American Whiskey

American Whiskey and Bourbon

Americans' absolute favourite spirit is undoubtedly the well-known bourbon whiskey, which can, in principle, be produced throughout the USA. And yes, the Scottish "whisky" is spelled "whiskey" in American English, and the same actually applies to Irish whiskey.

Bourbon Whiskey

Most of the American bourbon whiskey production takes place in the state of Kentucky, and it is therefore also referred to as Kentucky (Straight) Bourbon Whiskey. There are a number of rules for the production of bourbon whiskey, including that it must be made in the USA. In addition, the proportion of corn must be at least 51% of the total grains used. And last but not least, bourbon whiskey must be aged in new American white oak barrels; that is, not in used barrels, and it is this aging rule that largely contributes to most other whiskey-producing countries and rum producers aging their whiskey and rum in used bourbon barrels. It is a requirement for using the designation "Straight" bourbon whiskey that the product must have been aged for a minimum of 2 years.

Most Popular Whiskey and Bourbon

In a huge country like the USA, with approximately 300 million people, there is naturally a plethora of bourbon whiskey producers, and some of the most famous are Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Maker's Mark, and Buffalo Trace. If you wonder why Jack Daniel's is not on this list, it's because Jack Daniel's is a Tennessee Whiskey.