-BOURBON 101-

“All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.” 

Bourbon standards are strict and straight forward. In order to be considered a bourbon, it must be:

• Must be made in the United States.

• Must contain 51% corn.

• Must be aged in new oak-charred barrels.

• Must be distilled to no more than 160 proof and entered into the barrel at 125 proof.

• Must be bottled at no less than 80 proof.

• Must not contain any added flavoring, coloring or other additives.

Ah, great question. The answer is even better: There is no right or wrong way to sip on your bourbon. Pour it neat, pour it over ice, splash it with water, mix it with a soda. There is no wrong answer. The beauty of bourbon is that the wonder within each flavor profile is different for every individual. No judgments here, drink it the way you like it. For a more in-depth look at ways to sip and enjoy, check out this article that presents several good options: https://www.barrellbourbon.com/post/how-to-taste-bourbon 

Some think that bourbon HAS to be made in Kentucky, but that is not the case. Bourbon can be produced anywhere in the United States so long as it meets the requirements listed above for what a bourbon actually is.

Bourbon folk can sometimes wonder off the path of commonly known English rhetoric. Here's a cheat sheet on some of the lingo you may catch if you're around individuals that know their stuff.

Rye - To be considered a "rye" - the ingredients must contain 51% rye

Single Barrel - A premium bourbon/whiskey that is bottled from a single aging barrel

Small Batch - A bourbon/whiskey that is bottled from a few hand selected aging barrels 

Straight - A whiskey that meets all the requirements to be a bourbon and is aged for a minimum of 2 years

Cask Strength - A bourbon/whiskey that is not diluted after the aging process - typically a higher proof spirit 

Barrel Proof/Uncut - Interchangeable with Cask Strength - a spirit that isn't diluted before bottling

Unicorn - A hard to find bottle that isn't usually spotted in stores (Limited Edition, Limited Release, etc...) - Pappy Van Winkle, OFBB to name a couple

Honey-Hole - A coin termed for a liquor store that constantly has hard to find bottles at retail or near-retail prices

Finished Bourbon - Technically a whiskey, this is a spirit that starts typically in an oak barrel and is "finished" in a barrel that previously contained  another liquid - ex: Port, Sherry, Red WIne, Brandy, etc...

Non-Chill Filtered (NCF) - A bourbon/whiskey that has not undergone a chill filtration process to remove particles - sometimes leaving a cloudy finish when poured over ice

Age Statement - Required by distiller to label the age if under 4 years, however, many brands voluntarily put age statements on labels

Bottled-in-Bond - A bourbon/whiskey that meets the requirements of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 - the main requirements are: 100 proof, aged in a federally bonded facility for a minimum of 4 years, and the bottle must state where the spirit was distilled & bottled at

Wheater - A bourbon/whiskey where wheat replaces the rye element (Remember to be a bourbon the ingredients must be at least 51% corn)

HAZMAT - A whiskey that is banned by the FAA from being brought on a plane - typically 140 proof or higher - BRING THE HEAT!

Tater - A slang term for an enthusiast who often displays un-opened bottles, camps out for bottles, and is just plain silly when it comes to their whiskey/bourbon hobby - Are you a Tater ;) ?!

Mash Bill - A combination of grains used to make the bourbon/whiskey

Rickhouse - A warehouse where bourbon/whiskey ages - the names comes from the barrels being store on "wooden ricks"

Angels Share - A term for bourbon/whiskey lost in evaporation during the aging process

Sour Mash - A process of adding still-fermenting mash (known as backset) to a new batch of spirits