Bourbon

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Corks Out is proud to present a selection of the best Bourbon Whiskey. Feel free to browse online and choose your Bourbon Whiskey from our our selection. If you do have any questions on any of the Bottles of Bourbon Whiskey, please contact our customer services team.

History of Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon Whiskey is an American whiskey named after an area known as Old Bourbon in Kentucky in the deep south of the USA. Although bourbon can be made anywhere in the USA, this association which the southern states is still strong today.

Whisky Bourbon

For a whiskey to be Bourbon, it must be produced to a set of specific rules: firstly, it can be made anywhere in the USA but only Kentucky Bourbon can advertise the state where it is made; it must be aged at least 2 years in charred new white oak barrels. Any whiskey that has been aged for less than 4 years must state its age on the label (generally, 2 to 4 year old whiskies are best avoided!); it must contain at least 51% corn but no more than 80%; it’s distilled to a strength  of not more than 80% ABV; when placed in cask to age it must be 62.5% ABV or less; at the time of bottling, it must be reduced no lower than 40% ABV; finally, only water may be added. No colouring or flavouring can be added to straight whiskey.

A bourbon distiller must first determine the ‘mashbill’, which is basically a recipe of various grains from which the whiskey is to be made. Bourbon must consist of a minimum of 51% corn (though it’s usually nearer 70%), with the rest being made up of ‘small grains’, typically malted barley & either rye or wheat. Rye produces a heavier whiskey, while wheat results in a lighter one. Limestone water is then added to the grain and the mix in cooked in a pressure cooker to produce a ‘mash’. This cooking reduces the starch that’s present into fermentable sugars. Once this has happened, yeast is added, along with modern American whiskey’s essential ingredient – ‘sour mash’. This is the mash that is left over from the last batch of whiskey made – generally, around 25% is held back and added to the latest batch. This contains some of the yeast needed for fermentation and helps to keep out wild yeasts & ensures consistency between batches. Once fermented, this beer like liquid is then distilled once in a column still (usually) which takes the strength up to approximately 50% ABV and then again in a ‘doubler’, which continues to remove impurities & further increase the strength.

The most important part of the process for the creation of any Bourbon is the method of ageing – it must be aged for at least 2 years in a charred oak barrel which cannot be re-used for the same purpose. There are degrees of charring, from light to heavy, and while the spirit matures in the fluctuating temperatures of the warehouse, the charred oak adds vanilla & caramel flavours to the whiskey.