50 Whiskey Quotes About the Smooth Alcoholic Beverage

Check out these whiskey quotes from famous people, writers, and world leaders that explain both the drink’s appeal and dangers.

Whiskey is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash.

Several different types of grains are used to make whiskey including barley, rye, corn, and wheat.

The word whiskey comes from the original Gaelic word uisce, which translates to water!

Interestingly, whiskey has two different common spellings: whiskey and whisky.

Depending on where you live, you might see it either way.

In Scotland, the whisky that is produced there is referred to as whisky.

However, outside Scotland it is usually called Scotch whisky, or just plain “Scotch.”

Whiskey was initially distilled and used for its medicinal properties.

In medieval times it was used to help treat colic and smallpox. 

The process of distilling and aging whiskey is quite interesting.

Whiskey does not age once it is bottled, meaning the aging process occurs from the time it is distilled and placed in a cask (usually a wooden barrel) and then bottled.

Keep reading through these whiskey quotes to learn more! 

Also, check out our most popular quote article, a list of short inspirational quotes for daily wisdom. 

See the rest of our quote database for even more inspirational ideas and thoughts.

Whiskey sayings and proverbs

If you are looking for some wise words about whiskey, you have come to the right place! Check out the quotes below.

1. “Whisky is liquid sunshine.” ― George Bernard Shaw

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2. “Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky.” ― Scottish proverb

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3. “What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for.” ― Irish proverb

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4. “When life hands you lemons, make whisky sours.” ― W. C. Fields

5. “Courage is a vitamin best swallowed with whiskey.” ― Jarod Kintz

6. “Some of you say that religion makes people happy, so does whisky.” ― Clarence Darrow

7. “I’d much rather be someone’s shot of whiskey than everyone’s cup of tea.” ― Carrie Bradshaw

8. “Whiskey when you’re sick makes you well, whiskey when you’re well makes you sick.” ― Irish proverb

9. “Always drink your whiskey with your gun hand, to show your friendly intentions.” ― Scottish Klondiker’s Proverb

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Funny Whiskey Quotes

If you love to laugh and love whiskey, we have some quotes for you! Which of the quotes below appeals to you the most?

10. “I like my whisky old and my women young.” ― Errol Flynn

11. “Never cry over spilt milk. It could’ve been whiskey.” ― Maverick

12. “Whiskey is all right in its place but its place is hell.” ― Billy Sunday

13. “You see, for an American, whisky is sweeter in Paris.” ― Drue Grit

14. “I’m on a whisky diet. I’ve lost three days already.” ― Tommy Cooper

15. “While I can’t walk on water, I can certainly wobble on whisky.” ― Ashwin Sanghi

16. “It is true that whisky improves with age. The older I get, the more I like it.” ― Ronnie Corbett

17. “Could you bring me some whiskey and a body bag?” ― Ann Edwards, The Nameless Women Project

18. “A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime—it’s not very scientific, but it helps.” ― Alexander Fleming

19. “You know what southern women are? Whiskey in a teacup. We’re strong in the inside, but ornate on the outside.” ― Hannah Brown

20. “I’m a simple man. All I want is enough sleep for two normal men, enough whiskey for three, and enough women for four.” ― Joel Rosenberg

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Whiskey quotes from writers and authors

Who better to write whiskey quotes than writers and authors? Check out the quotes from these famous writers.

21. “As a cure for worrying, work is better than whiskey.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

22. “Never delay kissing a pretty girl or opening a bottle of whiskey.” ― Ernest Hemingway

23. “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” ― Mark Twain

24. “I know some who are constantly drunk on books as other men are drunk on whiskey.” ― H.L. Mencken

25. “The light music of whisky falling into glasses made an agreeable interlude.” ― James Joyce, Dubliners

26. “There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren’t as good as others.” ― Raymond Chandler

27. “Love makes the world go round? Not at all. Whiskey makes it go round twice as fast.” ― Compton Mackenzie

28. “There is indeed one person who can help solve “writer’s block”. His name is Mr Johnnie Walker.” ― Ashwin Sanghi

29. “My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whisky.” ― William Faulkner

30. “Some of us look for the Way in opium and some in God, some of us in whiskey and some in love. It is all the same Way and it leads nowhither.” ― W. Somerset Maugham

31. “Sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whiskey, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind but falling in love and not getting arrested.” ― Hunter S Thompson

32. “Whiskey, like a beautiful woman, demands appreciation. You gaze first, then it’s time to drink.” ― Haruki Murakami, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

Whiskey quotes from world leaders and influential people

Whiskey is so popular that we even have a collection of whiskey quotes from world leaders and influential people. Take a look at the quotes below and let us know what you think.

33. “I like whiskey. I always did, and that is why I never drink it.” ― Robert E. Lee

34. “Whiskey claims to itself alone the exclusive office of sot-making.” ― Thomas Jefferson

35. “I have never in my life seen a Kentuckian who didn’t have a gun, a pack of cards, and a jug of whiskey.” ― Andrew Jackson

36. “The water was not fit to drink. To make it palatable, we had to add whisky. By diligent effort, I learned to like it.” ― Winston Churchill 

37. “You can’t find the answers on the bottom of a whiskey glass, but if you look hard enough you’ll forget the questions.” ― George Patterson

38. “Well, I wish some of you would tell me the brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals.” ― Abraham Lincoln

39. “Americans are big boys. You can talk them into almost anything. Just sit with them for half an hour over a bottle of whiskey and be a nice guy.” ― Nguyen Cao Ky

Whiskey quotes from famous people

Check out these quotes from famous people. Have you heard any of these before?

40. “Whiskey makes my baby feel a little frisky.” ― Luke Bryan

41. “Drown in a cold vat of whiskey? Death, where is thy sting?” ― W.C. Fields

42. “When asked for his hangover cure, I take the juice of two bottles of whisky.” ― Dean Martin

43. “Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite and furthermore always carry a small snake.” ― W.C. Fields

44. “I like my whiskey like I like my men: on the rocks, ready for death as I devour at their first intent.” ― Dominic Riccitello

45. “Ninety percent I’ll spend on good times, women, and Irish Whiskey. The other 10 percent I’ll probably waste.” ― Tug McGraw

46. “My God, so much I like to drink Scotch that sometimes I think my name is Igor Stra-whiskey.” ― Igor Stravinsky

47. “I wish to live to 150 years old, but the day I die, I wish it to be with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other.” ― Ava Gardner

48. “Sitting on a bar stool and sipping a shot of Jack Daniel’s washed down by a cold bottle of beer is an impeccable routine. I cannot think of a better ritual.” ― John E. Quinlan

49. “He loaded the bullet and begun roulette, wrote about how I smelled like whiskey and regret. His eyes said upset while his mouth spoke, it’s time to accept.” ― Dominic Riccitello

50. “Some of you say religion makes people happy. So does whiskey. I believe in the brain of man.” ― Clarence Darrow

More interesting facts about whiskey

Did you know the oldest whiskey in the world is over 150 years old?

The 400ml (which is just about 5 ounces over a single cup) bottle of Glenavon Special Liqueur Whisky is rumored to be packaged in between 1851 and 1858.

It is quite spendy having sold at an auction for £14,850 or about $17,765!

However, if you have money to burn and are looking for the most expensive whiskey, look no further than Macallan ‘M’.

It was auctioned in Hong Kong for £393,109, or roughly $470,286.

It comes from Spanish oak sherry casks and dates back to the 1940s through the 1990s.

One big question you might be wondering the answer to is does whiskey really have medicinal benefits?

According to WebMD, “Whiskey has high levels of polyphenols, plant-based antioxidants linked with lowering your risk of heart disease. The polyphenols in whiskey have been shown to decrease “ bad ” cholesterol (LDL) and increase “good ” cholesterol (HDL) levels, and reduce triglycerides, or fat in your blood.” 

Enjoying a glass of “liquid sunshine” every now and then might just be good for you.

However, as always, please enjoy alcohol responsibly!

Hemingway certainly drank too much. His death is often attributed to his alcoholism. 

Interestingly, though, he did not commit suicide in a drunken state.

He had undergone a period of forced abstinence that lasted about three months.

During that time, he was subjected to shock treatments to cure his alcoholism.

His son stated, “He might have survived with alcohol, but could not live when deprived of it.”

Hopefully, you have learned a lot from these whiskey quotes!

What is your favorite way to enjoy a glass of whiskey? Do you have a favorite brand?

Share with your friends and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.