What Is Bourbon? The Honest Guide

What Is Bourbon?

Bourbon is an American whiskey, and the rules are stricter than most people think. By federal law, it must be made from a mash bill of at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, distilled at no more than 160 proof, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. Nothing else gets added after distillation except water to proof it down.

That new charred oak barrel is the whole game. It gives bourbon its vanilla, caramel, and toasted-wood character. No other whiskey category gets that treatment by law.

The Mash Bill

The grain mix is called the mash bill. High-rye bourbons like Old Grand-Dad 114 run spicy and peppery. Wheated bourbons like Weller and Maker's Mark swap rye for wheat and come out softer and sweeter. A standard bourbon sits somewhere in between.

Where It's Made

It can be made anywhere in the US, not just Kentucky. Tennessee whiskey like Jack Daniel's is legally bourbon too, just filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging.

Bottom Line

If a bottle says bourbon, it followed those rules. If it says Tennessee whiskey, it's bourbon with an extra charcoal step. Everything else on the label is marketing.