Bourbon Whisky

Produced in the United States since the 18th century, bourbon whisky is generally referred to as whisky produced in Kentucky. Bourbon whisky has been distinguished as a product of the United States, and similar to scotch must meet specific criteria to bear the name bourbon upon its label.

Criteria that must be met for a whisky to be considered bourbon include:

• Spirit must contain a minimum of 51% corn.
• Cannot be more than 80 proof after distillation.
• Spirit must be aged in new charred oak barrels.
• Spirit cannot include caramel coloring.
• Spirit may not enter barrels with an alcohol level higher than 125 proof.
• Spirit may not be bottled if it contains lower than 40% alcohol.
• In regards to age, a bottle must state the age of the youngest whisky within the spirit.

Most commonly, bourbon whisky will contain a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume. However, some distilleries produce bourbon that will exceed this amount. Bourbon whisky labeled as “barrel proof” tend to contain a higher content of alcohol. This occurs when the bourbon is not diluted with water prior to having been bottled. The majority of commercially produced bourbon whisky is diluted with water prior to the bottling process.

Bourbon whisky is generally gold to brown in color. It receives its characteristic caramel tone through the aging process. During the aging process, the wood of the barrels turns the bourbon from clear to brown. The longer it is aged, the darker it becomes.

While the majority of bourbon whisky is distilled in Kentucky, other states that commercially produce bourbon include Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kansas, Indiana, Ohio, and New York. However, the largest distilleries that produce bourbon whiskies include the Jim Beam Distilleries, and the Heaven Hill Distilleries.