Whether we’re discussing bourbon or whiskey, one of the key methods distilleries use to separate their product from others is how they choose to age it. This emphasis on corn as the dominant grain ingredient is one of the key elements that gives bourbon its distinct flavor. This fermented grain mix is called the mash bill, and each grain adds specific characteristics to the final end product.īourbon differs as it must be distilled from a mash bill containing at least 51% corn, with the remainder coming from any other cereal grain such as rye, barley, or wheat. Distilleries experiment with different blends to achieve their desired results, and the raw grains may or may not be malted. Different combinations create different results, whether it’s for bourbon or whiskey. Whiskey can be made from many different types of grains, most commonly rye, barley, wheat, and corn. While it can be made anywhere in the country, it is most associated with the state of Kentucky. In fact, the United States Congress declared bourbon to be the country’s official distilled spirit in the 1960s and set regulations that had to be met in order to classify it as bourbon. The name bourbon has a more rigid geographic definition as it must be distilled and aged in the United States. While most associate whiskey with distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Japan, and the United States, it is actually produced in more than twenty countries. This mash can be made with different grains in various combinations, and unique production tricks distinguish one from another. Generally, the term whiskey refers to alcohol distilled from fermented grain mash. One of the main factors that distinguish bourbon from whiskey is where it was made. There are many other forms of whiskey, with distinct regional products coming from places such as Canada and Japan. Bourbon highlights corn as the main ingredient and is aged in oak barrels. Rye whiskey, as its name implies, emphasizes rye in its grain mix and tends to have a more full-bodied and spicy flavor. Scotch whiskey, for instance, is produced in Scotland and typically made from malted barley, while Irish whiskey is made in Ireland with a blend of malted and unmalted barley. It’s a broad class that includes several varieties, each distinct from the others in taste, ingredients used, and distillation processes. Different Types of Whiskeyīefore making a definitive case for either bourbon or whiskey, it’s important to understand that bourbon is actually one of many types of whiskey. While there are differing stories as to bourbon’s exact origin, it is generally believed that many distillers contributed to the development of bourbon in its modern form by the late 19th century. These European settlers – many of them Scottish, Irish, and English – began farming in the Kentucky area in the late 18th century, and this is roughly when local distilling began in earnest. As European colonists began arriving in America, whiskey came along with them. When King Henry VIII closed England’s monasteries in 1536, some monks who had become expert distillers focused on this craft to make a living. The first written record of whiskey dates back to 1405, and by the late 1400s, whiskey was widely produced. The first distillations of modern whiskey were undertaken by monks in Scotland and Ireland beginning in the early 1400s (something like whiskey was made by the ancient Greeks, for example, but it wasn’t quite like modern whiskey). Bourbon or Whiskey: Which Is Better? History To help frame this discussion, we’ve broken down some of the key similarities and differences between the two (spoiler alert: they’re both part of the same family). There are whiskey lovers all over the world, and one of their favorite questions to debate is which is better: bourbon or whiskey? It’s a debate that will go on for years, and distilleries will continue expanding the discussion with endless innovations in flavor and production techniques.
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