What Makes a Bourbon

Whisky education from Whisk(e)y Advent 2025 (2025-11-30). Summary below; full write-up with sources and images: calendar/2025-11-30.qmd.

Bourbon must be made in the USA, from >=51% corn, aged in new charred oak, distilled to <=80% ABV and bottled at >=40% ABV - with no minimum aging (a ‘straight bourbon’ is aged >=2 years). High-rye bourbons skew spicier; wheated bourbons skew softer.

Verbatim source text

Reproduced from calendar/2025-11-30.qmd (Whisk(e)y Advent 2025).

U.S. federal regulations state that for a spirit to be called bourbon, it must be

produced in the U.S.
made from a grain mixture of at least 51% corn,
aged in new, charred oak containers,
containing no other additives,
distilled to no more than 80% ABV (!!!)
bottled at 40% ABV or more.

Unlike other spirits, there is no minimum aging required for bourbon. A straight bourbon is one that has been aged for at least two years. Typically, the grain mixture is made up of corn, malted barley, and rye or wheat. The corn in the grainbill gives bourbon its characteristic sweetness. Common tasting notes you might find in a bourbon include:

Sweet notes like vanilla, caramel, and toffee.
Fruity notes such as apple, pear, or dark berries.
Spicy elements like cinnamon, black pepper, and clove.
Earthy tones such as oak, leather, or tobacco.

Our pick today, the Bardstown Origin Series Bourbon, is an example of a high-rye bourbon. Bourbon made with higher amounts of rye tends to take on more peppery or spicier notes, while bourbon made with wheat tends to be softer, and more mellow.