Get to Know the Different Types of Bourbon
Few spirits are regulated as strictly as America’s bourbon whiskey. In 1897, in hopes of curbing widespread adulteration within the alcohol industry, Congress enacted the Bottled-in-Bond Act. At the time, unscrupulous distillers were known to doctor their products with unconventional ingredients like prune juice, tobacco, and even shoe polish. While this legislation made the US government guarantor of any spirit’s legitimacy, the complete legal framework defining bourbon wouldn’t be complete until 1964.
According to Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations, this “distinctive product of the United States” must be:
- Made in America. Central Kentucky is known as Bourbon Country, and while about 95% of bourbon is produced there—a statistic continually pushed by, you guessed it, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association—bourbon can be made anywhere in the US and still be called bourbon. (This is not, in other words, a Champagne situation.) Indeed, these days, most every state has at least one distillery producing the stuff.
- Made from a grain mixture, also known as a mash bill, composed of at least 51% corn. (Other grains often found in bourbon mash bills: rye, wheat, and malted barley.)
- Aged in new charred-oak barrels.
- Distilled to no higher than 160 proof (80% ABV), enter its aging vessel at no higher than 125 proof (60.5% ABV), and then bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% ABV) without any coloring or flavoring added.
Now that we understand the (many) rules, let’s get to the fun stuff: How does bourbon taste? Generally, somewhat sweet when compared to other spirits, with predominant notes of caramel and vanilla balanced by hints of baking spice, fruits, and, of course, wood. Many connoisseurs sip bourbon neat, adding a few drops of water or ice for particularly “hot” (high-proof) pours, but its strong flavor profile and viscous texture also provide a good foundation for mixed drinks (like a Brown Derby). After being all but ignored in the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s, when vodka and tequila were more in vogue, the modern cocktail renaissance has reintroduced drinkers to American whiskey via classics like the old-fashioned and boulevardier.
Below, find a guide to 13 different types of bourbon whiskey—understanding that styles intersect at times—with a couple of suggestions for bottles to try within each category.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce1/13Straight Bourbon
Perhaps surprisingly, there is no minimum aging requirement for bourbon, but anything aged for less than four years must be labeled with its aging duration, known as an age statement. If labeled “straight,” the bourbon has been aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years. (And “Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey” is straight bourbon produced exclusively in the Commonwealth.)
Budget buy: Wild Turkey 101; $29 at totalwine.com
Bold in flavor and finish, to be sipped over ice at a dive bar.Splurge: Russell’s Reserve 10-Year-Old; $47 at totalwine.com
Rich and creamy but punchy enough for an old-fashioned.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce2/13Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
This is straight bourbon produced by a single distiller at a single distillery in a single season, aged at least four years in a bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof (50% ABV). Historically, “bonded” bourbons were a mark of quality when shadier brands would adulterate their products with additives like prune juice; today. They’re often an economical steal, though not always.
Budget buy: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond; $22 at totalwine.com
Long and dry on the finish, perfect for sipping with a drop or two of water.Splurge: Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series; from $500 at Caskers.com
Elegant with a long finish, this demands a neat pour in your finest glassware.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce3/13High-Rye Bourbon
All types of bourbon are made with at least 51% corn, but the secondary or “flavoring” grain in the recipe is typically rye. (The tertiary grain is almost always malted barley, as it’s a great fermentation aid.) While not a legally defined term, enthusiasts generally agree that a high-rye bourbon devotes at least 25% of the mash bill to the grain, resulting in a spicier, less sweet bourbon though still one with the caramel notes that a rye whiskey might lack.
Budget buy: Old Grand-Dad Bourbon; $22 at caskers.com
Spicy with a long finish.Splurge: Wilderness Trail Black-Label Bourbon; $54 at caskers.com
Notably spicy with some underlying sweetness, this is designed to swap out the rye in your manhattan.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce4/13Wheated Bourbon
Less common than rye-flavored bourbon, wheated bourbon utilizes wheat as the secondary grain, usually of the soft red or winter wheat variety. The lack of rye spice means that “wheaters,” as fans call them, are often sweeter and less challenging in flavor profile, with strong notes of caramel and vanilla.
Budget buy: Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky; $28 at totalwine.com
Sweet and silky, Maker’s Mark appeals to both newbies and longtime bourbon fans.Splurge: Pappy Van Winkle 15-Year-Old Bourbon; $1,810 at caskers.com
The pinnacle pour for many, this elegant wheater is giving caramel corn.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce5/13Four Grain Bourbon
Some small producers have begun to experiment with their mash bill, adding in a combination of rye, wheat, oats, or other grains along with the necessary corn and malted barley. The results can lead to complex but nicely balanced and richly flavored bourbons. This category is more often seen amongst craft distilleries such as Frey Ranch, which makes a pricey four grain bourbon that dances between the expected sweet notes and the more unusual citrus, dried banana, and hay.
Budget buy: Penelope Four Grain Bourbon; $33 at caskers.com
Inviting and complex enough to drink neat, though it shines in a Paper Plane.Splurge: Frey Ranch Bourbon Whiskey; $45 at caskers.com
Grainy and youthful, though not in a bad way; soars in a whiskey sour.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce6/13Tennessee Whiskey
Yes, Jack Daniel’s fans, your beloved whiskey is, in fact, bourbon. Sometimes labeled “sour mash,” it’s worth pointing out that almost all bourbon is sour mash. (The term simply means the fermented grains from a previous batch are used to start the next.) Tennessee whiskey must follow the usual bourbon rules and then some: It must be produced in Tennessee, and it must go through the so-called Lincoln County Process, in which the distillate is filtered through charcoal before aging. Still, technically, it’s bourbon.
Budget buy: Jack Daniel’s Old N°7 Tennessee Whiskey; $28 at totalwine.com
Sweet, oaky, and versatile, perfect for the highball of your fancy.Splurge: George Dickel Single-Barrel Tennessee Whisky, 15-Year-Old; $66 at caskers.com
Notes of vanilla, toffee, treacle, leather, and wood prove Tennessee whiskey ain’t just for mixing.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce7/13Barrel-Proof Bourbon
Just after pulling the liquid from the barrel, most distillers “proof down” or carefully dilute it with water. Barrel-proof or cask-strength bourbons, on the other hand, go straight from the barrel to the bottle. “HAZMAT” bourbons are generally barrel-proof bourbons (though there are rare diluted examples) that exceed 140 proof. They’re considered hazardous material, so don’t try to board a commercial aircraft with one.
Budget buy: McAfee Brothers Benchmark Full-Proof Bourbon; $26 at caskers.com
Bold and fiery, this demands a handful of melting ice cubes.Splurge: Elijah Craig Barrel-Proof Bourbon; $237 at caskers.com
Potent and booze-forward but also loaded with flavor, this one appeals to the more experienced bourbon drinker.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce8/13Small-Batch Bourbon
The small-batch term is typically credited as first being used by the Jim Beam Distillery when it released a mere 1000 cases of Booker’s Bourbon in 1988. (Booker’s would also be the first mainstream barrel-proof bourbon.) Today the term—which has never been legally defined—has virtually lost all meaning, as “small batches” can total three barrels or three-hundred.
Budget buy: 1792 Small-Batch Bourbon; $33 at totalwine.com
Expressive with caramel and vanilla balanced by spice.Splurge: Booker’s Bourbon; from $320 at caskers.com
While each batch will differ slightly, all contain potent doses of vanilla and baking spices.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce9/13Single-Barrel Bourbon
Single-barrel is the smallest small-batch bourbon possible, just one barrel (although this is not regulated, either). The story goes that Elmer T. Lee (of the then-George T. Stagg Distillery, now known as the Buffalo Trace Distillery) coined it when he bottled Blanton’s in 1984. Enthusiasts love single-barrel bourbon for the wide and surprising array of singular flavors that can come from different barrels from the same makers.
Budget buy: Four Roses Single-Barrel Bourbon; $47 at caskers.com
Floral and a bit feisty with notes of dark fruit and maple syrup.Splurge: Blanton’s Bourbon; $154 at caskers.com
Creamy and pleasant with hints of butterscotch and nutmeg, this has Derby Day mint julep written all over it.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce10/13Blended Bourbon
In the past “blended bourbon” would have more commonly meant a whiskey made from 51% straight bourbon, with the rest being coloring, flavoring, and even other spirits. It was a lower-end, much-maligned product.
Today, most bourbon is made by blending the liquid from several barrels, but the bourbons actually labeled “blended” are made by mixing two or more straight bourbons built on different mash bills. Sometimes, multiple distilleries may be involved.
Budget buy: High West Bourbon; $32 at caskers.com
Light and earthy, with notes of nougat and cornbread. Try it in a punch.Splurge: Barrell Bourbon; from $54 at caskers.com
Tropical on the nose with a rich palate of cherry cola and fudge, this one’s perfect for neat sipping.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce11/13Finished Bourbon
Every type of bourbon must start its aging process in a new charred oak barrel but it needn’t stop there. In the last decade, we’ve seen bourbon “finished” in a variety of barrels first used to make other spirits, from the more common sherry, port, and cognac casks to offbeat and divisive ones like tequila, mizunara, and amburana. Some drinkers love the new flavors created by finishing, while others see the secondary maturation process as nothing more than a gimmick used to cover up subpar bourbon. (Once put into a secondary barrel, bourbon becomes officially classified as a “whiskey specialty” spirit.)
Budget buy: Legent Kentucky Bourbon; $50 at totalwine.com
With strong notes of wine and sherry, it seems ripe for a New York sour.Splurge: Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon; $215 at totalwine.com
Rich and robust, jumping between dark fruits, vanilla, spice, and tobacco.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce12/13Flavored Bourbon
Speaking of gimmicks, when bourbon sales were tanking in the 1970s, distilleries had to get creative. Wild Turkey targeted some demographics with a sweet, low-proof, bourbon-based liqueur by combining its whiskey with American honey—and it was a hit. Most brands still have a flavored liqueur in their portfolio, and while they can’t technically be called “bourbons,” they continue to find an audience.
Budget buy: Wild Turkey American Honey; $25 at caskers
Sweet and syrupy, ideal for after dinner.Splurge: Garrison Brothers Lady Bird; $205 at totalwine.com
With its delicate notes of cognac and honey, this will make for a boffo Gold Rush.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop styling by Linden Elstran, Food styling by Erika Joyce13/13Vintage Bourbon
Over the last ten years or so, many “dusty hunters” have begun to pursue bourbons from the past. These collectors believe bourbon was better back in the day for a variety of reasons: more flavorful grains, more artisan distilling practices, less commercialization.
Budget buy: None.
Splurge: Anything from the defunct Stitzel-Weller Distillery; from $1,200 at flaskfinewines.com
We’re talking 20th-century bottlings of Old Fitzgerald, Weller Antique, Cabin Still, Rebel Yell, and many other dusty “wheaters” ne plus ultra.
