American Whiskey Made Easy 

By Charles K. Cowdery

American whiskey isn't complicated, until you try to explain it.


"American whiskey? What's that?"

"You know, bourbon."

"Oh, right. Like Jack Daniel's."

"Yes, except Jack Daniel's isn't bourbon, it's Tennessee whiskey."

"Okay, so bourbon has to be made in Kentucky, then?"

"No, bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States."

"How about Jim Beam? Is that bourbon?"

"Yes."

"Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, Evan Williams, Knob Creek?"

"Yes, all bourbons."

"Crown Royal, Seagram's 7 Crown?"

"No, Crown Royal is Canadian whiskey and Seagram's 7 is an American blended whiskey."

"So what is sour mash?"


It goes downhill from there.


Know Thy Whiskies

Actually, American (that is, USA) whiskey is a lot easier to understand than you might think. There are two basic kinds, blends and straights. Within straights, there are a couple of different types, but they have more in common than most people think.


First, let's get blends out of the way. Seagram's 7 Crown is an American blended whiskey, the most popular brand. Kessler and Philadelphia are other examples. American blends contain a small amount of straight whiskey (20 to 40 percent) mixed with plain alcohol (i.e., vodka) as well as flavoring and coloring ingredients. They have a very mild flavor and usually are served mixed, in drinks such as the 7-and-7 (7 Crown and 7Up). Some Manhattan drinkers prefer blended, rather than straight, whiskey.


Second, there are the straights. A bottle of American straight whiskey contains only whiskey and water, no flavoring or coloring is added. Straight whiskey is made by mixing together ground grain and water (the "mash"), cooking it, adding yeast so it ferments, distilling the result until it is 60 to 80 percent alcohol, then aging it in oak barrels for several years.


Beyond that, there are a couple of different types, and this is where it can get confusing. The most popular type is bourbon, but the most popular brand is Jack Daniel's, which is not bourbon. Yet Jack Daniel's tastes like bourbon, is used like bourbon, and is made exactly like bourbon except it goes through an additional step, the famous "Lincoln County Process."


So, does that step disqualify it from being called bourbon? Not necessarily. Jack Daniel's isn't called bourbon because it doesn't want to be called bourbon, it wants to be called Tennessee Whiskey, and since it is the most popular American whiskey in the world, it can. (All this, except the "most-popular-in-the-world" part, is also true of George Dickel.)


There are a couple of other non-bourbon American straight whiskey types. One is Kentucky whiskey, of which the leading if not only example is Early Times. Bourbon must be aged in new barrels. Early Times uses mostly new barrels, but also some second-hand ones, so it can't be bourbon, even though in every other respect it is. Not coincidentally, both Early Times and Jack Daniel's are made by Brown-Forman.


The other three types of American straight whiskey — bourbon, corn and rye — are distinguished by their ingredients. Bourbon must be at least 51 percent corn and is usually more like 75 percent. Corn whiskey is at least 80 percent corn. Rye whiskey is at least 51 percent rye. Bourbon and rye must be aged in new barrels. Corn whiskey can be aged in either new or used barrels.


Corn whiskey is mostly a novelty; Georgia Moon is the most popular brand. Rye once was very popular and is enjoying a resurgence. Popular brands are Wild Turkey Rye, Jim Beam Rye, Old Overholt and Rittenhouse. Premium brands include Sazerac, Van Winkle and Old Potrero.


Although bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Kentucky whiskey are always mostly corn, the other grains used can be anything. Rye is the most common No. 2 grain. Corn is sweet, but its flavor is mild. Rye is drier but also more flavorful, so they make a good combination. A few brands use wheat instead of rye as their No. 2 grain, Maker's Mark most famously but also Old Fitzgerald and W. L. Weller, as well as most of the Van Winkles. Wheat is milder than rye but still adds flavor to the corn.


The Particulars

All this talk about types may lead you to believe that if two whiskies are the same "on paper" (same type, same grains, etc.) they will taste the same, but nothing could be further from the truth. What makes each brand taste the way it does is an almost magical confluence of forces, carefully managed by the master distiller if only imperfectly understood. The water makes a difference, so does the type of yeast. Some distillers think it matters what type of grain mill you use, or whether you cook your mash under pressure or not. The list of variations is endless.


Aging is hugely important, not just the length of time but also the barrel's location in the warehouse and many other factors. Barrels for American straight whiskey are always new, white oak, and burned on their inside surface. That produces a lot of flavor. Most standard straight whiskey (e.g., Jim Beam, Jack Daniel's, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, Old Grand-Dad) is aged from four to six years. Many premium and super-premium brands (Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Eagle Rare, Elijah Craig) are aged longer, with the oldest being about 23 years old. Older is not necessarily better, but it definitely is different. The fresh flavors of grain and yeast give way to smoke, vanilla and anise from the wood.


Confusion about American whiskey often takes the form of firmly held beliefs that are not true. For example, bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky. This myth has evolved as an explanation for why Jack Daniel's is not bourbon. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States. Not too many years ago, as much bourbon was made in Illinois as Kentucky.

Today, Virginia Gentleman is the principal non-Kentucky bourbon.

Some people think sour mash is a type of whiskey. Sour mash is actually a process used during fermentation, one that every straight whiskey maker employs. Some just choose to mention it on their label.


Although American straight whiskey can be mixed (Jack and Coke is ubiquitous, and the Manhattan is a classic), it is best enjoyed neat, with water or on the rocks. That is the ideal way to explore and appreciate its unique and complex flavor. NCB


Charles K. Cowdery is the author of "Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey." Find out more at his Web site: www.bourbonstraight.com.