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A uniquely American spirit

Walk into any bar in America and bourbons will be staring back at you. It’s part of our cultural fabric and has achieved a zealous following. It is as recognizable as Kleenex or Coke, but in my experience, many people would have trouble describing what actually makes bourbon bourbon.

Since 1964, bourbon has been legally defined as a U.S.–made whiskey distilled from a mash bill of at least 51% corn and aged in new American oak barrels. No coloring or flavoring may be added after distillation. While it is associated with the south, particularly Kentucky, it can be made anywhere in the U.S.

The mash bill: bourbon’s recipe

The mash bill is simply the recipe of grains used to make the spirit — much like a chef’s ingredient list.

• Corn → sweetness and body
• Rye → spice and heat
• Wheat → softness and roundness
• Barley → adds gentle malt notes
• The barrel → richness, color, and depth over time

Each distiller tweaks these like a cook.

Where bourbon fits in the whiskey world

Whiskey is the broader family tree name for any spirit distilled from grains and aged in wood.

Bourbon is just one branch. Here are some other branches:

• Scotch: Single malt, Blended
• Irish whiskey