For most whiskey drinkers, malt whiskey is first and foremost scotch whisky, because most scotch is malt whiskey of some kind. Set to the same standards as wheat, rye and bourbon, but built off a minimum 51 percent malted barley mash. The most popular wheat whiskey is probably Heaven Hill Distillery’s Bernheim Straight Wheat Whiskey.Įxamples we like: Bernheim Straight Wheat Whiskey, Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey For whiskey purposes, wheat is often considered the opposite of rye: where rye gives strength and spice, wheat brings soft sweetness and floral notes.

Wheat whiskey is created from a mash of at least 51 percent wheat, too, and it far less popular than rye or bourbon. Like bourbon, rye and most American whiskeys, wheat whiskey is subject to the same production proof thresholds and must matured in charred new oak barrels. Plenty of ryes (especially those made in Kentucky) are made with the minimum rye grain and aren’t nearly as aggressive as those made popular by mega-distillers in Indiana.Įxamples we like: Old Forester Rye, Sagamore Spirit Rye, Rittenhouse Rye, Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye Wheat Whiskey Expect more pepper and spice-forward whiskeys from the rye category, but don’t be surprised by rye whiskey that’s nearly indistinguishable from bourbon. While no rules exist without exceptions, most rye whiskey is relatively affordable, and the spirit is known to reach peak maturity - when the whiskey is at its best - sooner than other whiskeys. The difference is in the balance of grains used in the mash with, as you might guess, rye making a majority of at least 51 percent. Rye has the same production proofing rules bourbon has - mashed below 80 percent ABV (160 proof) and aged below 62.5 percent ABV (125 proof). Small Batch, however, is not a legal term or type of whiskey. The mash base of the whiskey is comprised of more than 50 percent corn, so it’s bourbon, and it’s aged longer than two years so it qualifies as a straight bourbon as well. There is more variance and choice within bourbon than any other whiskey category, and though it was once considered great value for the money (especially compared to pricier scotch whisky), bourbon pricing has risen dramatically in recent years.Įxamples we like: Knob Creek Small Batch 9-Year, Four Roses Bourbon, Evan William Black Label Knob Creek’s 12-year-old Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Bourbon is the largest American whiskey category, and is known for appeasing a wide range of tastes and preferences. Bourbon also must not exceed 80 percent ABV (160 proof) in the mash, and cannot enter maturation barrels - all of which must be charred new oak - above 62.5 percent ABV (125 proof). Contrary to popular belief, bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky to be called bourbon (though Kentucky is often appended on the name of bourbon made there for marketing purposes). Bourbon Whiskeyīourbon is whiskey made from a mash of at least 51 percent corn. Ninety-nine percent of all decent whiskey is “straight” under these terms. In line with any whiskey designated as a bourbon, it is illegal for straight whiskeys to include added coloring. The “straight” prefix on a whiskey like bourbon or rye indicates that, legally, the whiskey inside those bottles has to have been aged in charred new oak containers for at least two years.

Here are all the types of whiskey you should know about, and what they are. How is corn whiskey different from bourbon whiskey? Is light whiskey for people on a diet? Why does Tennessee insist its whiskey isn’t bourbon? We’ve got your answers. More competition between producers makes better products, no doubt, and the quality of whiskey on shelves is in all likelihood also at an all-time high, but the wealth of options breeds confusion, too. For good and for bad, there is more whiskey (or whisky) on shelves today than there has been in the history of the spirit.

Kinds of whiskey brands