Whiskey Vs Bourbon Vs Scotch Country Of Origin
Even though they are both categorized as whiskeys, theres an ocean-sized difference between whiskey and bourbon. According to the Scotch Whisky Act of 1988, an alcoholic beverage can only be termed Scotch if it has been wholly produced in Scotland. It also states that the whiskey must be matured in wooden Oak barrels for three or more years and bottled in Scotland .
Bourbon is governed by similar laws laid out in the Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits, a set of rules designed to maintain the distinct taste of bourbon. Since it is considered Americas native spirit, one of the guidelines for earning the bourbon label requires the whiskey to be produced in the USA. Although 95% of the worlds bourbon supply originates from Kentucky, it can be made anywhere in America. However, the limestone content in Kentuckys water filters out metallic impurities, making it an ideal place for bourbon distilleries.
What Makes A Bourbon A Bourbon
There are four requirements that must be met in order for a spirit to be classified as a bourbon:
1. It must be produced in the United States.
2. It must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.
3. It must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.
4. It must be distilled to no more than 160 proof and bottled at no less than 80 proof.
Can Bourbon Be Made Outside Of America
No. The federal standards governing the identity of bourbon dictate that it is a distinctive product of the United States and that the word bourbon shall not be used to describe any whisky or whisky-based distilled spirits not produced in the United States.According to Swati Sharma, Co-Founder, The Dram Club, sweetness is what marks bourbon from the other varieties of whisky. Since bourbons are made of copious amount of corn they have a delightful sweetness with pronounced notes of vanilla that cant be found in most barley and rye-based whiskies, she clarifies. They also tend to be a bit smoky due to the charred oak. But it takes years of practice of nosing and tasting even for experts to tell the difference between the vast styles of whiskies. The best way to keep getting better at it is to try a mix of both Bourbon and Scotch/other styles and make notes of the difference you can perceive in the nose and on the palate.
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The Differences Between Tennessee Whiskey And Bourbon
The key difference between the two types of whiskey is that Tennessee Whiskey must be filtered through maple charcoal before being put into the barrel for aging. This is called the Lincoln County Process and it was developed in the late 1800s.
Its used to remove impurities from whiskey. The process involves filtering the whiskey through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal. This removes impurities and gives Tennessee Whiskey its smooth, mellow flavor.
Bourbon is also filtered before being put into the barrel, but most distillers use chill filtration. This is a form of carbon filtration where activated charcoal is added to the whiskey to remove oils and other unwanted compounds. Then, the whiskey is filtered through a paper filter that removes the charcoal.
Another obvious difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey is where theyre originated. Tennessee whiskey is obviously made in Tennesseebourbon is normally made in Kentucky.
How To Make A Simple Syrup
To make a rich simple syrup, boil 1 cup of sugar with ½ cup water and then allow it to cool. This syrup will add sweetness without watering down the drink.
You can use either cubes or syrup, but muddled sugar cubes add more body.
Just be sure that the sugar completely dissolves. It may take a few extra minutes, but at least you will have a couple of extra minutes to chat with your friends.
Each brand of bitters is made of different types of botanicals and will add subtle flavors to drinks.
In an Old Fashioned with bourbon, agostino bitters help round out the flavors without changing the overall character.
You only need a few drops as the flavors are concentrated, and while two or three will add some depth, too many can make the drink too bitter.
- Orange garnish:
Cutting a perfect citrus twist is a skill you will use for many drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike.
This tiny but fancy touch takes an alcoholic drink like this one from good to great-in both flavor and beauty.
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What Percent Alcohol Is Moonshine
Moonshine typically has an alcohol by volume of 40 percent, although it can sometimes have an ABV of 60 percent to 80 percent. The percentage of alcohol in a drink may be converted to proof by multiplying it by two. As a result, 40% ABV is equal to 80 proof. The distillation process is critical in determining the amount of alcohol present in a spirit.
Can You Taste The Difference
Whiskeys flavor will vary depending on what type of whiskeyIrish, Japanese and so onso its tough to provide exact tasting notes for whiskey.
Bourbon usually has strong notes of vanilla, oak and caramel. These pleasant, often smooth notes make bourbon tasty enjoyed neat or on the rocks, as well as in cocktails.
Bourbons made with a higher amount of wheat , tend to be mellow and softer. Makers Mark is a popular example. Bourbons with a higher amount of rye will be spicier, like Bulleit bourbon.
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Bourbon Vs Tennessee Whiskey: Which Is Better
There isnt a one-size-fits-all answer here.
The true answer depends on your taste preferences.
If you want an easy-to-drink whiskey with a modest flavor profile, go with Tennessee Whiskey.
You can enjoy it neat or mix it with whatever soda is nearby for an excellent drink.
If youre a whiskey connoisseur who loves tasting the complexity in their drink, go with bourbon and drink it neat.
If this describes you, I have a bunch of resources for you that will help you find the best bourbons for your budget and taste preferences.
I highly recommend checking out these articles:
How To Make A Citrus Twist
To make this drink garnish, you can use a sharp paring knife, canelle knife, a Y peeler, or zester.
My personal choice is a Y peeler because its easy to use and peels just the thin outer citrus zest.
Does ice really make a difference in a drink? The easy answer is yes. It always affects the temperature of the drink, but also, how diluted it becomes.
Smaller pieces of ice have more surface area and melt faster than one large cube will.
And while some ice in whiskey/bourbon drinks allows a brands distinctive flavors to bloom, too much will water down that spectacular drink you just made.
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What About All Those Other Bourbon Descriptions On The Label
Were glad you asked! Again, as long as the spirit follows the ABCDEFG guide we outlined above, its technically and legally bourbon. But there are a lot of other things you might see on labels that can be confusing.
Straight Bourbon Whiskey In order to be labeled as such, it has to be aged for at least two years. If its aged for less than four years, an age statement has to appear on the label.
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Same requirements as above, but it has to have been distilled in and aged for at least one year in Kentucky.
Bottled-In-Bond After rectifiers messed up the general population with additives and fake whiskey, Uncle Sam stepped in with one of the first consumer protection laws, the Bottled-in-Bond act, that mandated a minimum of four years aging at exactly 100 proof in one season by a single distiller before being aged in a government bonded warehouse.
Barrel Proof / Cask Strength / Barrel Strength Bourbon These are all interchangeable descriptions that generally refer to bourbon that has not been watered down between leaving the barrel and entering the bottle.
Single Barrel The name is pretty self-explanatory on this one. But this is also the way most Store Pick / House Pick bottles are done.
What Makes It Bourbon
U.S. laws regulate what manufacturers can label as bourbon.
- The mash used must contain at least 51% corn.
- The only additive allowed outside of the mash and the yeast is water. No other additives may be used.
- It must be 160 proof or less.
- It can only be produced in the United States.
- It must be aged for at least two years.
- Aging takes place in new white oak barrels that have been charred.
- While the main grain in bourbon is corn, other grains may include rye, barley, or malt.
- Enjoy it in a classic mint julep.
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Bourbon Vs Whiskey: The Difference Between Bourbon And Whiskey
The main differences between bourbon and whiskey are the kind of grain used and where the spirit is produced. Bourbon is an American made whiskey that must contain at least 51 percent corn in its mash and be aged in new, charred-oak barrels. Whiskey can be made anywhere in the world, though there are additional differences depending on production and aging processes. Whiskeys mash can be made from a blend of grains, such as barley, corn, rye or wheat.
Whiskey Vs Bourbon Vs Scotch Ingredients
A significant difference between bourbon and whiskey lies in the fermentation process they undergo. Whiskey can be distilled from any fermented grain such as barley, corn, rye, and wheat or a mixture. It is generally stored to mature in wooden oak barrels, imparting the distinctive brown color and taste profile. Single malt scotch must be prepared from a 100% malted barley grain mash, while grain scotch can be fermented from malt and unmalted barley and wheat mixture.
On the other hand, the American Whiskey variety or bourbon must have at least 51% corn in its mash bill, with a mixture of rye, wheat, or barley making up the remaining portion of the basic recipe. The reason behind choosing corn as the primary ingredient is its historically high availability in the USA. Also, the higher the corn content, the sweeter the bourbon produced, whereas rye-based bourbons have a distinctively spicier note.
Although all whiskey is aged in charred wooden oak barrels, bourbon must be matured in a brand new oak barrel every time. Also, to get the official scotch label, the Scotch Whisky Act states that the spirit must be noticeably devoid of any added substances except water or plain caramel coloring. Bourbon, however, cannot have anything added to it except for water.
Wondering where you can buy liquor online? Look no further Arrow Liquormart has everything there for you in the stock to select from.
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What Is The Difference Between Moonshine And Whisky
Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic beverage that is derived from fermented grain mash and is produced in the United States.Moonshine is often prepared from whiskey or rum however, the processes by which they are produced are different.In the United States, moonshine has a long history dating back to the American Revolution, when the government sought to regulate the alcohol trade in the country.
What Is Tennessee Whiskey
Tennessee Whiskey is a type of American whiskey that is produced exclusively in the state of Tennessee. Its known for its light, smooth, and mellow flavor. Many call it a lighter version of bourbon.
Other than being made in Tennessee, it also must be:
Popular brands include the likes of Jack Daniels and George Dickel.
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Bourbon Vs Rum Vs Whiskey: Key Differences
Whiskey is a term that describes any distilled spirit made from a mash of 100 percent grains. In this way, many people within the spirits industry consider whiskey a broad, overall category.
Bourbon is a sub-category of whiskey all bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbons. Other whiskey sub-categories include American rye and blended whiskey, blended and single malt Scotch, blended and single pot Irish whiskeys, Japanese whiskey and many more. By U.S. law recognized globally through international treaties, bourbon is a type of whiskey made in the United States from a mash bill of at least 51 percent corn and matured in new American oak barrels. We will go into additional production nuances in subsequent sections.
Rum is also a broad category, separate from whiskey and bourbon. If this was the taxonomy of species, think of rum and whiskey as being from entirely different kingdoms. Broadly, rum is a distilled product made from sugar cane, molasses a byproduct of sugarcane cultivation or sugar. Of course, there is more nuance below the surface, and we will get into that in subsequent sections as well.
What’s The Difference Between Bourbon And Whiskey
If you sat down at a bar and someone simply handed you a shot of brown liquor, I wouldnt blame you if you couldnt tell whether its bourbon or whiskey. The difference between bourbon and whiskey can be a little difficult to understand, since all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Either, of course, tastes great in a brunch punch or even your morning cup of coffee. But whiskey is a catchall term for distilled alcohol made from grain mash. That mash can be made of rye, corn, wheat, whatever grain that might be around. So when you talk about whiskey, you could be talking about scotch or rye whiskey or, of course, bourbon. But if youre talking about bourbon, youre talking about American booze. Bourbon is, in fact, Americas native spirit, according to a Congressional decree, dated 1964.
There are, however, plenty of whiskeys made in the United States that arent technically bourbonand a whiskeys geographic origin isnt the only thing that makes it bourbon. The mash used to make bourbon must be at least 51 percent corn, though the recipe differs between distillers. Other types of whiskey might have more barley than corn, and scotch recipes generally have more malted grain than anything else. Bourbon must also, “be distilled to a maximum strength of 160 proof, bottled at a strength of at least 80 proof, and barreled for aging at no more than 125 proof,” writes Natalie Wolchover for LiveScience.
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How Whiskey Becomes Bourbon
For a whiskey to qualify as bourbon, it starts with the mash, which has to have a 51-79% corn base, with the other grains being barley and wheat or rye, depending on the distiller’s preference. Unlike other liquors, there are no aging requirements for bourbon. However, to instill smoothness and improve quality, most bourbon is aged for at least four years. Bourbons aged between 2 and 4 years that have no added spirits, flavoring, or coloring are called “straight bourbons,” and their aging must be clearly labeled if sold in the U.S. Exported straight bourbon only needs to indicate it is bourbon.
Oak barrels are used for the aging process, with the insides of the barrels charred to serve as a filter and coloring medium. Nearly all bourbon distillers in the U.S. use American white oak barrels because the wood is sturdy enough for aging up to 12 years, but porous enough to help filter and age the spirit to ensure quality. Bourbon is distilled at no more than 160 proof , and nothing can be added during the distillation process .
In the video below, Rebecca Dunphy of Sniff and Spit discusses how one can differentiate between Scotch, Irish, and Bourbon whiskeys, just by sniffing them.
Whiskey Scotch Bourbon And Rye
Lots to unpack here. The basics, according to Encyclopedia Britannica:
Whiskey can be any of a variety of distilled liquors that are made from a fermented mash of cereal grains and aged in wooden containers, which are usually constructed of oak. Commonly used grains are corn, barley malt, rye, and wheat.
The difference between whiskey and whisky is where the stuff is made: in the United States and Ireland, its spelled whiskey in Scotland, Canada, and Japan, its whisky.
Now, for the differences between Scotch, bourbon, and rye. Back to Encyclopedia Britannica:
Scotch is a whisky 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.
Bourbon, a whiskey that was first produced in Kentucky, U.S., uses at least 51 percent mash from corn in its production. It also uses a sour mash process that is, the mash is fermented with yeast and includes a portion from a mash that has already been fermented. U.S. regulations specify that in order for a whiskey to be called bourbon, it must be made in the United States.
And rye whiskey? Its a whiskey that uses a rye mash or a rye and malt mash. In the United States, regulations stipulate that the mash must be at least 51 percent rye in order for it to be called rye whiskey. In Canada, regulations do not specify a minimum percentage of rye.
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