Bourbon vs. Whiskey vs. Scotch

Many would wrongfully consider whiskey to be the same thing as scotch or bourbon. That’s alright, no one is nitpicking. Well, that’s not strictly true.

You’ll always have that guy at parties explaining the difference between bourbon, whiskey, and scotch to everyone.

The thing is, although there are people who know their way around the subject, many tend to oversimplify the differences between the three beverages.

If you want to be someone who can confidently point out the difference of bourbon vs. whiskey vs. scotch, hop on board. This is going to be quite a journey.

Whiskey

Before you start getting into all the bourbons, scotches, rye types, and so on, you should introduce yourself to whiskey, as a beverage, first. Why? Because whiskey is at the top of the tree. Every scotch and every bourbon is essentially a type of whiskey.

So, what’s whiskey? Well, it’s an alcoholic beverage (distilled, of course), that’s made of fermented grain mash. It’s most commonly aged in wooden casks, which is the reason for that distinct color and taste.

But, as it turns out, there are a number of whiskey subsets that can cause confusion.

What Is Bourbon?

This is a good question, but it works better when formatted differently.

The better question would be, what makes whiskey, bourbon? Yes, bourbon is one of the most popular whiskey subsets. It’s also a quite common trigger for whiskey lovers when confused with whiskey. Although they’ll cringe at this, saying that whiskey and bourbon are a similar thing isn’t technically wrong.

Some whiskeys are considered bourbons. But what makes whiskey, bourbon?

Well, the grains from which bourbon is distilled need to be, at the very least, 51%, wheat, rye, malted rye grain, or malted barley. Also, the entire bourbon mixture is stored in containers that are additive-free. This is what makes bourbon specific.

Is Tennessee Whiskey Bourbon?

Jack Daniel’s is one of the most popular whiskeys in the world. Everyone is familiar with its unique branding and many whiskey connoisseurs can easily tell it apart from other whiskeys. There are many people who’ll tell you that Jack Daniel’s is a bourbon, not a whiskey.

Well, the fact that a beverage is a bourbon doesn’t mean that it’s not a whiskey at the same time. Plus, Jack Daniel’s is a Tennessee whiskey.

So, the real question here is whether or not Tennessee whiskey can be considered bourbon.

The main difference between Tennessee whiskey and bourbon is that the former uses a filtering method that’s known as the Lincoln County Process. In this process, whiskey is filtered through charcoal and only then poured into the casks. This isn’t the process that bourbons go through. Therefore, Tennessee whiskey is definitely not the same thing as bourbon.

So, the next time someone approaches you and starts telling you how Jack Daniel’s is a bourbon, not a whiskey, be sure to tell them about the Lincoln County Process.

Scotch

The simplest explanation here is this: Scotch is whisky. But whisky isn’t the same thing as whiskey. Confused? No one can blame you.

In the world of whiskey, a single letter can mean a world of difference. In this example, the missing letter “e” means that a whiskey type has been both distilled and matured in Scotland. Therefore, whisky pretty much equals scotch.

Scotch is made from malted barley, whereas bourbon is made from corn. Still, you’ll find that the taste of scotch and bourbon is very similar, despite the different processes.

The difference here is that scotch does have its trademark bite towards the back of your tongue when you swallow it. This will turn away many people. For some, though, this can be a thing of acquired taste. In other words, it’s this bite that people grow fond of when it comes to scotch.

Canadian Whisky

Nope, it’s not a typo. Canadian whisky is also spelled without the “e.” However, nobody calls it Canadian scotch. The coined term here is “rye whisky.” Now, Canadian whisky is light and smooth. Although it’s usually made with various grains, corn is prevalent most of the time.

Don’t think that rye is added to Canadian whisky. Canadian whisky owes its rye whisky nickname to the fact that rye was a popular addition to it a while back. The name kind of stuck since then.

Rye, on the other hand, is a whiskey distilled from 51% rye, at least.

Irish Whiskey

The Irish are famous for their whiskey drinking habits. Ireland actually exports one of the world’s most popular Irish whiskey choices: Jameson.

Although Ireland and Scotland are geographically close, their whiskeys (or whisky, in Scotland’s case) are nowhere near similar. Firstly, where scotch goes through the distillation process twice, Irish whiskey is distilled thrice before being bottled.

Taste-wise, Irish whiskey is much different to scotch. A lot of barley goes into Irish whiskey and it doesn’t have a smoky taste that you’ll notice when drinking scotch.

But here’s a fun fact about Irish whiskey. If you use the same process to make whiskey and age it outside of Ireland, it can’t be referred to as “Irish whiskey.” Legally, if you want your whiskey to be considered Irish, it has to be aged in wooden casks in Ireland for at least three years.

Japanese Whisky

Whenever you think “Japan” and “alcohol,” you probably tend to think of their rice wine, sake. However, every true whiskey connoisseur knows that the Japanese aren’t to be messed with when it comes to the quality of their whisky.

And yes, their whisky is spelled without the “e” as well. If you’re wondering why they’ve dropped the “e,” it’s because the first Japanese master distiller, Masataka Taktsuru, learned his craft in Scotland.

So, expect quite a treat when drinking Japanese whisky. The best way to explain the taste, the bite, the flavor, and the smell of it is, well, “it’s kind of scotch-y.”

White Whiskey

Way back in the first half of the 20th century, during the prohibition era, people were trying to get around the law to make themselves some homemade beverages. Moonshine was probably among the most popular. The term was derived from “moonrakers,” early English smugglers.

However, there was nothing remotely nice about moonshine. It wasn’t a beverage of high quality and the taste wasn’t consistent. Moonshine was made by quickly distilling non-aged corn mash.

For a while now, alcoholic beverages have been legal for everyone of age. However, you’ll still see whiskey bottles labeled “moonshine” in the stores.

This is what’s called white whiskey – it’s basically your regular whiskey that hasn’t been aged inside a wooden cask. Therefore, its color is white and clear. The beverage basically tastes like whiskey-flavored vodka.

Cool Whiskey Facts

Whether we’re talking about scotch, bourbon, rye, or any other whiskey type, there are a lot of cool facts about whiskey that you may have never heard before. Here are some.

The Still Shape Can Tell You About the Whiskey Flavor

There are a lot of factors that make a whiskey taste like it does. But then there’s the basic character of it that a trained eye would be able to spot purely by looking at the stills where it’s distilled. The pots that are tall and slim will produce mild and smooth whiskeys. Short pots make for whiskeys with a strong, fuller taste.

Doctors Used to Prescribe Whiskey

Back during the prohibition era, you could actually, legally, get a whiskey prescription. Doctors could apply for a particular license that would let them write medicinal liquor prescriptions, which mainly boiled down to whiskey or brandy.

Then, a patient, carrying a prescription, would visit the local chemist and get their alcoholic beverage from them. The process was similar to medicinal marijuana prescribed today.

Imagine a world where, in order to get your buzz on, you could go to the doctor’s office and then visit the local chemist, instead of going straight to a bar.

Whiskey Has Health Benefits

Alcoholic beverages aren’t good for you. Well, not if you take them in obscene amounts and on a frequent basis.

However, many alcoholic beverages can actually have a positive effect on your health, provided the intake is reasonable.

Drinking moderate amounts of whiskey has been shown to have cancer prevention properties, and reduces the possibilities of heart disease and strokes. Plus, it can lower the risk of dementia in adults.

George Washington Loved His Whiskey

If you ever wondered what you have in common with the first president of the United States, it’s the love for whiskey.

In fact, he was so keen on whiskey, that he actually opened a distillery. By 1799, the year of his death, George Washington was the nation’s largest whiskey producer.

And he isn’t the only leader who was a hard-core fan of the brew. The same goes for Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson, and many others. Nikola Tesla loved whiskey and Johnny Depp is a connoisseur.

The Inventor of Whiskey Is Unknown

Whiskey isn’t a young beverage. In fact, it’s old enough for its origin to be unknown. It’s generally believed that it used to be crafted by monks.

Then, King Henry VIII dissolved every monastery that used to make liquor. And this was in the 16th century! Who knows where whiskey actually comes from, let alone who was the person who invented it.

40 is the Right Number for Scotch

And we aren’t talking about years here. The minimum strength for scotch needs to be 40% ABV, which means Alcohol by Volume.

So, the vast majority of scotch beverages and whiskeys, in general, have a 40% alcohol content. However, the strength can go up to as much as 60%, which is a completely different game.

To be safe, check the alcohol content whenever you pour from a bottle that you haven’t seen before.

The Most Expensive Whiskey in the World

If you’re wondering what’s the most expensive whiskey in the world, it’s Isabella’s Islay. It sells for a whopping $6,200,000. Yes, you read that right. But it’s not the taste of this whiskey that warrants this head-spinning price tag.

It’s the 8,500 diamonds, 300 rubies, and white gold that the bottle is made of. Still, the whiskey itself is one of the finest ever made. It’s scotch.

A significantly more reasonable, yet still staggering price tag goes to the Macallan ‘M.’ Its last bottle was sold at an auction in Hong Kong a couple of years back for more than $600,000.

The bottle is 6 liters, and the brew itself was aged in Spanish oak for 25-75 years. Of course, the decanter is made out of crystal, handcrafted by 17 crafters.

The Oldest Whiskey in the World

It’s said that, unlike wine, whiskey doesn’t change its taste and flavor for up to 100 years.

Well, the Glenavon Special Liqueur Whisky puts this to the test. This one was packaged somewhere around the mid-19th century. It still holds the record for the world’s oldest whiskey and is a part of the Guinness World Records.

Whiskey and Beer are Related

Everyone knows the effect that a whiskey and beer combo can make on your night out – it makes for wild, wild partying. It also makes for horribly regretful mornings. Still, whiskey and beer seem to go hand-in-hand together.

There’s some logic behind this. Whiskey is actually made from distilled beer, called “wort.” Wort is pretty much made from the exact same ingredients that you’ll find in beer – water, malt, and yeast. The whiskey-making process is done in this way to avoid pests.

The Whiskey Variety

It’s not only about the battle of bourbon vs. whiskey vs. scotch. Not only are there many other whiskey types out there, but it all actually boils down to preference.

A true whiskey lover will appreciate all whiskey and whisky types, from rye, over bourbon, and all the way to Japanese whisky and moonshine.

We hope that this has helped you distinguish the different types of whiskey and that you’ve learned a fun thing or two about this popular spirit.