What’s Bourbon and Finest Bourbon To Purchase

March 21, 2023

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Learn our introduction to bourbon then discover our different whisky guides, together with rye whiskey, Irish whiskey, Japanese whisky and Scotch whisky.

What’s bourbon?

Like Scotch whisky, bourbon is ruled by strict authorized necessities (in any other case it might’t be referred to as bourbon). It have to be made inside the US with at the least 51% corn within the mash invoice (the mix of grains that’s cooked, fermented and distilled into bourbon), distilled to a most of 160 proof, aged in new charred oak barrels and bottled at a minimal of 40% ABV. The overwhelming majority of bourbon is made in Kentucky however you could find distilleries throughout the nation.

Ageing and labelling

Not like Scotch whisky, bourbon would not have a minimal ageing requirement, but when a bottle is labelled as ‘straight bourbon’ then it’s going to have been aged for at the least two years. If a bourbon has been aged for lower than 4 years it should have an age assertion on the bottle. Different phrases you could come throughout are ‘small batch’ – which are typically bourbons blended from a rigorously curated, comparatively small collection of barrels – whereas ‘single barrel’ is bourbon from only one barrel. ‘Cask power’ is the place bourbons are bottled with out dilution so these will likely be stronger and extra alcoholic.

What does bourbon style like?

Due to its excessive corn content material, bourbon often tastes candy in character, with different elements similar to barrel-ageing giving flavours and aromas of vanilla, caramel, baking spice, maple, toasted oak, nuttiness and cocoa. As properly the 51% corn requirement the mash invoice will be made up of various quantities of different grains similar to rye, malted barley and wheat and this can impression how the bourbon tastes. Excessive-wheat bourbons will likely be gentle and candy in character, whereas high-rye bourbons are spicier.

What’s Tennessee whiskey?

Tennessee whiskey is similar to bourbon – it’s made in nearly precisely the identical manner with lots of the similar authorized necessities governing the manufacturing course of. The important thing variations are that it might solely be made within the state of Tennessee and the spirit is filtered by sugar maple charcoal after distillation, referred to as the Lincoln County Course of. This leads to a clean, mellow finish end result, and it is why bourbons are typically a bit extra daring and sturdy in character. Tennessee whiskey will likely be labelled as such on the bottle (Jack Daniels being probably the most well-known instance).

Find out how to drink bourbon

It is scrumptious sipped neat, though higher-ABV spirits could profit from a tiny splash of water – this can dilute the spirit but in addition softens the kick of the alcohol which might numb the tastebuds. It additionally helps to open up the spirit. Bourbon is good in cocktails, and plenty of basic recipes name for it. Attempt it in an quaint, mint julep, boulevardier or highballs.

Extra like this

9 greatest bourbons to attempt at a look

Finest rye-forward bourbon: FEW bourbon, £53.95
Finest all-rounder bourbon: Buffalo Hint bourbon, £24.95
Finest barrel proof bourbon: Wild Turkey Uncommon Breed barrel proof bourbon, £53.99
Finest for citrus notes: Frey Ranch bourbon, £54.95
Finest single-barrel bourbon: 4 Roses Single Barrel Kentucky straight bourbon whisky, £44.95
Finest basic bourbon: Redwood Empire Pipe Dream bourbon, £47.99
Finest simple sipper: Uncle Nearest 1884 small batch whiskey, £55.04
Finest worth bourbon: Ezra Brooks Kentucky straight bourbon, £25.94
Finest blended bourbon: Yellowstone Choose Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, £52

9 greatest bourbons to attempt 2023

FEW Bourbon

Finest rye-forward bourbon

Evanston in Illinois was as soon as the centre of the Prohibition motion within the USA and a wholly ‘dry’ metropolis till 1972, when the sale of alcohol was legalised. It’s now the house of FEW Spirits. Their successful bourbon has basic notes of vanilla and caramel, in addition to plenty of toasty, woody spice due to a rye-forward mash invoice.

Obtainable from:
Grasp of Malt (£58.95)
The Whisky Trade (£53.95)

Buffalo Hint bourbon

Finest all-rounder bourbon

With flavours and aromas of toffee, vanilla, spice, in addition to hints of leather-based and mint, this can be a good all-rounder bourbon, particularly for the value. Make it your go-to for whisky cocktails.

Obtainable from:
Grasp of Malt (£24.95)
The Bottle Membership (£24.69)
The Whisky Trade (£26.95)

Wild Turkey Uncommon Breed barrel proof bourbon

Finest barrel proof bourbon

Manufacturers identified for his or her standard, mass-market whiskies like Jack Daniels will usually have smaller premium traces value in search of out. Wild Turkey Uncommon Breed barrel proof (which means it’s bottled straight from the cask with no added water) is a mix of six, eight and 12-year-old bourbons. It’s intense and full-bodied, with notes of orange, mint and plenty of spice. Scrumptious sipped neat or use in a julep with sugar syrup, recent mint leaves and crushed ice.

Obtainable from:
The Whisky Trade (£55.25)
Amazon (£53.99)
The Bottle Membership (£53.49)

Frey Ranch bourbon

Finest for citrus notes

Frey Ranch is a correct grain-to-glass operation. The distillery grows all of the grain used to make its whisky on its 165-year-old farm in Nevada – a apply that’s nonetheless comparatively uncommon in whisky-making. This straight bourbon is aged for 5 years, with noticeable citrus aromas in addition to caramel, vanilla and banana.

Obtainable from:
The Whisky Trade (£54.95)

4 Roses Single Barrel Kentucky straight bourbon whisky

Finest single-barrel bourbon

A formidable single-barrel bourbon, clean, rounded and complicated with butterscotch, aromatic wooden and cocoa aromas, delicate cherry flavours on the palate and wonderful size.

Obtainable from:
The Whisky Trade (£44.95)
Amazon (£44.95)

Redwood Empire Pipe Dream bourbon

Finest basic bourbon

This, from California, has basic bourbon aromas of vanilla, oak and caramel transferring into deep flavours of roasted nuts, toasted oak and peppery spice on the palate.

Obtainable from:
Grasp of Malt (£47.99)
The Whisky Trade (£49.75)
Amazon (£48)

Uncle Nearest 1884 small batch whiskey

Finest simple sipper

An African-American-owned Tennessee whisky model, this was created to honour the legacy of Nathan ‘Nearest’ Inexperienced, the primary African-American grasp distiller and a pioneer in American whiskey (he taught his distilling methods to Jack Daniels). This mix was created by Inexperienced’s great-great granddaughter, Victoria Eady Butler, and is a gentle and delicate whisky, simple to drink, with vanilla, brown sugar, oak and baking spice notes.

Obtainable from:
Grasp of Malt (£57.94)
Amazon (£55.04)
The Whisky Trade (£57.95)

Ezra Brooks Kentucky straight bourbon

Finest worth bourbon

An ideal-value straight bourbon, that is an easy-going affair with acquainted flavours: large, mellow butterscotch and vanilla, with hints of chocolate, and a gentle, clean texture. Attempt it in cocktails.

Obtainable from:
Ocado (£29)
Grasp of Malt (£25.94)