How Is Bourbon Different From Whiskey?
Whiskey is made all across the world, and across America, too, but here’s the headline when it comes to bourbon: Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, made with at least 51% corn. Remember that, and everything else falls into place. *Bourbon drinkers are fond of saying, All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. *Bourbon is America’s take on whiskey that came over with the original colonists and immigrants from Europe. *People arriving in America brought their distilling traditions with them and adapted them to the grains and materials at hand to create a new kind of whiskey. Corn thrived in the U.S. more than rye and barley, so the colonists and early immigrants pivoted toward it as a base for their whiskies. *Whiskey is a broader category, and the grains will vary depending on the type of whiskey. For example, Scotch whiskey is made from malted (germinated) barley, while American rye whiskey contains at least 51% rye grain. (Rye made elsewhere may va...