Toasted vs. Charred: Can It Be Both?
Toasting and charring is no gimmick, it’s wood science. Here’s why some distillers do both, and when a second barrel means it’s no longer bourbon. Yes, and here’s how. Toasting and charring is no gimmick. It’s wood science. Toasting is a slow, gentle heating of the inside of the barrel. It warms the […]
The ABCDEFGs of Bourbon
To make the rules of bourbon easy to remember, I created a quick guide: the A through G of what it takes to legally earn the name bourbon. To make the rules of bourbon easy to remember, I created a quick guide. The A through G of bourbon. A is for America Bourbon […]
All Bourbon Is Whiskey, But Not All Whiskey Is Bourbon
If a bottle says “Bourbon Whiskey” and stops right there, that means it followed every rule to earn the name bourbon. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. To be legally called bourbon, it has to meet a very specific set of regulations that have been in place since 1964. […]
Allocated vs. Rare vs. Dusty
Allocated Bourbon – Newer Releases that are produced in limited quantities and distributed selectively. They are often difficult to find due to high demand and limited supply (sometimes purposefully). Rare Bourbon – This is a broader term that can refer to both allocated and older bottles that are difficult to obtain due to scarcity, age, […]
