What is bourbon? Bourbon is a type of American whiskey with a protected designation of origin. This means that every bourbon is a US whiskey, but not every American whiskey is a bourbon. Bourbon is made from a grain recipe that must consist of at least 51% corn. This recipe is known as a mash bill and varies from bourbon to bourbon in terms of the ingredients, which can include rye or wheat and a small amount of malted barley in addition to corn. What does bourbon taste like Most bourbons are characterised by sweet vanilla flavours. You will often find bright oak tones, cherry tones and fine spices such as nutmeg and allspice. Thanks to its intense flavours, bourbon is also suitable for whiskey cocktails and long drinks. If you would like more information about bourbon, click here. Have fun discovering!

What is bourbon?

Bourbon is THE American whiskey. What do you think of when you hear the word bourbon? Perhaps the image of a western in which the cowboy drinks his bourbon in a saloon comes to mind. Perhaps you think of a gentleman in a suit, draining his bourbon in one go in a New York hotel bar before marching off to his business meeting. Or do you think of Kentucky and the famous Kentucky Derby horse race? The bourbon cliché is right about at least one thing: Bourbon is part of the heart of the USA and a piece of American history. From dockworkers to presidents, bourbon is a part of every social class in the United States of America. Even George Washington, the first president of the USA, is said to have produced whiskey on his farmland.

Where does bourbon come from?

So let's get this straight: Every bourbon is an American whiskey. But not every American whiskey is a bourbon. Bourbon is not just a term with a protected designation of origin. Bourbon is also subject to fixed regulations and quality criteria. Contrary to the widespread misconception that "bourbon must come from Kentucky", bourbon can be produced anywhere in the USA. However, this fallacy is no coincidence, as around 95% of all bourbon is produced in Kentucky. That's why you see "Kentucky Straight Bourbon" on so many labels. You can find out what the "straight" is all about below.

What does bourbon taste like?

Many bourbons are characterised by intense aromas of vanilla, honey, light oak and spicy notes. These flavours are typical of the fresh American white oak barrels in which bourbon matures. You will also often find fruity notes such as cherries and orange, nutty notes or fine spices such as nutmeg and allspice. Of course, each bourbon brand has its own character, depending on the mash bill, yeast, distillation, age and barrel ageing. Low rye bourbons are round and smooth, high rye bourbons tend to be more flavoursome and varied, wheated bourbons are usually sweeter and lighter. You will almost never find smoke in bourbon, however, as smoky whisky is usually produced by kilning the barley malt over peat fires. This process is common in Scotland. However, as bourbon usually only contains a very small (unpeated) proportion of malted barley, you won't find any smoke here either. Due to its intense flavours, bourbon is also suitable for whiskey cocktails and long drinks.

Our bourbon recommendations

The best entry-level bourbons:

1. Maker's Mark - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky: A smooth and sweet entry-level bourbon at a low price. The wheated bourbon impresses with sweet honey, light-coloured fruit and light wood tones. At 45% vol. it is strong enough to also be used for whisky cocktails. Top value for money!
2. Four Roses Small Batch - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: A prime example of a delicious high rye bourbon. With a rye content of over 20%, the Four Roses Small Batch has a fantastic array of flavours. Here you will find honey, caramel and citrus fruits as well as cherries, Christmas spices and rye bread warm from the oven. Bottled in small batches of around 250 barrels, this bourbon whiskey matures for no less than 6 years. A clear recommendation!
3. Basil Hayden's 8 years - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: This bourbon comes from Jim Beam and shows that there is more going on here than just supermarket whiskey. Basil Hayden's is also a high rye bourbon, but significantly spicier and drier than the Four Roses Small Batch. Those who are not so keen on sweet whiskeys will be delighted here. Fans of dry red wines will get their money's worth here. However, thanks to 40% vol., Basil Hayden's is very smooth on the palate.
4. Bulleit Bourbon 10 Years - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: A spicy, mature high rye bourbon with a great price-performance ratio. A full 28% rye content makes this bourbon a spicy delight. Apricots, vanilla and a strong spiciness of cloves and black pepper characterise Bulleit. Top bourbon for mixing!

Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight 45%vol. 0,7l

(31,41 €* per 1,0l)

Content: 0.7l

Without colouring

€21.99 * €22.99 * RRP

€0.00 *

Bulleit Bourbon 10 Years Kentucky Straight...

(43,56 €* per 1,0l)

Content: 0.7l

Without colouring

€30.49 * €34.99 * RRP

Knob Creek 50%vol. 0,7l

(47,84 €* per 1,0l)

Content: 0.7l

Without colouring

€33.49 * €34.99 * RRP

Pure Kentucky XO

(66,41 €* per 1,0l)

Content: 0.7l

Without colouring

€46.49 * €52.99 * RRP

Good bourbon for advanced connoisseurs:

1. Knob Creek Small Batch - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: A nice bridge between the low proof (low percentage) and high proof (high percentage) bourbons. At 50% vol., Knob Creek packs enough punch for a long drink, but is also great to drink neat or on ice. Spicy-sweet with aromas of toasted bread and warm butter, plus caramel, delicate nutty notes and dark chocolate.
2. Old Grand Dad 100 Proof - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: A great value for money Bottled in Bond Bourbon in a 1 litre bottle. At 100 proof (50% vol.), this is a great bourbon with liquorice, caramel, cardamom and a hint of speculoos. You can drink this bourbon neat in a nosing glass, in a tumbler with an ice cube or in a delicious Old Fashioned.
3. Pure Kentucky XO - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: An intense Kentucky straight bourbon from the Willet family with a strong 53.5% vol. flavours of dried fruit, red fruits, roasted grain, bread crust and gingerbread. A real insider tip.
4. Wild Turkey Rare Breed - Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Only for experienced connoisseurs due to the intense 58.4% vol. but a powerhouse in terms of flavour. Ripe raspberries and blueberries meet fresh wood shavings and citrus notes. Ginger, cloves and freshly baked bread with olive oil make this bourbon a delight. Be sure to try it.

How is bourbon made?

Bourbon is a special type of whiskey that is made from a grain composition of at least 51% corn. The mash bill, as this recipe is called, also partly defines the subsequent character of the respective bourbon brand. The distillation of bourbon is not fixed and is usually carried out in a continuous distillation process on column stills or patent stills. In addition to the column stills, however, there is also bourbon that is distilled on copper pot stills, similar to single malt Scotch whisky. Another special feature that distinguishes bourbon from other whiskies is the ageing process. Bourbon must by law be matured in fresh, burnt oak barrels. These fresh barrels made from American white oak (Virgin Oak) transfer intense aromas and colour to the bourbon in a short time. As new barrels are needed for every bourbon, this results in a large number of used bourbon barrels. These are gratefully bought up by whisky producers all over the world to mature their own whisky. These are now called ex-bourbon casks and serve as a new home for Irish whisky, Scotch whisky, Japanese whisky and many more.

What is straight bourbon?

You will see the term "straight" on almost all bourbon whiskeys that you can buy in Germany. Straight whiskey is an American categorisation of whiskey, which goes hand in hand with further rules and quality standards. Straight whiskey must be matured for at least 2 years. A bourbon without the suffix "straight" has no minimum ageing period in the USA. However, a straight bourbon must be at least 4 years old if no age is stated on the bottle. With an age statement, it should also be 2-4 years old. However, as only "whisky" or "whiskey" that has been in the barrel for three years or more can be sold in Europe, you will almost exclusively find straight bourbons here. This is because you can be sure that they are four years or older, even without an age indication. Straight whiskey must also contain no aromatic additives, no neutral alcohol and no colouring. With a straight bourbon, you can therefore rely on a natural colour. Straight bourbon is made from grain, water, yeast and maturation in fresh oak barrels, nothing else.

What does bottled in bond mean?

On some US whiskeys, you can read the term bottled in bond. This goes back to the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. At that time, whiskey was not a protected term in the USA. Some producers were out to make a quick buck and blended neutral alcohol or unaged whiskey with flavourings and colourings. The term bottled in bond was introduced to differentiate genuine, barrel-matured whiskey from cheap booze. Bottled in bond means that the whiskey must be produced in a distillery in a single distilling season. Furthermore, the whiskey must be matured for at least four years and bottled at at least 100 proof (50% vol.). Later, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 initiated the discussion about the term "straight whiskey", which was not resolved until 1909 by President Taft.

What is a sour mash?

When it comes to bourbon and other American whiskeys, you will often stumble across the term sour mash. But what does sour mash actually mean? The term translates as "sour mash" and refers to the process of mashing and fermentation. This is because fermentation is an enormously important part of the flavour profile for bourbon. In order for the flavours to be produced by the yeasts in the desired way, bacterial infestation must be prevented. The acidity of the mash is particularly important here. Distillation leaves a residue that still contains yeast cultures and is acidic. This sediment from the distillation is now added to the mash. This starts the fermentation process and at the same time prevents the growth of foreign bacteria and yeasts that could impair the flavour development. Contrary to the name, a sour mash does not result in sour flavours in the whiskey. It merely helps with the consistent quality of the bourbon. The sour mash process is also used for other American whiskeys.

What types of bourbon are there?

As already mentioned, bourbon is not made from a single type of grain, but from a blend. The grain composition is known as the mash bill. The mash bill also defines the various categorisations or bourbon styles. However, it must be said that the categorisation is not clearly defined. Most bourbons have a corn content of 70% or more. Bourbons with a corn content of 80-100% are referred to as Low Rye Bourbon or Standard Bourbons. Examples of low rye bourbons are Eagle Rare, Jim Beam, Evan Williams, Michter's Bourbon and Buffalo Trace. Bourbons with a higher rye content are known as High Rye Bourbon. The High Rye Bourbons have more aromatic flavour from the rye. Examples include Four Roses, Wild Turkey and Bulleit bourbons. The proportion of rye in a high rye mash bill depends on the definition of the respective brand and distillery. As a rule, a high rye bourbon is said to be a high rye bourbon if 12% or more rye is present in the mash bill. However, if the mash bill consists of corn, wheat and barley, it is referred to as a wheated bourbon. These are lighter and sweeter than bourbons with rye. Examples of wheated bourbons are Maker's Mark, Larceny Bourbon and WL Weller.

Bourbon cocktails

1. Old Fashioned: The No. 1 among bourbon cocktails. How do you make an Old Fashioned? There are countless variations. Here are the basics: Take a tumbler and add 1-2 dashes of sugar syrup, 3-5 dashes of a bitter and 8-10 cl of a bourbon of your choice. Add a large ice cube (it melts more slowly than many small ones). Finally, take an orange zest, squeeze it over the glass (or wet the rim of the glass with it) and pour it into the drink - your Old Fashioned is ready.
2. Mint Julep: The perfect bourbon drink for hot summer days. How do I make a mint julep? You need crushed ice, 1 cl sugar syrup and 10 cl bourbon. Add (fresh) mint if possible. Grab a tumbler and pour the sugar syrup and mint leaves into the glass first. If you want to be really original, get a copper julep cup. Now crush the mint leaves with a bar pestle or spoon. Now add the bourbon, for example a Four Roses Small Batch. Fill the glass with crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Your mint julep is ready.
3. Whiskey Sour/Bourbon Sour: Combine the sweetness of bourbon with the tartness of lemons. How does a whiskey sour work? You need lemon juice, bourbon and an orange zest or a cocktail cherry. If you like, you can add a little extra sweetness with maple syrup. Simply throw all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. That's it! You can drink the whiskey sour as it is or with an ice cube.