Bourbon

There are 6 different types of categories — single barrel, cask strength, wheated, high rye, high corn and high batch. Single Barrel — The bottles come from one barrel and it does not blend with any others. The flavours come from different barrels of the same single barrel bourbon as the number of pieces of wood, char in barrel, and condition in which the barrel was aged will change. Cask Strength — These are great bourbons that are not only packed with punches, but are also known as some of the tastiest ones in the world. Before bottling, most bourbons are cut again with water to give the distiller the desired evidence. Since these come straight from the barrel, they tend to have a spicy palette with burns from the barrel and notes of char. Wheated — This is a bourbon style in which distilled liquor manufacturers use wheat as a secondary ingredient in Mashville. This reduces the taste of spiciness, acidity and flowers. They are more on the softer and nutter side on the palette. High Rye — The core ingredients of all bourbon are corn, barley and rye. Traditional recipes usually contain about 10% rye, but some bourbons exceed that 10% for a stronger and spicy flavour. High Corn — These bourbons are known for their sweet taste. Despite their sweet taste, these bourbons should not be confused with corn whiskey, which is a different and distinct category of whiskey. Small Batch — It is a bourbon produced that are mixed into small selected barrels.

There are a variety of bourbon with different heritage and flavour which are worth exploring. There are 5 brands that can be the right choice for beginner bourbon drinkers. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Basil Hayden’s Bourbon Wild Turkey 101 Proof Bourbon Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon W.L. Weller 12 Year Bourbon

There are many different ways to taste different kinds of bourbon but here is the standard way to taste it. Pour and observe the colour - Generally, the lighter the colour, the lighter the taste. The darker the bourbon, it is richer and has higher proof. Nose the glass - Pick up and tilt the glass while placing the glass near your nose rim. Afterwards, breathe through your nose while parting your lips so that you will be able to smell more than the strong scent of the alcohol. Taste test - Take a sip and hold the bourbon in your mouth. Do not swallow immediately as you need to take note of what you taste. Repeat - You can add a few drops of water to the bourbon so to unearth different flavours in the bottle.

Some things to avoid with an unsealed bottle of bourbon are light and temperature as both will catalyse the chemicals which can affect the bourbon flavour. To store a bottle of bourbon properly, it is best to store it at places where temperature do not change often and is away from the light. Some preferred locations are the basement, a wine cellar, cabinet, closet or even a box.