...so let's talk about every mystery writer's favorite subject:  the 
water of life.

Here are a a couple of extracts from a historical fiction newsgroup:

"Just a small point. I've noticed in American novels that whiskey is 
referred to when they really mean whisky. The terms are patented, like 
champagne, which is why some American rye based drinks are called bourbon.
Whisky is from Scotland, and whiskey is from Ireland."

and

" If you're writing a book set in the UK, don't have your characters 
drink whisky before the Regency era (unless, of course, they're 
Scottish!) and don't ever confuse whiskey with whisky. It is Just Not 
Done, darling!"

(My 10 pound Webster's offers both spellings for the same definition, 
with '"ey" as the preferred spelling.)

Anyone else ever heard of this Scots/Irish distinction?  Does it matter 
to an American writer, writing for an American audience?  Or, is it one 
of those things that add verisimilitude -- such as not letting an 
Englishman say "gotten"?

Slàinte!

kent graham