Tasting the rules of bourbon

Bourbon lovers love to rattle off a lot of facts. “At least 51% corn!” “New charred oak barrels!” “Distilled to no more than 160 proof!” We’re proud of the laws protecting our bourbon. But why do they actually matter?

Flavor. 

Whiskeys, including bourbon, are made from distilled grains and aged in casks. The type of grain, the type of yeast, how the whiskey is distilled, the type of cask it ages in, and how it ages all bring flavors and aromas to the whiskey. 

So, how can we break this down and taste these differences? 

Bernie Lubbers leads the way. 

Bernie Lubbers, The Whiskey Professor, Whiskey Ambassador for Heaven Hill, and author of Bourbon Whiskey-Our Native Spirit has a favorite whiskey tasting that eliminates as many variables as possible and focusing on highlighting two primary characteristics of bourbon: the impact of the new charred oak barrel and the impact of corn as bourbon’s primary grain. 

Bernie Lubber’s Favorite Tasting | Mellow Corn, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, and Rittenhouse Rye

  • All are made by Heaven Hill

  • All are 100 proof

  • All are 4 years old

  • All are distilled to no more than 160 proof

  • All enter into the barrel at no higher than 125 proof

Tasting the impact of a new charred oak barrel | Mellow Corn side by side with Evan Williams Bottled in Bond

Mellow Corn is a corn whiskey, not a bourbon whiskey. The primary difference between Mellow Corn and Evan Williams Bottled In Bond bourbon is the type of cask used to age the liquid. Mellow Corn is aged in used Evan Williams barrels and Evan Williams is aged in new charred oak barrels. The difference in the color, the difference in the flavor, is primarily coming from the impact of the new charred oak barrel. 

Carmel and vanilla are the two most common tasting notes in bourbon and both of them come from the new charred oak barrel (among many many other flavors). You’ll get some of this in the Mellow Corn, but it’s not nearly as forward or complex, because aging in a used barrel simply doesn’t bring as much of that barrel flavor into the whiskey. 

Disclaimer: There’s a small difference in the mashbill (recipe), Evan Williams is 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley. Mellow Corn is 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley. 

Tasting the impact of corn as the primary grain | Evan Williams Bottled in Bond side by side with Rittenhouse Rye. 

The primary difference between Rittenhouse Rye and Evan Williams Bottled in Bond is the mashbill (recipe). Rittenhouse Rye has the same three grains as both the Mellow Corn and the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, but Rittenhouse Rye leads with rye. Rittenhouse Rye is 51% rye, 35% corn, 14% malted barley.

Like bourbons, ryes must be aged in new charred oak barrels. So when tasting these two whiskeys side by side, the primary difference in the flavor is the grain. Imagine eating cornbread vs. rye bread. Cornbread has a sweeter quality while rye bread has bold and spicy qualities. Those differences show up in the flavor of the whiskey.

Bernie Lubbers is right, this is a hell of a tasting.

To nerd out listen to Mark and Matt chat with Bernie Lubbers on Episode 121 of the Bourbon Life. 

Episode 121 (Season 3, Episode 22) - Bernie Lubbers, Whiskey Brand Ambassador - Heaven Hill

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AN INEXPENSIVE ENTRY INTO BOURBON