There are lots of names for a measure of whisky. They include: a nip, a toot, a tot, a snifter, and a wee dram. But the most common name for a measure of whisky is a dram. What does that name mean? And how big is a dram? In this article were going to take a closer look, while sipping on an… ahem, you get our drift.
And most times, we don’t call it a shot. A nip, a sip, a toot or tot. Even a snifter. But the most popular phrase in the world of whisky is a dram.
Where does the word dram come from?
If we look back at the history of Ancient Greece we can find the word drackhme. In the Ancient Greek language this meant coins. You can find the term in the bible, where it meant a unit of treasure. As the Romans took over the Greek empire, drackhme became dragma in Latin. As the word went through Old French, and then into Old English, it evolved further. During this time the word meant the physical weight of an object. Finally, the shortened and Anglicised word “dram” started meaning a measure of whisky.
How big is a dram of whisky?
So, enough of the history. How much is in a dram of whisky? Well, it does depend on who is pouring the whiskies. You can have a house dram, which can be as large as you like.
Now, I have heard that a dram is the amount of whisky that can fill someone’s mouth. But, this definition is subjective and inadequate. Although somehow it sounds less disgusting than drinking by the gill, which is how we used to drink in the UK.
A gill was a useless measure because it was too small for beer and too large for a whisky. Whiskey came in a sixth, a fifth or a quarter of a gill (or 35.5, 28.4 or 23.7 in ml). There could be regional variations in dram size. The amount usually becoming bigger the closer the drinker was to London.
In the 1970s, Ireland and the UK chose to adopt the metric system and spirits came in millilitres. In Ireland, a standard dram remained at 35.5ml (the same as a quarter gill). In the UK, publicans can choose whether to serve a dram of either 25ml or 35ml.
Some people to say 25ml should be a ‘dram’ or wee dram, and 35ml should be a ‘large dram’. But there isn’t an official definition of a dram in the UK.
How to Drink Scotch Whisky
FAQ
What do the Scottish call a shot of whiskey?
What is a dram of Scotch?
What is another name for a shot of whiskey?
Can you do a shot of Scotch?
What is a shot of whiskey?
A shot of whiskey is a dive bar staple, often paired with a beer to make a boilermaker. It’s a great story, but fact checkers at Snopes have discerned that not only were people using the word “shot” in reference to booze before the Old West period, but also that the cost of a cartridge and a shot of whiskey differed quite dramatically.
Where did the term “shot of whiskey” come from?
One of the most compelling theories suggests that the term “shot of whiskey” comes from an Old Western exchange between bartenders and cowboys. The story goes that in the Old West, a cartridge of bullets for a .45 six-gun cost 12 cents. Coincidentally, the price of a shot of whiskey was also 12 cents.
How much does a shot of whiskey cost?
“In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey,” one popular shot meme from 2003 states. “If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a ‘shot’ of whiskey.”
What is dramming in whisky?
Dramming is the act of drinking a dram. It’s an endearing term whisky fans using while enjoying whisky drams with one another. Often, conversation while dramming will turn to the drams themselves. People will share their thoughts, or tasting notes, on the whisky drams.