All bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. In 1964, the U.S. Congress recognized bourbon whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States” and outlined the rules of the spirit in Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
These regulations are:
• Bourbon must be produced in the U.S. and its territories.
• Bourbon must have a mash bill that contains at least 51% corn.
• Must be aged in new charred oak containers (barrels). Though the law doesn’t specify what kind of oak, most bourbon is aged in white oak.
• Distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% alcohol by volume), and put into the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume).
• Bourbon must be bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume).
• Bourbon must not contain any flavors or coloring. Nothing can be added to bourbon except for water.
Bourbon has no minimum specified duration for its aging period. However, “straight bourbon” must be aged at least of two years in new charred oak barrels. If the bourbon is aged less than four years, it must include an age statement on its label to tell the consumer how long it’s been aged.
