By Chris Morris • Photos by Matt Johnson
In the December 2024 issue of The Voice we established that Bourbon Whiskey is both a spirit and a Whiskey. What else do we know about it? We know that it is “the distinctive spirit of America” as designated by a resolution of Congress. In 1964 the United States Congress passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 19, which officially recognized bourbon as a “distinctive product of the United States”. This resolution established Bourbon Whiskey as a protected American spirit and placed it under federal regulation. In other words, Bourbon cannot be produced in any country outside of the US. This may be the best thing that Congress has ever done. The only “oops!” from my standpoint, the resolution didn’t specify “Kentucky Bourbon” rather than “Bourbon” in general. More about that in a future article.
In 2014 the Kentucky Distillers Association was able to obtain the original resolution from the United States Archive for temporary display at The Frazier History Museum. It was the first and only time this historic declaration had been removed from the Archive. This action certainly shows the power that Kentucky Bourbon wields in the industry!
Globally consumers usually think of American Whiskey as being a Kentucky Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey. However, there are a number of other Whiskey types produced in the United States and Canada – referred to collectively as “New World Whiskies”.
In fact, the New World Whiskey family has a greater number of classifications than those found in the Old-World tradition. Why? This is due to the more diverse range of grain crops, weather conditions and distilling cultures found on the North American continent when compared to those of the Irish and British Isles. A look at the rules governing the production of these Whiskey families illustrates the fact that while they are all entitled to be called “Whiskey” they do have significant production differences.
New World Whiskey (North America) Types…
Bourbon
Rye
Corn
Wheat
Malt
Single Malt (under consideration)
Tennessee
Blended
Light
Spirit
Canadian
Flavor
Grain
Blended
Single Malt
Let’s point out that a qualified product can simply be called a “Whiskey” – that means it was made according to the broad global Whiskey standard and does not comply with any of the other specific Whiskey classifications. A geographic descriptor may add some definition to such a product. For example, a “Kentucky Whiskey” product would be an undefined Whiskey type that was made in Kentucky.
The standards of identity that govern the production of Whiskey in the United States were adopted in 1935, after the Repeal of Prohibition. They have remained largely unchanged and are as follows:
Bourbon – a Whiskey crafted in the USA from a mash that is composed of at least 51 % corn and any mixture of other grains. It must be distilled to no more than 160°, must enter charred new oak barrels at no higher than 125° and bottled at a minimum of 80° with nothing added to it but pure water.
Straight Bourbon - Bourbon that has been aged at least two years in new, charred, white oak barrels.
Bottled-in-Bond – Bourbon produced at one distillery during one distilling season, aged a minimum of four years and bottled at 100°.
Tennessee Whiskey – a whiskey made in Tennessee - while conforming to the same standards of Bourbon. However, the one difference that sets Tennessee whiskies apart is the additional step of charcoal-mellowing after distillation and prior to barreling.
The following Whiskey types are all derived from the Bourbon standard differing only in their grain recipe dominance. Their big exception is that none are “distinctive” to the USA. All have the ability to be “Straight” and “Bonded” as well as having some unique features as well.
Rye Whiskey – the predominant grain must be rye, not corn.
Rye Malt - Rye Whiskey made from 100% rye.
Rye Mash - Rye Whiskey aged in used barrels.
Wheat Whiskey – the predominant grain must be wheat, not corn.
Malt Whiskey – the predominant grain must be malted.
Corn Whiskey – a Whiskey crafted from a mash that contains at least 80 % corn and any mixture of other grains. It must be distilled to no more than 160°, and if stored in oak containers stored at not higher than 125°in used or uncharred new oak containers and not subjected in any manner to treatment with charred wood.
Straight Corn – a Corn Whiskey that is crafted to the same standards as straight Bourbon.
Blended - is a blend which contains straight Whiskey or a blend of straight Whiskies at not less than 20 percent on a proof gallon basis, excluding alcohol derived from added harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials, and neutral spirits.
Blended Bourbon - a blended Whiskey containing not less than 51% on a proof gallon basis of straight Bourbon.
Blended Rye - a blended Whiskey containing not less than 51% on a proof gallon basis of straight Rye Whiskey.
Blended Wheat - a blended Whiskey containing not less than 51% on a proof gallon basis of straight Wheat Whiskey.
Blended Straight –a blend of 100% straight Whiskies.
Light Whiskey – a Whiskey, lighter in taste and body than its conventional Whiskey predecessors. It is distilled at a much higher proof (161 to 189°) than traditional American Whiskies and aged in used or uncharred new oak containers.
Spirit Whiskey - is a mixture of neutral spirits and not less than 5% Whiskey on a proof gallon basis of whiskey, or straight Whiskey and Whiskey, if the straight Whiskey component is less than 20% on a proof gallon basis.
Canadian Whisky – a whiskey made in Canada from a blend of whiskies each distilled from a fermented mash of corn, rye, wheat, and/or barley. The classic method of producing Canadian Whisky is to blend component whiskies with grain Whiskey and to add a non-whiskey-based blender.
Flavor – a full-flavored component Whisky that is crafted like a Rye or Bourbon Whiskey and aged in new, charred barrels.
Grain – a light bodied component Whisky that is column distilled at 185- 189°and aged in used barrels for a minimum of three years.
Blended – a blend of component Whiskies, predominately made up of grain Whisky, with a blender added that may contain sherry, sweetener, caramel coloring and concentrated fruit juice.
Single Malt - a Whisky distilled at a single distillery from water and malted barley without the addition of any other cereals, and by batch distillation in pot stills.
These classifications account for thousands of different brands which are primarily distributed in the US market. So, what sets Bourbon Whiskey apart from the other New World Whiskey types? Several things – the use of corn, the use of new charred barrels and the fact that it is “the distinctive spirit of America.” More on the reasons for these distinctions in the next issue of The Voice.
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