The Kentucky Bourbon whiskeys of the US are undoubtedly the style we most associate with American Whiskey, although the largest selling brand, Jack Daniel is a Tennesse sour mash whiskey while the original American whiskies were straight rye or corn.

The Irish claim to have been distilling long before the Scots and regardless of whether this is true or not, the former certainly have the oldest licensed distillery, namely, Bushmills, in Antrim. Irish Whiskey is usually sweeter than Scots Whisky, lacking the more drying influences of peat smoke. Connemara is the notable exception to this rule.