What Does ‘Dram’ Actually Mean in Whiskey?

Nowadays, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a bit of whiskey. From your preferred style of the spirit to whether you want to shoot it, consume it in cocktails, neat, or on the rocks, the options are seemingly limitless. Some of these methods even come with various nicknames, with monikers like a nip, a snifter, and, of course, a dram coming to mind. But as it turns out, a dram isn’t just a creative way of ordering a small pour of whiskey — it’s a true unit of measurement.

To learn more about what a dram actually is when it comes to a pour of whiskey, VinePair chatted with Deena Sayers, beverage director at New York City comedy club and bar The Stand, home to an impressive collection of world whiskies.

“A dram is a small, cozy pour of whiskey — perfect for sipping, not chugging,” Sayers says. “It started as a tiny, old apothecary measure, approximately one-eighth ounce for potions, but the Scots turned it into the everyday word for a ‘nice wee whisky.’ It stuck as the common term to measure joy in a glass.”

As Sayers explains, the term itself comes from the ancient Greek currency drachma. Eventually, drachma evolved to drachm, a phrase used to refer to medicines. Drachm then got shortened to dram — or dramme — which Shakespeare himself used to refer to poisons. The Scots then adopted the word for themselves and popularized its use to describe a small pour of whisky.

In Scotland, Sayers says, a dram typically measures around 35 milliliters (approximately 1.2 ounces), though she jokes that the bartender might pour you a bit more if they like you. But while the Scots may have coined the term, the size of their pour didn’t quite translate as the moniker spread. In Ireland the amount is comparable to Scotland, slightly larger than in England, where a dram is only around 25 milliliters (0.8 ounces). Here in the United States, a dram tends to measure between 1 and 1.5 ounces.

So, if a dram measures right around 1.5 ounces, what exactly is it that separates it from a shot? In Sayers’ opinion, it’s all about intent. While shots are a fixed pour designed to be knocked back quickly, drams are a slower pour designed for savoring. You’re actually supposed to enjoy the whiskey instead of consuming it as fast as possible like you are with a shot.

“Quality matters for the vibe. Calling a top-shelf single malt a ‘shot’ feels like calling caviar ‘fish eggs,’” Sayers argues. “Dram carries respect. It’s perfect for good whiskey. Cheap stuff? That’s just a shot with an identity crisis.”

While any spirit could technically be referred to as a dram — it is, after all, defined as “a small portion of something to drink” by Merriam-Webster — the term is very rarely used to describe anything other than whisky. That said, the whisky does not have to be Scotch in order for dram to be an appropriate term: Bourbons, ryes, Japanese, and Irish whiskeys can all be ordered this way and enjoyed just like your favorite Highland single malt.

“Today, dram is basically whiskey-only — especially Scotch — because Scotland claimed it hard. Whisky became their cultural rockstar, so ‘dram’ stuck to it like good peat smoke,” Sayers says. “Other spirits got shot, measure, etc., but whisky got the cute nickname.”

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