15 / 96
"Whisf{ie shall put our brains in rage." 1715
Whiskey Drinks
Whiskey is a potent drink and whiskey is a potent
word—^perhaps because both are of Irish extraction. The
English pronunciation of the word in use today is based
upon a word the ancient Gaels applied to the product of
their stills, for it appears they were the original whiskey-
makers.
The name they gave the distilled spirit was singularly
fitting they called it uisgebeatha. If we dissect the
word we find that uisge (pronounced oosh'gee) means
"water," beatha means "life," and the two combined mean
"water of life." All of which goes to prove you can't
beat the Irish for apt naming. In time this potent pro
duct of Ould Ireland's stills became "whiskbae," later
"whiskie," and finally just plain "whiskey."
The Scots likewise were distillers of this ancient and
honorable liquid. They adopted the original name the
Irish gave to the white spirit which flowed from their
stills, the word going through a similar sequence of pro
nunciation until it became "whisky" without the e —note
spelling on any bottle of Scotch.
We have much for which to thank the Irish, but whis
key rates a top place on the list. A toast to the Irish!
And what drink may better serve such purpose than one
of the many whiskey cocktails mixed to perfection as
in New Orleans ? Make it an Old Fashioned, a Sazerac,
a Manhattan, a julep, a highball, or just plain whiskey.
Whichever it may be, fill 'em up and drink 'em down
to the original whiskey-makers—the Irish!
"Whis^ee—Pa! Give me a Glass of that Rhenish!" 1753
Fifteen