Bourbon 101: Bourbon versus Whiskey

Bourbon falls into the whiskey family but not all whiskies are bourbons. Bourbon cannot take its beautiful name unless it’s made of at least 51% corn grain.

This grain gives Bourbon its signature sweet profile. Also, in 1964 Congress named Bourbon “a Distinctive Product of the United States”. This means this smooth spirit cannot be called Bourbon unless it’s made in the USA and furthermore, must be produced to strict criteria to be worthy of the name. Alcohol content and new barrel aging are just a few factors that must play a role in Bourbon production.