Whiskey is among the most popular liquors in the world, if not the most popular. It is a staple among bars and pubs. Its strong kick and pungent scent are delectable features for the drinking community. Whether you’re a starter or a connoisseur, here are whiskey-related terms you can drink away with.
Slang Words for Whiskey (in Alphabetical Order)
Angel’s Share
Meaning:
- (Noun) Among whiskey makers, this is the estimated 2% of whiskey that is lost in the process of making it and from the container used. This is said to evaporate towards heaven.
- Example:
Person 1: Come on man. Just order your own shot.
Person 2: Just think of this as the angel’s share dude.
Booze-Up
Meaning:
- (Verb) An Australian slang for drinking liquor together with friends and colleagues.
- Example: Hank contacted his college classmates to booze-up this Friday night.
Cooperage
Meaning:
- (Noun) The art and industry of making barrels that store whiskeys until they are of age.
- Example: Good cooperage makes good whiskey.
Dram
Meaning:
- (Noun) A quarter or a little over a quarter pour of whiskey.
- Example: Drinking a dram won’t hurt. Let it sit for the rest of the night.
Finish
Meaning:
- (Noun) The aftertaste of a whiskey.
- Example: This whiskey from Scotland has a sweet finish. I’ll buy more of this when I go back for the conference I'm attending this summer.
Hooch
Meaning:
- (Noun) A street slang for whiskey.
- Example: The breakup made him order glass after glass of hooch.
Mickey
Meaning:
- (Noun) The Canadian way of calling whiskey.
- Example: Fill these empty glasses with mickey. We’ll be drinking till we drop tonight.
Neat
Meaning:
- (Adjective) A bar slang pronounced after naming a drink but ordering it without added ice, water, or any mixer.
- Example: I’ll take a whiskey, neat.
Nosing
Meaning:
- (Noun) Smelling a whiskey before tasting it. Whiskey experts can identify and tell the taste of a whiskey just through nosing.
- Example: Nosing whiskey makes you look like a pro.
Red-Eye
Meaning:
- (Noun) An American slang term for whiskey dated back to the 17th century.
- Example: You hid the red-eye in your bag? What if we get caught?
Screech
Meaning:
- (Noun) A Canadian slang for any high alcohol content but low priced liquor which is usually whiskey.
- Example: The money Tanner has earned from washing cars will mostly go to buying screech.
Sommelier
Meaning:
- (Noun) A whisky professional expert in mixing your whiskeys and matching it with the right food pair.
- Example: The sommelier recommended lamb cuts for our preferred order of whiskey.
Usquebaugh
Meaning:
- (Noun) The Scottish or Irish term for whiskey.
- Example: Amelia was in London when she unknowingly told the bartender for a usquebaugh, thinking it sounded fancy. She was disappointed when the latter returned with prime whiskey.
Whiskey Ring
Meaning:
- (Noun) A 17th century political scandal involving whiskey makers and government officials conspiring to launder federal taxes.
- Example: Although their company was allegedly involved in the Whiskey Ring, they are still out and about today.
Whiskey Slap
Meaning:
- (Noun) A drinking game of passing around a single bottle of liquor and having turns in slapping players.
- Example: The whiskey slap got so intense that they forgot the barbecues they were cooking.
