While Irish whiskey is widely accepted as being the original whiskey with its origins dating back to the 12th and 13th century and the first recorded mention of Aqua Vitae (the water of life/uisce beatha) in 1324, the roaming Irish brought their distilling skills to foreign lands through their travels and emigration over the centuries.

Today, whiskeys from Taiwan to Tasmania and Tennessee can trace their roots back to Ireland yet each country and style of whiskey around the world has evolved, determining their own rules, definitions and ingredients. In this article, we look at what makes whiskey Irish, Scotch or American.