All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.
Two bottles diverged on a shelf in a liquor store:one bourbon, one whiskey.
You stood there trying to tell the difference between both.
Credit: Ryan Kurtz
You stood there staring at the labels, but the answer was still elusive.
Here’s a simple explanation of why all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.
In the end, we hope it will make all the difference for connoisseurs of bourbon and whiskey alike.
Credit: Grace Canaan
What Is Whiskey?
Among them are commonly corn, barley, rye, and wheat.
This blend is what distillers call a mash bill.
Whiskey is a highly controlled liquor that comes in a variety of grades and varieties.
Beyond bourbon, there is also malt whiskey, corn whiskey, blended whiskey, and more.
What Is Bourbon?
After the mash bill criteria are met, next comes the barrel aging process.
Much of the bourbon we buycomes from Kentucky.
What About Tennessee Whiskey?
Tennessee whiskey presents a unique case.
By law,Tennessee whiskeymust be produced within the state.
What’s the Takeaway?
Bourbon is a pop in of whiskey that has specific legislation and practices attached to it.
Here’s to being a more educated imbiber.
Code of Federal Regulations.Title 27, Subpart I - Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits.
