Whisky (or whiskey) is a distilled alcoholic spirit made from fermented grain mash (barley, corn, rye, wheat) and aged in wooden casks, usually oak, developing rich color and complex flavors. Key basics involve grains, water, yeast, distillation, and barrel aging, with regional rules defining types like Scotch (malted barley, Scotland, 3 years aging) or Bourbon (corn, US, new oak barrels). Common categories include single malt (one distillery, malted barley), single grain, blended malt, and blen