Romantically, it is the 'water of life'. Practically, it is whisky. And today is World Whisky Day. There are plenty who would argue there is no better place to enjoy whisky than in Scotland, the country where it was born — though the truth is there are whisky bars all over the world, bringing with them the taste of the landscape they were made in, and from.
World Whisky Day
Blair Bowman founded World Whisky Day in 2012. He was a Hispanic Studies student at the University of Aberdeen, but during time studying in Spain, he realised how popular Scotch whisky was internationally. He was surprised no global day existed to celebrate the spirit, and simply decided to create one. It was immediately adopted globally, and an instant success.
Events in Scotland
There are plenty of chances to have a dram during Scotland's Whisky Month of May, built around World Whisky Day.
Campbeltown Malts Festival
May 18-23. There are distillery open days, exclusive tastings and tours. One of these is a barley farm tour. There are special limited-edition releases, local food, and music. springbank.scot/malts-festival-info
Feis Ile — The Islay Festival
May 22-31. This is the 40th anniversary of this famous festival. It will kick off with a parade through Port Ellen, beginning 10 days of celebrations. Music, song and dance, all washed down with a dram or two of Islay whisky. feisile.co.uk
Whisky or Whiskey?
There's a spelling elephant in the room. Is it whisky or whiskey? And what's the difference between the two? Well, the main difference is simply the spelling. Whisky-without-an-e is usually used for the spirit from Scotland, Canada, Japan and Australia. Whiskey-with-an-e is from Ireland and the US. Both versions originate from the Gaelic 'uisce beatha' or 'uisge beatha', meaning 'water of life'.
Whisky in England
A consistent winner of world whisky awards is in Derbyshire, England. Founded 10 years ago, White Peak Distillery is Derbyshire's first full-scale craft distillery, making award-winning Wire Works Whisky. It released its first Wire Works Whisky in February 2022 — and the global response has been enthusiastic. The distillers use a local brewer's yeast, and then ferment for a long time.
Founder Max Vaughan says: 'In mid-2016 we had no premises, no partners or staff, no permits or consents, nowhere near enough funding, and no track record in the drinks and spirits industry. But I had a dream that I'd been carrying for years, of making whisky and other spirits in Derbyshire. I was fortunate to find some investors who liked my ideas, I met two great distillers and I found the perfect premises. I decided I'd reached my 'now'.'
White Peak Wire Works Bourbon Barrel English Whisky was judged whisky of the year 2026 in the Online Scotch Whisky Awards. The awards bring together respected whisky commentators, creators and voices from across the world to independently assess quality, value and accessibility.
White Peak has a 60-minute distillery tour (about $35), and a 90-minute whisky tour ($65) and warehouse tour ($90). It also offers Whisky in the Woods — a laid-back evening hosted by the still house team. They share six outstanding drams, with artisanal meats and cheeses, and good conversation. It costs about $120. whitepeakdistillery.co.uk
Great Whisky Bars
- Zoetrope, Tokyo, Japan
- Junction, Kolkata, India
- Lidkoeb, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The Widder Bar, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Pot Still, Glasgow, Scotland
- Baxter Inn, Sydney, Australia
According to worldwhiskyday.com
