What Actually is Bourbon? Exploring America's Beloved Spirit

America is the only place in the world where bourbon is made. But is bourbon not just another kind of whiskey? time to delve into the nation wide loved drink. How is it made? And why is it different than whiskey?

Bourbon is not the same as whisky or whiskey, so let's talk about what makes bourbon truly bourbon.
For a spirit to be called a bourbon, it must adhere to a set of rules. Here's a rundown:

When talking about straight bourbon, the new spirit a.k.a. the White Dog, must age in the barrel for at least two years. It can be called Kentucky straight if distilled in Kentucky and aged for at least one year in Kentucky, in addition to meeting the aforementioned criteria.

If you engage in a conversation about bourbon, you'll often hear that bourbon is sweet and lacking in flavor. Unfamiliar, often makes unappreciated. It's logical to find sweet bourbons—given that they always contain at least 51% corn and are stored in new oak barrels.

But just like whiskies, there's so much more and so many more flavors to savor. Precisely because the remaining 49 percent of the grain can vary greatly, bourbon offers a plethora of different taste profiles. It ranges from floral to nutty, from spicy and zesty to even smoky, and so on. There's something for everyone.

To truly understand how bourbon tastes, you must try it for yourself, and you can easily do this in the Netherlands. Not only are there numerous (independent) liquor stores offering a wonderful assortment of bourbons (and other American whisk(e)y) for sale, but regular tastings are also organized, both physically in stores and online.

If your cabinet is yet to welcome a bottle of bourbon, it might be a fun idea to get one today and raise a toast on bourbon day. This Whisky Monkey will definitively do that.

Read more about what we've written on bourbon here.