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Uisge Beatha – Water of Life – Where does the name “Whisky” come from?

The word whisky is an English version of “uisge beatha”, meaning the “water of life”. This is similar to the latin “aqua vitae” or French “eau de vie”, the Ukrainian “okovita”, or “aquavit” in Scandanavia. A long list could be laid out with the different variations on this theme across cultures and throughout history.

Somehow alcohol through time and space has been almost universally granted this rather lofty moniker. I mean, the Water of Life sounds extremely powerful. This could be due to alcohol’s early use as a medicine, or to its volatile nature, or to the altering effect it has on someone who drinks it. It could be due to the religious and spiritual associations with its production, control, or application as well.

In any case, the whisky that we know and love today as Scotch is indeed the Water of Life and we find it truly revitalizing indeed!