You've probably heard the saying, "Bourbon is always whisky, but whisky is not always bourbon." And if you don't drink a lot of whisky or brown liquor, it may be difficult to tell the difference between bourbon and whisky.
But, if you're one to agree that bourbon is whisky, you might not be so far off. Both bourbon and whisky are popular among bartenders. While these brown liquors may appear to be the same in the bottle, they each have their own distinct characteristics.
Whiskies are all distilled and aged spirits made from fermented grain, each with its own flavor profile. Each whisky is also bottled and made differently, which makes it difficult to compare.
BOURBON
A whisky must be distilled from a mixture of grains or mash that contains at least 51% corn to be categorized as bourbon; this is what gives bourbon its distinctively sweet flavor.
Bourbon cannot contain any additives or colors and must be aged in brand-new, charred wood barrels.
Bourbon regulations are pretty strict because in the 1800’s, distillers spent a lot of time adulterating, diluting and tampering with their whiskies. As a result, spirits must have a certain proof, or alcohol content. The mash must be distilled at a minimum proof of 160 (80% alcohol by volume), then aged in barrels to a maximum proof of 125 (62.5% alcohol by volume). The spirit is then filtered and diluted to a minimum of 80 proof when it's time to bottle it (40% alcohol by volume). Each bottle should be bottled in the U.S for no less than 4 years.
WHISKEY
Everywhere in the world - from Scotland, to Ireland, to Japan, to Canada, and the United States - whisky is made. A mixture of fermented grains, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat, is used to distill the alcohol. Although there are other variations based on the manufacture and aging methods. The majority of whisky is matured in wooden barrels, which darkens its colour, adds flavours of oak and wood, and softens the harsh taste of alcohol.
WHAT DOES BOURBON TASTE LIKE VS. WHISKEY?
Bourbon is frequently described as having notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak since it is aged in fresh, charred-wood barrels. Contrast to whisky, bourbon tastes sweeter and spicier.
Depending on the style, whisky can have a variety of flavours, but they almost always have a woody or oaky flavour profile with hints of spice, fruit, nuts, vanilla, or caramel.
Compared to bourbon, whisky typically has a granular, harsher "mouthfeel".
Interesting fact: Bourbon was viewed as a "commodity" spirit in the early to mid-1900s.
They characterized it as being really unpleasant, bitter, and inexpensive.
But that's up to you to decide!
You may always ask the bartender for a bourbon and a whisky to compare, and you can even experiment with different blends - like the Old Fashion - to see how they affect your palate.
If you're someone who drinks whisky or bourbon and does not like when your drink's diluted with ice, try using Areawear Drink rocks!
Cheers!