I know I usually write about wine, but I had a physician I know ask me a great question yesterday.   He said that he had been to multiple wine and spirits tastings and asked a question about the difference in whiskey, Tennessee whiskey, bourbon, etc.  He was given a “politician” type answer and said he knew as much before the question as after the answer.  This also brushes on another pet peeve of mine about wine and spirits “salesmen” knowing their products, but I digress.

Let me first say that this is a subject with a huge amount of information that entire books have been written.  For the sake of time, we will limit our topic to North American Whiskey.  These whiskies share much in common but the subtle differences are what make the end product unique to each spirit.

Overall, to be called a (straight) whiskey in North America, it must meet certain guidelines.  It must contain a minimum of 51% and a maximum of 80% of one grain in its mash bill.  The spirit must be distilled to a maximum of 80% alcohol by volume (abv) and aged a minimum of 2 years in new charred oak barrels.  Also, whiskies that are less than 4 years old must state the age on the label.  Blended whiskies, on the other hand, must contain only 20% straight whiskey.  The remaining portion is usually inexpensive neutral grain spirit.

Whiskey with a more specific title, such as rye whiskey or Tennessee whiskey, must meet all the regulations applied to straight whiskey in addition to other certain criteria.  Rye whiskey, for example, must be made with a mash bill of not less than 51% rye.  Tennessee whiskey, by definition, must be distilled in Tennessee and use the “Lincoln County Process.”   This process involves the spirit being filtered through a column of maple wood charcoal before the ageing process.

Canadian whiskey is much more liberal in their rules for labeling.  First, there are no restrictions as far as the grains in the mash.  Usually, corn is the majority with some rye for added flavor.  As expected, the spirit must be distilled in Canada and must possess “the aroma, taste, and character of a Canadian whiskey.”  This obviously leaves some room for interpretation.  The surprising nuance is that the final product may include portions (up to 2%) of any neutral grain spirit, sherry or even fruit based wines and still be labeled as Canadian whiskey.

Since I live in the south, I saved Bourbon for last.  Although extremely popular with the south eastern United States, bourbon can be made anywhere in the country.  These straight whiskies must contain a minimum of 51% maize (typically 70%) with the common use of wheat and rye for the balance.  They are stored in a hot warehouse that accelerates the ageing process, extracting tannins, sugar, color and the typical coconut and vanilla flavors from the wood.  Sugar is not a permitted addition, so it’s the wood extracts breaking down during the ageing process that creates this naturally sweet spirit. Unlike Scotch whiskies, where caramel can be added, all the color must come from the ageing process.

Although this just scratches the surface of defining the group of spirits we call whiskey, I hope it helps clarify the components, rules and differences of this tasty beverage.  No matter if you prefer yours “neat”, on the rocks, or mixed in your favorite cocktail, spring is a wonderful time to relax with a glass of American heritage, whiskey.  Cheers!

Tags: alcohol, bourbon, bourbon whiskey, canadian whiskey, Dennis Fraley, distilled spirit, featured, Florence wine, Florence wine guy, mash, mash bill, rye whiskey, sc wine guy, spirit, spirits, Tennessee whiskey, whiskey, wine wired, winewired