You aren’t alone in feeling confused and intimidated about bourbon. It doesn’t help that it’s unclear how bourbon differs from whiskey and scotch. There are so many different terms used to describe bourbon. It’s hard to know where to start and how to go about tasting and buying barrels of bourbon. This is the ultimate guide to help you get started. Learn about common vocabulary, how to taste, and how to buy bourbon.  

What Is Bourbon?

Bourbon is a subcategory of whiskey. It can only be produced in America. The spirit must be made with at least 51% corn to qualify as bourbon. The distilled spirit must be at or below 80% ABV. After aging in barrels, it must be below 62.5% ABV. There is no minimum aging requirement to be considered bourbon. However, it is accepted in the industry that the bourbon aged for at least four years. 

While the minimum corn requirement is at least 51%, most bourbons contain 70-80% corn in the recipe. There are no requirements for the remaining grain content, but most have at least two other grains. These could be barley, rye, or wheat. 

Bourbon Terminology

Before you start tasting and buying bourbon, you need to learn some common terminology. This will help you understand what the labels are telling you. That way, when you find a bourbon you like, you can look for similar bourbons from other distillers. 

Mash

The first step in the distilling process is to process the raw grains. The mash is ground grains blended with water and heated. This breaks down the natural sugar and starches. A sour mash is just this, with some mash added from the previous batch. Doing this starts fermentation and protects the new batch from unwanted bacteria. 

Fermenting

The fermenting process breaks down the cooked starches and sugars. During this process, CO2 and alcohol are byproducts. This process can take several days. 

Distilling

After fermenting, the mixture goes through distilling. This separates the alcohol from the water. Adding heat to the liquid causes the water to steam, separating it from the alcohol. This process takes place in a still. The collected alcohol is called white whiskey, moonshine, or white dog. 

Maturing

The magic happens during the maturing phase. The white whiskey sits for a period of time in charred white oak barrels. The charring is what gives the bourbon its caramel-brown color. White oak is used because it has a dense grain and delivers plenty of flavor. Some bourbon is always aged in new barrels. Other bourbon will age in previously used barrels. This will change the flavor. The length of time the bourbon spends in the barrel significantly impacts the flavor. Generally, older bourbon has a more complex flavor profile and smoother experience at a higher ABV. 

Finishing

The finishing stage of distilling is the final step. The bourbon is taken from the original barrel and put into another one. This second barrel could have previously held rum or wine. This adds another layer of complexity to the bourbon. After this aging step, the barrels of bourbon get diluted, blended, and bottled. 

Bottled in Bond

The Bottled in Bond Act came about in 1897 to protect the quality and integrity of American whiskey. Less reputable distillers were using questionable practices when producing “whiskey,” which was degrading the whiskey and something endangering the drinker. 

Bottled in Bond on the label signifies that the spirit within was distilled in a single season, aged for at least four years, at least 100 proof, and the name and location of production on the label. 

Craft and Small Batch Bourbon

Small batch and craft are marketing terms that the US government does not regulate. That means they can represent a lot of things. However, most distillers consider small batches to be under 1,000 gallons or 20 barrels. If you are unsure, you should be able to ask the distillery how they define craft or small batch during your tour or tasting experience. 

Single Barrel Bourbon

This is another term that is not federally regulated. The industry generally accepts that the term signifies that the bourbon in the bottle comes from a single barrel. This tells you that the distiller did not blend bourbon from multiple barrels to create the product in the bottle. 

Cask Strength

A bottled label cask strength signifies that the bourbon is not blended with water. Because of this, the proof and flavor profile can vary greatly. The bourbon changes during the maturing process in the barrel, which is then left alone instead of blended to maintain continuity with the rest of the bourbon production. 

Bourbon Aging

The age statement on a bourbon bottle tells you the age of the youngest bourbon used in the bottle. If it is blended, older bourbon could be blended with the younger. The automatic assumption is that the longer a bourbon ages, the higher its quality and the better it tastes. This isn’t always the case. Everyone’s palate and preferences are different. Don’t let yourself get blinded by an age statement. Distillers will tell you that their bourbon has a sweet spot where they feel it is at its best. 

How to Taste Bourbon

One of the best ways to learn about bourbon is to attend tastings. You can learn about a particular bourbon directly from the distillers. They can also show you how to taste the spirit correctly for full flavor and enjoyment. You can also taste several types of whiskey at once, making comparing and identifying differences easier. 

It’s best to taste bourbon without ice. That way, it is not diluted in any way. It’s also better not to taste it cold. The lower temperature mutes some of the more delicate flavors. If you do add water while tasting to cut the alcohol burn, try to use purified and filtered water. That way, the water doesn’t add unwanted flavors from any minerals or salts in the water. 

See

If you are tasting a bottle of bourbon on your own, open it and let it breathe for about ten minutes. Pour yourself an ounce of bourbon into a glass. This is not the time for shot glasses. Observe the color of the bourbon. The darker it is, the longer it has aged. 

Smell

Lift your glass to your nose and smell the bourbon. You can slightly swirl the liquid to help release the aroma. If you breathe in just through your nose, it will be heavy with alcohol. Instead, open your mouth and gently breathe in through your mouth with your nose to the glass. This lets you break through the alcohol aroma to sense the bourbon’s flavors. 

Taste

Bring the glass gently to your lips and take a small sip. Swirl the liquid around in your mouth to hit all the taste buds on your tongue. That way, you can perceive all of the different bourbon flavors. It could be sweet, hot, spicy, floral, woody, or grain-heavy. 

Take a second larger sip. Then, give yourself a minute or two after swallowing to experience the bourbon’s finish. Pay attention to the mouthfeel and the aftertaste left in your mouth. 

Best Bourbon Glassware

Technically, you can drink bourbon out of any drinking vessel that you can put liquid into. However, the drinkware you choose will impact your enjoyment. Sipping from a glass will avoid imparting unwanted flavors into your whiskey. So, avoid using plastic, metal, or silicone. 

A tumbler is ideal for enjoying your bourbon on the rocks. The thickness of the bottom helps insulate the drink to prevent the ice from melting too quickly.  A snifter and copita are also good. These classes have a narrow opening, helping to focus the bourbon’s scent. They also have a stem. Holding the glass here prevents your hand from warming the bourbon. 

How to Drink Bourbon

You will see and hear many opinions about the proper or best way to enjoy bourbon. Ultimately, you should enjoy bourbon in a manner that you like best. After all, you are the one drinking it, not them. 

As a beginner, you can try using it as a mixer in a cocktail. Bourbon and coke, old fashioned, bourbon sour, and John Collins are all great cocktails to try. This is also a good approach if you are drinking a lower-quality bourbon. 

If you have a higher quality bourbon and more bourbon experience, try drinking it on the rocks. Add bourbon and ice to a glass and sip it. If you don’t want ice watering the bourbon down but want to keep it cold, try whiskey stones. Keep them in the freezer and add them as you would ice. 

Experienced bourbon drinkers will enjoy it straight up. Shake the bourbon with ice and then pour the chilled bourbon into a glass. Or they will sip the room-temperature bourbon with a drop to a spoonful of water added. The idea is to dilute the bourbon to smooth out the flavors and cut the harsh burn. 

The final option is to drink it neat. Pour room-temperature bourbon into a glass and sip it at room temperature. Do not chill, mix, or add ice. For many beginners, this is not enjoyable. As you taste and drink bourbon, your palate will develop. Eventually, you may enjoy bourbon this way. 

How to Buy Bourbon

After tasting several bourbons, you will find one you like enough to buy. Knowing how to buy and store your new bourbon bottle will help you continue to enjoy your purchase. 

Kentucky Bourbon Buying Limits

If you visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and take a few distillery tours, you may taste multiple bourbons you would like to buy. Under Kentucky law, you cannot go on an unlimited buying spree. Visitors can legally buy up to 4.5 liters at distilleries per day. 

Buying Barrels of Bourbon

If you find a distillery that you love and are passionate about, you may want to step up your buying habits. Instead of buying a single bottle or a case, you may want to purchase an entire barrel. This can easily cost thousands of dollars. However, it also means you get all the bottles filled using the whiskey from your barrel. 

Proper Bourbon Storage

Once you find a bottle of bourbon that you love, you will want to keep it for later enjoyment. Bourbon does not continue to age once bottled. However, if not stored correctly, it can lose flavor and alcohol content. Keep your bourbon bottles in a temperature-stable, cool, dry place. Keep it away from direct sunlight. Unlike wine, you don’t want the bourbon touching the cork. So, store your bourbon bottles upright. 

If you have a brand new, unopened bottle, you can store it for multiple decades without losing quality. Opened bottles will slowly degrade over the years. The more air that is in the bottle, the quicker the bourbon degrades. If you have a large bottle that you know you won’t drink quickly enough, you can rebottle it into small bottles. This protects the bourbon while limiting its exposure to oxygen. 

Fancy glass decanters look beautiful but are not ideal for bourbon storage. They overexpose the bourbon to air, which is the opposite of what you want. Vintage crystal can also leach unwanted flavors into your bourbon. 

FAQs About Bourbon

What’s the difference between whiskey and bourbon?

Bourbon is a type of whiskey. However, not all whiskey is bourbon. To be called bourbon, it must be made with 51% corn and made in America. 

What’s the difference between scotch and bourbon?

Scotch is a type of whiskey that is only made in Scotland. Bourbon is also a type of whiskey. Scotch is made from barley and has a smokey flavor from burning peat. Bourbon is made from corn and gets its smokey flavor from aging in charred oak barrels. 

Is bourbon only made In Kentucky?

Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States. Kentucky is known for bourbon because it is an ideal place to produce it and is the origin of the spirit. 

Taste some of the best barrels of bourbon by exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail with the help of Distillery Nearby.