Japanese whisk(e)y. -- CODOR 03:13, 9 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Umm, as the article itself is at Whisky, shouldn't we have all other articles that are of indeterminate nationality use the same spelling? For example Category:Cocktails with whiskey, whiskey sour, etc. Should be spelled without the e, right? --DropDeadGorgias (talk) 21:48, July 11, 2005 (UTC)

Also, shouldn't Category:Whiskies now be Category:Whiskys? --DropDeadGorgias (talk) 21:54, July 11, 2005 (UTC)

My sources (most quotably the Encyclopédie des vins et alcools, editions Laffont ; yes, that's a French book) says that "whisky" is the spelling for Scotch, Canadian stuff, and imitations thereof, most notably Japanese whisky (but also that made in France), while the spelling "whiskey" definitely applies to Irish and U.S.A. made liquor, nobody knows why usage differs, or why it goes one way in a given place. either way, the plural is "whiskies".--Svartalf 21:55, 9 January 2006 (UTC)

This might be dismissed as some kind of Ameri-babble by the Europeans; but as an American I always think of "Whisky" as "Whiskey." I do not drink American whiskey, or bourbon either so I was not tainted by an avalanche of US whiskey bottles. Ah, hell, it might just be that I like Irish whiskey the most; but seeing the page titled whisky just seems strange. 67.173.240.92 04:34, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

You say tomato, I say tomato etc. It might seem strange to you, but that's because most producers of whisky/whiskey in America use the spelling with the E. It seems strange to me when I see Americans using the words "color" and "theater", because I'm used to "colour" and "theatre". —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.146.47.250 (talk) 13:15, 12 December 2006 (UTC).

WTO says that whisky without an E is scottish. only scottish. nothing else. it does not apply to canadian anymore than chapagne applies to fizzy wine outside of the champagne region. ie - not at all. this page should properly reflect the actual legalities on this. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 80.1.78.131 (talk • contribs) 20:10, 17 November 2006 (UTC).

My bottles of Canadian whisky indicate otherwise. ReverendG 21:19, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

See my post above; there's an agreement in place between Canada and the EU that covers not only various countries' whisk(e)y but also champagne. (What it boils down to is, both Canadian and Scottish distilleries can call their product "whisky", but Canadian ones can't call theirs "Scotch", even if it's a similar product.) -- CODOR 00:34, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

Japanese whisky is also "whisky" not "whiskey" Buyo 13:11, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

The list of English words spelled differently on either side of the Atlantic is a long one and includes (American spellings here) color, maneuver, aging, and center, yet no one seems to struggle with those words the way they do with whiskey. My solution is to spell it with an "e" (since I'm American) except when using a proper name (e.g., Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky). Then I spell it the way the producer does. Easy.Cowdery 16:46, 31 October 2007 (UTC)

A source I've run across cites many examples of both spellings in many countries. Legal wording aside, it is his opinion that either spelling is correct in any country since one can find an example of either spelling used by a distiller in that country. Who you gonna trust with this after all, lawyers and English majors or the people that actually make the product?

This is the text of the article:

Whiskey or whisky

Explanations of why whisky is spelled as it is (whisky versus whiskey) make up one of the most common myths about whisky. Why? Because they are so difficult to refute without a fair bit of research. So, mischievous people, wishing to appear knowledgeable, have just made up explanations and these have, over time, become the perceived wisdom on the subject. While they all make sense, none that I have read have any basis in fact.

I’ll go over the main explanations I have heard:

The Irish did not, as some would have us believe, add an ‘e’ to whisky to differentiate their whisky from the Scots’ because they (the Irish) thought their whisky was superior to Scotch. A few may have, but this never happened across the board, and when there were hundreds of distilleries in Ireland both spellings were used commonly. Later, when whisky distilling went through difficult times and almost every Irish distillery went bankrupt, the three remaining distilleries merged to form a single entity, adopting a single spelling. There is no evidence that the spelling with the ‘e’ was chosen for any particular reason. However, there are still plenty of full bottles of Irish whisky around with labels that spell whisky without the 'e'.

The idea that countries with an ‘e’ in their name spell whiskey with an 'e' does not hold up for French whisky made in France, Welsh whisky made in Wales, British whisky made in England and a whole raft of others, but the nmemonic works well for those just beginning their whisky journey. Legally, in Scotland Scotch whiskey is spelled with an 'e' - whiskey, but you never see this on the labels. Editorial decisions of the New York Times notwithstanding, and despite the certain indignant outcry from those who have accepted, uncritically, the above-noted perceived wisdom, American writers who write about Scotch whiskey are just as correct as those who drop the ‘e’.

As you undoubtedly are already aware there are at least five popular brands of whisky made and sold in the USA which use the whisky rather than the whiskey spelling on their labels. As well, there is absolutely no truth in the commonly-held belief that Americans use the ‘e’ spelling because of a predominantly Irish heritage. First, that heritage is greatly exaggerated, second, the famed Scotch-Irish (Scots-Irish) were in fact Scots who spent a couple of generations in Ireland then came to America. But they were Scots, not Irishmen. Third, the almost-exclusive use of the ‘e’ spelling in Ireland did not happen until the 1970's, way too late to influence American spellings.

Similarly, the supposition that Canada uses the whisky spelling because of a Scottish heritage is refuted by the fact that both spellings have been commonly used by Canadian whisky makers, bottlers and distillers. In Canada, we now seem to have settled on the no-e spelling but I can assure you this was not always the case. At least into the 1960's and probably much more recently than that we have used both spellings on our labels, and we still use both spellings in the press.

Here is an article I published a couple of years ago on the maltmaniacs web-site.

http://www.maltmaniacs.org/malt-109.html#0810

I have since done considerably more research on the matter and am more certain than ever of my position that either spelling is correct in any country (or more precisely that neither spelling is incorrect in any country), have more examples of whiskies, labels, distilleries, whisky-makers, and writers who are seemingly unaware of there being any distinction, and more photos of bottles with labels sporting a spelling that perceived wisdom and the New York Times style book would deem incorrect.

Davin —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tudza (talk • contribs) 00:59, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Despite what people seem to think about the proper spelling in the United States, I am compelled to point out that the law of the United States uses the spelling "whisky" exclusively. There is no provision in the law for any other spelling to be allowed. That is also the dominant spelling in the law of Canada (although the Canadian law does say "Whisky or Whiskey" in one place). —BarrelProof (talk) 21:19, 16 December 2010 (UTC)

Picture(s)

Just a minor detail; would it be possible to replace the picture with something else? I think the current one is kinda dark and boring. Perhaps even put up several pictures, of different types of whiskies?. Just a friendly suggestion!. Oyvindor 19:34, 2 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Done and Done, well at least 1 picture :) Superdude99

The picture implies a very large measure of (undiluted) whisky - not pro www.drinkaware.co.uk

Either reduce the size of the measure to a single measure of alcohol or add a caption - whisky with mixer. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.168.108.153 (talk) 14:32, 1 August 2009 (UTC)

The image is there purely to demonstrate the colour and look of whisky, and to show the uninitiated reader exactly what whisky is - it is doubtful the image is of "whisky with a mixer", and thus the caption you propose is unsuitable. I don't think it is necessary to change the image to a smaller measure, or at all, as the article (or wikipedia in general, in that case) hardly 'encourages' binge drinking, and there is no reason to be pro- or anti-anything here - wikipedia is, after all, neutral. I doubt that an image of a dram that size would in any way affect the decisions of the average drinker. ABVS1936 (talk) 17:04, 1 August 2009 (UTC)

I think it looks wrong, it's far to large to be a glass of whiskey. If the colour needed to be shown, it should be done in a taller, thinner glass, although that wouldn't be a whiskey glass. Explosive Cornflake (talk) 15:23, 27 November 2010 (UTC)

"Scotch"

This section Outside of Scotland the abbreviated term "Scotch" is usually used for "Scotch whisky". In Scotland the term "whisky" almost always refers to "Scotch whisky", and "Scotch" is rarely used by itself. was changed to Whilst the term "Scotch" is used for "Scotch whisky" in many country's, most English speaking country's use the term "whisky" to refer to "Scotch whisky", and "Scotch" is rarely used by itself. which was in turn removed by another editor Removed a line which said that the term "scotch" is rarely used. In my opinion it's a common term. This should at least be discussed. What's really needed is a source. I've put back the older phrase. Notinasnaid 16:29, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

The problem with the original phrasing is that in most English speaking countries "Whisky" by itself almost always refers to "Scotch Whiskey". While the term "scotch" exists in most countries, it is rarely used apart from in a couple of countries like the Ireland and the USA. It is misleading/erroneous therefore to state "outside Scotland the abbreviated term "Scotch" is usually used for "Scotch whisky". Canderra 18:28, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

The USA is the largest English speaking country in the world, and the term is used in American media and films. Everytime 00:52, 16 February 2007 (UTC)

Technically India is the largest English speaking country in the world (in terms of population, else Canada in terms of size). The point I was trying to make however wasn't to claim that "hardly anyone calls it Scotch" or anything like that but to point out that most places call Scotch "whisky". Not just Scotland or even Britain. Canderra 01:07, 16 February 2007 (UTC)

I meant in terms of native speakers. Everytime 15:27, 16 February 2007 (UTC)

I do believe, so did Canderra - English being one of the 23 official languages of India. Perhaps it would be most appropriate to use a phrase that illustrates the ubiquitous usage of 'whisky' to refer to scotch whisky, except where another, more local, form of whisky is prevalent (US bourbon, Irish whiskey ...). —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 86.17.148.212 (talk) 21:30, 17 March 2007 (UTC).

Not sure what you mean by "native speakers". It is a vague concept. On the original point, there are many countries that use the term "Scotch" but there is no uniformity of usage, so it would be best to remove the "usually" and replace with "sometimes". PS. While "Scotch" can be used as a synonym for "Scotch whisky", "Scotch whisky" cannot properly be regarded as synonymous with "whisky", even if the e is left off. There are many non-Scotch whiskys (from Japan, all over Europe, South Africa, the Antipodes etc. etc. etc.) Buyo 15:44, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

Though very far from the originating topic, the term "native speaking", likely, is questioning how much of the Indian population actually speaks English, as opposed to English being the "offical" language. Also, (a seperate "Scotch" topic is that the defination of "Scotch" differs from the "Whisky/Whiskey" page to the "Scotch_Whisky".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_speaking_world

FYI, the USA is actually the largest English speaking country in the world, both in terms of first language & additional language speakers. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_English-speaking_population —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.97.112.194 (talk) 21:56, 29 May 2010 (UTC)

This is an interesting section. I've never heard anyone use the word "scotch", except on films. When we say whisky, we mean stuff from Scotland, owt else needs qualifying.--SquidSix (talk) 18:36, 7 August 2009 (UTC)

Proposal to reorder list of regional/national whiskeys

I think that ordering the regional/national types of whiskey historically (i.e. where it was first thought to have been made to where it was most recently made) rather than alphabetically would better illustrate whiskey's story. Any thoughts?--Tyranny Sue (talk) 03:00, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

That would be the purpose of the History section, which, in an article of this importance, is woefully inadequate. Listing the types of whiskeys in alphabetical order is straightforward. Sláinte! Hammersbach (talk) 12:56, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Hi Hammersbach,
I know that the alphabetic order is straightforward, but as what we've got here is more or less a list of whiskys, if we were to implement the chronological ordering WP protocol it could result in a much better overall article, as it would reflect whisky's actual story (i.e. its geographical movement and development). The alphabetical ordering unfortunately has the effect of overriding and obscuring this.--Tyranny Sue (talk) 02:37, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

The purpose of the list of whiskeys, as currently presented in this article, is to describe the various styles of the whiskeys. Reading the section on each of the different types show little, if any, discussion of their relative histories. Reordering them in a chronological fashion in their present state would do nothing to explain or clarify the history of whiskey’s geographical movement and development. Even if we were to rewrite each to include historical information, I do not believe that a rearranged list is the proper vehicle in which to tell the whole of whiskey’s actual story. I still feel that the correct place to discuss this is in the History section, and that it should be done in a narrative rather than list manner. Prost! Hammersbach (talk) 17:04, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

History again

The History section really could use some work. Much of it is sourced from whisky.com, which is in the business of selling whisky so doesn't really qualify as a reliable source. Some of what it says is just plain wrong, for example Phylloxera is not a beetle. The section talks almost exclusively about Scotch whisky, not surprising considering the source. Surely there have been books written about the history of whisky, and there must be some editor on Wikipedia able to re-write this section. Rees11 (talk) 16:13, 6 January 2010 (UTC)

Corsican whisky

The reference given for Corsican whisky doesn't say anything about whisky. I suspect there is something wrong with the web site, as it looks like the page is truncated. An alternate source would be good. Rees11 (talk) 00:08, 2 February 2010 (UTC)

Types

The current paragraph under Types begins as follows:

Malt is whisky made entirely from malted barley and distilled in an onion-shaped pot still. Grain is made from malted...

I suggest for symmetry with the first sentence about malt whisky that the sentence on grain whisky be modified by inserting the single word "whisky" as follows: Grain is whisky made from malted...

Alternatively, and I confess I don't know if this is contrary to how the terms are used in the business, you could move the word "whisky" to the second word of both sentences. Again the idea being to make the two sentences symmetrical.

Malt whisky is made... Grain whisky is made...

Mthorn10 (talk) 01:35, 8 August 2010 (UTC)

Different kinds of wooden barrels?

Does the use of oak have an effect on whisky's flavor? The main page of this article could be improved by comparing the kinds of wood used in the barrels used for different whiskies. 216.99.201.75 (talk) 04:53, 7 October 2010 (UTC)

Spelling and sour mash

I wish to compliment you on the excellent entry, “Whisky” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whisky). I’d like to add a few of my comments:

Under TYPES, line 14, you use “Canadian Whiskey” however, your article is very clear that Canadians use “Whisky”.

Also, the title of reference 55 is "Canadian Whiskey". The Spirit World.. Retrieved 2007-12-18, however, that is the author’s error.

I was surprised that you did not explain Sour Mash. I was always told that that is a special process used only in Kentucky in Bourbons distinguishing them from Tennessee Bourbons. In most cases, Old Crow® refers to it product as The Original Sour Mash Bourbon although Jim Beam, currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world, also used Sour Mash.

Sincerely, Gerry Dooley gerrydooley@sbcglobal.net — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.6.240.11 (talk) 02:51, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

Here is my understanding:

• Whisky/whiskey is a word that has two acceptable spellings, depending primarily on the region in which an author resides. Sometimes people try to spell it the way the producer of a product spells it, and sometimes people just spell it the way they like to spell it. Some people try to make a big deal out of the spelling as part of their strategy for making money – i.e., as part of establishing a distinct brand identity. This seems clearly be true of some producers of Scotch Whisky and others such as Maker's Mark (a Kentucky Bourbon) and George Dickel (a Tennessee whiskey). People who try to insist that other people spell it according to their own rigid rules are likely to end up somewhat frustrated. If an American publication spells the word according to its local convention when referring to a product made in another country, that's not necessarily an error. I don't check where my car's tires are made before deciding whether to call them tires or tyres, and I don't check where my neighbors were born before deciding whether to refer to them as neighbors or neighbours.
• My understanding is that practically all Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey is made using the sour mash process. Jack Daniel's, for example, is a sour mash whiskey – and it's the largest-selling brand of Tennessee whiskey. The Tennessee whiskey distinction seems like mostly a marketing strategy without any clear difference in how the whiskey is made. Most actual Tennessee whiskey meets the legal definition of Bourbon (and that is actually required by law to some extent – e.g., it is a clear requirement in the law of Canada).
• As part of marketing strategy to sell their products, people tend to be willing to make dubious claims about historical facts. The claim that the sour mash process was originally and exclusively invented by the producer of Old Crow seems pretty dubious.

One author who has written several essays on these topics (backed up by some decent historical and legal research) is Charles Cowdery. It should be easy to search on the Internet for articles that he has written, and several Wikipedia articles reference things he has said. I suggest reading his articles. He seems to usually know what he's talking about and to generally not twist the facts to sell particular products.

—BarrelProof (talk) 19:45, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

Indian whiskies - Amrut Distilleries

Reads a little bit spammy. Notable? Polmandc (talk) 06:34, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Phrasal adjectives

This article would be improved by hyphenating them, I.e. "single-malt whisky" as opposed to "single malt whisky." Rule 56 (talk) 04:44, 15 January 2012 (UTC)-

Is there, perhaps, a distiller out there who actually uses "single-malt" on their label that you could cite? Hammersbach (talk) 06:28, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

That's a fair question. That I can't point to one yet is a weakness in my argument. But I go to distillers for whisky, not grammatical advice. How they punctuate a term isn't dispositive. If it were, we'd all likely use grocer's apostrophes (e.g., banana's, folio's, logo's, quarto's, pasta's, ouzo's). And we'd incorrectly substitute "less" when "fewer" was called for (e.g., "Express Lane: 12 items or less" instead of "Express Lane: 12 items or fewer.") No, it seems to me that this is a grammatical issue, not a distillation issue.Rule 56 (talk) 13:38, 15 January 2012 (UTC)-

"Single malt" is not a phrasal adjective in that sense. "Single" means that it comes from a single distillery, "malt" means that it is produced entirely from malted barley. "Single-malt" would mean that it was produced from a single type of malt - LCMO, for instance. In the case of "single cask", a hyphen can be used, but is not actually required - there is no ambiguity, because "cask whisky" is not a term that is in use. Ian Dalziel (talk) 10:22, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

Funnily enough, you said exactly the opposite about what the "single" in "single malt" means on my talk page: "That is precisely the point - that is NOT the primary reference."Rule 56 (talk) 13:38, 15 January 2012 (UTC)-

No, I did not. I said the same thing. "Single malt" does not mean the same as "single-malt". "Single" means "single-distillery". "Malt" means "pure malt". "Single-malt", if it were ever used, would mean "produced from a single type of malt". Did you look at the explanation on grain whisky as I suggested? Ian Dalziel (talk) 14:10, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

Look, despite an abundance of references to the contrary, the "single" in "single malt" doesn't mean single distillery. Why? Because it's superfluous. When whisky comes from more than one distillery, or when it contains something other than a single malted grain, it's called "blended." So "single malt" means it comes from one type of malted grain. And when you use both words together to describe a whisky, they're properly—though obviously infrequently—hyphenated. How do I know? Professional writers, and the carefully edited periodicals they work for, hyphenate it. I've given you two examples earlier. There are more. Cheers. Rule 56 (talk) 18:16, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

Sorry, you are completely wrong. Single malt means one distillery - as opposed to vatted malt, which comes from several distilleries. (Blended whisky contains malt and grain whiskies) Care to provide a source for your opinion? Preferably one which has some passing relationship to whisky... Ian Dalziel (talk) 18:24, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

What good would another source do? I've given you several and they're all wrong. Another won't change anything. You've seen it done one way your entire life and are fine with it. Rule 56 (talk) 18:40, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

You've found two instances of a hyphen being used - that's hardly the same as a source for the assertion that "single" does not mean "single-distillery". It may be obvious to you, but don't you think you're edging out on to a WP:OR limb here? To the best of my knowledge the whisky industry has also seen it done one way its entire life and is fine with it - isn't that what an encyclopedia should be recording? Let's be clear - I have no quarrel with your insertion of hyphens in compound modifiers, and I have not reverted any of those (I don't think they're necessary, but that's a different argument). This is not about the grammar, it's about the semantics. "Single" and "vatted" are applied to the noun, not to the other adjective, and a hyphen would be entirely wrong. I refer you again to the example of "single grain whisky". Ian Dalziel (talk) 19:44, 15 January 2012 (UTC)

I hesitate to wade back into the fray (I get the sense that arguing with you is like wrestling a pig: you enjoy it and I get dirty), but what I've done is pointed to two professionally written, professionally edited publications that support my position. You've responded with the rhetorical equivalent of "but we've always done it this way" (see above where you say that "the whisky industry has also seen it done one way its entire life and is fine with it") and with the tortured argument that "single" actually means "single distillery." The first I can't argue with: it has always been done that way, as incorrect as it may be. The latter is easily debunked: The OED itself defines "single malt" as "whisky unblended with any other malt." http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/single+malt You'll note that the definition doesn't say anything about coming from a single distillery. The "single" in "single malt" has absolutely nothing to do with the nonsense argument that the product comes from one distillery. Cheers. Rule 56 (talk) 00:49, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘When you get done wrestling with that pig you may want to spend some quality time reviewing the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009. This very real and legal document defines both “single malt” and “single grain” whiskies as coming from a single distillery, and does so with a curious lack of hyphens. Perhaps it’s time for you to consider switching to a good Bourbon. Prost! Hammersbach (talk) 01:51, 16 January 2012 (UTC)

Point taken. But as a lawyer who spends a good deal of time reviewing legislation, I can tell you that laws are not models of good grammar: all those left-branching sentences, archaic diction, mind-numbing cross references, inflated jargon....not exactly page-turning material. As often as not, laws like that are drafted by industry insiders. And no laws are written by professional writers and editors. Now, off to try your suggestion. Cheers. Rule 56 (talk) 02:38, 16 January 2012 (UTC)