

Rye whiskey is drier and spicier than bourbon. Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey, and Rye are the primary types well take a look at. There are many kinds of whiskeys made in the US ranging from unregulated moonshine to white whiskey to the highly regulated Bottled in Bond Bourbon. Later after settling into present day Kentucky, corn grew very well and Americas treasure, bourbon came to be. In the beginning Europeans first arrived to the US and they found an abundance of rye, giving birth to rye whiskey in the US. Recommended Reading: What Is Hot Butter Rum What Is American Whiskey There is no minimum age requirement for bourbon, but to be called straight bourbon it does have to be aged for at least two years. For one, the liquor cannot have a higher alcohol content then 62.5% when it is added to the wooden cask to age. There are some other things that are characteristic of a bourbon. A whiskey can only be called bourbon if it is made in the United States. And the rest is history both Pennsylvania and Maryland became the premiere producers of Rye Whiskey.īourbon is a whiskey that is made from a mash that is at least 51% corn. Because of its corn and barley crops, Maryland, which are both ingredients of Rye, also became a rye producer. They planted these seeds in the rocky terrain of Pennsylvania and distilled the grains into Whiskey. But why is it called Bourbon, not Kentucky, then? Theres no clear record as to its origin some say that it was named after the French Bourbon dynasty in recognition of Frances support in the American revolution.ĭuring the 17th century, farmers from eastern Europe settled in Pennsylvania, bringing with them rye seeds. Thus, making Bluegrass State the landmark of Bourbon. Thus, making it excellent for Whiskey distillation.Īnother reason why Kentucky makes a fertile ground for Bourbon production is its fertile ground perfect for growing cornBourbons main ingredient. Local legend says that the vast deposits of limestone in Kentuckys tap water filters taste better than other tap water in the country. Why is it that Kentucky state became synonymous with Bourbon? It is because 95% of the worlds Bourbon is manufactured in Kentucky. If you are a native American, when you think about Bourbon, you think about Kentucky. 100% barley, both malted and unmalted, in a pot still.Combination of single-malt and grain whiskey.Corn or wheat distilled in a column still.A closed kiln heated by coal or gas is used to roast the malted barley, giving a clear barley flavor instead of the smoky peat flavors often found in Scotch.

100% Barley in pot stills, usually 3 distillation runs.Single-malt whiskey mostly the same as in Scotland.Some consider Ireland the birthplace of whiskey, as far back as 6th century AD. On top of these types of whiskey, we also have rye whiskey, which can refer either to American rye whiskey, which must be distilled from at least 51 percent rye, or Canadian whisky, which may or may not actually include any rye in its production process.We Finally Know The Real Difference Between Bourbon And Whiskey The name bourbon actually comes from an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky. This filtering, known as the Lincoln County Process, is what distinguishes Tennessee whiskey from your average bourbon, like Jim Beam.

The difference between Tennessee whiskey, like Jack Daniel’s, and bourbon is that after the spirit is distilled, Tennessee whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal.

But in Ireland, you’ll get Irish whiskey (yep, they spell it differently). If you’re in England and ask for a whisky, you’ll get scotch. Scotch is made mostly from malted barley, while bourbon is distilled from corn. Scotch is whisky-no e-made in Scotland, while bourbon is whiskey made in the U.S., generally in Kentucky. The main difference between scotch and whiskey is geographic, but it also involves ingredients and spellings. What’s the difference between scotch and whiskey? If you distill a whiskey in your kitchen that meets all of these standards, congrats-you’ve made bourbon. The distillate needs to be aged in a new charred oak barrel. Then, the mash must be distilled at 160 proof or less and put into the barrel at 125 proof or less, It also can't contain any additives. The rest of the mash is usually filled out with malted barley and either rye or wheat. For a whiskey to call itself bourbon, its mash-the mixture of grains from which the product is distilled-must contain at least 51 percent corn. The Federal Standard of Identify for Bourbon stipulate what is and what isn’t bourbon. Making bourbon is an exceedingly technical exercise, and requires that the whiskey meet rigid criteria. This might be common knowledge for some, but it’s worth a refresher before you go out and buy a bottle. Let’s start with the basics.
