What is the difference between whiskey and bourbon?

Whiskey is a distilled spirit made from grains like corn and rye and aged in wooden barrels. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, and there are strict rules in place to ensure its quality. Bourbon must be made in the US, distilled from at least 51% corn, and aged in new oak-charred barrels.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on insider.com


What makes bourbon different from whiskey?

Bourbon Is Made With At Least 51 Percent Corn

But the kind of grain and the kind of barrels determines the variety of whiskey. Per the American Bourbon Association, in order to be classified as bourbon, a whiskey needs to be distilled from a mixture of grains, or mash, that's at least 51 percent corn.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on foodandwine.com


Is bourbon the same as whiskey?

Here's the key: bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Whiskey is a family of distilled liquor, and bourbon is a specific type of American whiskey.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on acouplecooks.com


Is Jack Daniels a whiskey or a bourbon?

Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee whiskey, so it absolutely is whiskey as well. It's even in the name. Whiskey is just the broadest term for distilled grain that's aged in oak barrels, regardless of factors such as the grains used (e.g., corn, rye, wheat, barley, rice), where it's made, the barrels used, and more.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thewhiskeyshelf.com


Is Crown Royal a bourbon?

Specifically, Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky, and even though this technically uses a bourbon mashbill (64% corn, 31.5% rye, 4.5% malted barley), bourbon can only be made in America. Though the TTB originally approved the label, they reversed their decision and forced the brand to stop using the name 'Bourbon Mash'.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on distiller.com


The real difference between scotch, whiskey, and bourbon



Is Crown Royal a whiskey?

Crown Royal, also known as Seagram's Crown Royal, is a blended Canadian whisky brand created by Seagram and owned by Diageo since 2000. Production of Crown Royal is done at Gimli, Manitoba, while the blending and bottling of the whisky is done in a facility in Amherstburg, Ontario.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on en.wikipedia.org


Why Jack Daniels is not a bourbon?

The ingredients and distillation process used to make Jack Daniels fulfil all of the requirements necessary for it to be considered an American bourbon whiskey — yet it is not called a bourbon. The reason it is not called a bourbon is the additional step that Jack Daniels take when making their whiskey.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on whiskeybon.com


What kind of whiskey is Jack Daniels?

Like most Bourbon whiskey brands, Jack Daniel's is produced on American soil. It has a predominantly corn-based mash bill, and is aged in new, charred-Oak barrels for at least two years. These are the legal terms that define a 'straight Bourbon' whiskey.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thewhiskypedia.com


Is Scotch the same as whiskey?

Back to Encyclopedia Britannica: Scotch is a whisky (no e) that gets its distinctive smoky flavor from the process in which it is made: the grain, primarily barley, is malted and then heated over a peat fire. A whisky cannot be called Scotch unless it is entirely produced and bottled in Scotland.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on eater.com


Is bourbon smoother than whiskey?

Bourbon is considered to be smoother than whiskey and is often the spirit stepping stone to leading up to drinking whiskey. For new drinkers, a sip of whiskey can really make you cringe with the strong, complex flavor. Bourbon is a little gentler, with a softer, yet still flavorful, composition.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on foodsguy.com


Is Jameson a bourbon?

Unlike Jack Daniels, Jameson Whiskey is an Irish Whiskey, not a bourbon like Jack Daniels. The Jameson whiskey is triple-distilled and is made of malted barley and other ingredients, while the Jack Daniels whiskey is made with sour mash and caramelized with sugar maple charcoal before being aged.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blacktailnyc.com


What is the top rated whiskey?

Here are some of the best whiskeys you can get your hands on now.
  • Best Overall: Four Roses Single Barrel. ...
  • Best Rye: Pikesville Straight Rye. ...
  • Best Bourbon: Henry Mckenna Single Barrel. ...
  • Best Scotch: The Balvenie DoubleWood. ...
  • Best Irish: West Cork 8-Year Single Malt. ...
  • Best Canadian: Lot No. ...
  • Best Japanese: Hakushu 12 Year Old.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on liquor.com


Is Maker's Mark a whiskey or a bourbon?

Maker's Mark is a premium brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Loretto, Kentucky. It is distilled from corn, malted barley, and red winter wheat, then aged in charred oak barrels for five to eight years.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thespruceeats.com


Is Jim Beam a bourbon?

Since 1795, Jim Beam has been crafted by the Beam family and distilled with a strong sense of family values. Seven generations later, it's still made with those same values and aged twice as long as the law requires. Perhaps that's why, today, Jim Beam stands as the World's #1 Bourbon.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on jimbeam.com


Is Gentleman Jack a bourbon?

American white oak barrels are used to age the whiskey, just as bourbon does. Although it has all that marketing nonsense intended for bourbon drinkers who prefer luxury products, Gentleman Jack is simply Jack Daniels whiskey that has been twice filtered through a layer of charcoal.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blacktailnyc.com


Why is Tennessee whiskey not bourbon?

Both whiskeys require the same corn percentage in the mashbill and must be aged in new charred oak barrels. The primary difference is that Tennessee whiskey must go through a charcoal filtering process, which mellows the whiskey's character. For that reason, bourbon is often bolder and has a more robust flavor.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thespruceeats.com


Is Southern Comfort a bourbon?

Is Southern Comfort A Bourbon Or Whiskey? There is no whiskey known as Southern Comfort. This original spirit, created in 1874 by New Orleans bartender Martin Wilkes Heron, combines fruits, spices, and low-quality whiskey for a smooth, sweet taste.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on blacktailnyc.com


Why is bourbon only from Kentucky?

Kentucky boasts some of the richest, most fertile soil in the country, ideal for growing the major ingredient in bourbon: corn. Bourbon must contain at least 51 percent corn, and Kentucky is up to the task. The state has been corn country since its earliest days in the late 1700s.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on luxrowdistillers.com


Is sour mash bourbon?

“Sour mash” refers to a specific process used by some distillers to add a distinct flavor to their whiskey. A sour mash whiskey can actually be classified as bourbon since both types of whiskey are made under the same restrictions (51% corn in the mash, aged in new charred oak barrels, etc).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bourboninspector.com


What type of whiskey is Johnnie Walker?

Johnnie Walker is a blend of grain whiskies and a blend of malt whiskies from different distilleries.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on eater.com


What is the difference between Irish Whiskey and Kentucky whiskey?

Irish Whiskey: The Key Differences. Origin: Bourbon is made in the United States while Irish Whiskey is made in Ireland. Mashbill: Bourbon must be made of at least 51% corn while Irish Whiskey uses mostly malted barley.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bourboninspector.com


What is the smoothest sipping whiskey?

Top 10 Best Light & Smooth Whiskies
  • Auchentoshan 21 Year Old. ...
  • Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Extremely Rare. ...
  • Redbreast 12 Year Old. ...
  • Knappogue Castle 1995. ...
  • Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask. Rating: 83/100. ...
  • Tomintoul 14 Year Old. Rating: 81/100. ...
  • Glenlivet 12 Year Old. Rating: 75/100. ...
  • Glen Moray Elgin Classic. Rating: 70/100.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on whiskysuggest.com


Is Hennessy a whiskey?

No, it's not a whiskey.

Contrary to popular confusion, Hennessy is not a whiskey but is instead a type of brandy. The term brandy refers to a spirit distilled from a fermented fruit juice, be it grape or other fruits such as apple (used to make apple brandies like Calvados).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on vinepair.com


What are the top 10 whiskeys?

The Best Whiskeys Brands to Try Right Now
  1. Henry Mckenna Single Barrel 10-Year. ...
  2. Glenfiddich 21 Year Gran Reserva. ...
  3. Uncle Nearest 1856. ...
  4. Redbreast 12-Year. ...
  5. Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye. ...
  6. The Macallan Sherry Oak 12 Years Old. ...
  7. Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky. ...
  8. George Dickel Barrel Select.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on rollingstone.com
Previous question
What are the top causes of divorce?
Next question
Does Sasuke have 2 Rinnegan?