From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
Also whisky. A distilled spirit made from the mash of fermented grains, such as barley, rye and corn, Whiskey is short for whiskybae, which comes from usquebaugh, which evolved from the Irish uisce beathadh and the Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha, meaning "water of life." Like tequila and rum, whiskeys are aged in barrels to impart color and mellow the flavor. Whiskies made in Scotland and Canada are spelled "whisky", without the "e." (For Whiskey Varieties, see page 681.)
