American Whiskey
American whiskey comprises a huge swath of sub-categories, and most of the whiskeys you’ll encounter fall into one of these. Bourbon (distinguished by its 51%-or-greater corn mashbill) is undoubtedly the largest of these, with Rye (at least 51% rye) arguably second. Tennessee Whiskey (a subset of Bourbon, made in Tennessee and charcoal mellowed) is another major, with Wheat Whiskey, Corn Whiskey, and Malt Whiskey all having their adherents. White whiskey (unaged whiskey) is another segment growing in size. Other categories, including Blended Whiskey, Light Whiskey, and Spirit Whiskey can also be found occupying this broad catch-all category.
Top American Whiskey Categories:
Bourbon
Tennessee Whiskey
Rye
Wheat Whiskey
American Single Malt
Was it the crowds (insane), the heat (manageable), or the rumor that some lady had thrown up near the buffet an hour into the event (just gross, yet credible)? Whatever the case this year I found myself not in the whiskey groove at the ordinarily smashing Whiskies of the World San Francisco event. It was…
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Bulleit Bourbon is incredibly popular in San Francisco, and yesterday I got to spend a little time with the man behind the brand, Tom Bulleit. A Vietnam vet and reformed attorney, Bulleit waxed philosophical on his whiskey, an adaptation of a mid-1800s recipe passed down from his great great grandfather. Bulleit is a spicy, citrus…
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Our third single barrel Four Roses review in as many years (see 2008, 2009 here), Four Roses is commemorating its 100th year of operation with this release. Congrats, but we’re the real winners here. With this heady, 110-proof (est.) bourbon, expect a deeper and more sultry Four Roses than you might be accustomed to. Crafted…
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When people drink bourbon (and they’re not drinking Jack Daniel’s), they turn to Maker’s Mark in droves. Millions of bottles of Maker’s are sold each year, each with the familiar red wax seal. Now Maker’s is finally realizing that there might be something to the idea of additional expressions of its whiskey, and soon it…
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Malt Advocate‘s John Hansell called this whiskey the “American Whiskey of the Year” (2009), a heavy honor from a man who samples hundreds of whiskies a year and certainly knows his stuff. I finally tracked down a bottle — not an easy task — to see what all the fuss was about. The idea: To…
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Our friends at BourbonBlog.com came up with this one, to be “unveiled” at la.venue in New York on Saturday, January 30. It is presented here without comment. The Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Cocktail Recipe from BourbonBlog.com’s Stephen Dennison & Tom Fischer Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey Evan Williams Honey Reserve 1 Bottle of Hefeweizen beer Bottle…
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Kentucky Straight Bourbon, y’all. Can you beat it? Black Maple Hill is a small batch distillery producing this simple spirit, with no age statement. The bourbon is extremely citrus in character, with big orange notes and nose leading into some wood tones. The finish is silky and sweet, but not too much so. Overall it’s…
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Booze: The gift that keeps on giving, whether you like it or not. It’s now tradition at Drinkhacker to look back at the best new spirits of the year, offering our suggestions on our favorite tipples — and the stuff that’s most likely to impress your holiday giftee should he find a neatly wrapped bottle…
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23 years is epic for any spirit to sit idle in a barrel, but for bourbon it’s almost insane. Old Rip Van Winkle’s 23-year-old bottling (this sample is from the 2009 limited edition) is positively intense with wood character — and alcohol. It’s 114 proof, which is hefty, but I’ve had far higher-proof whiskeys that…
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Here’s an outstanding return to form for Evan Williams’ Single Barrel bourbons, which the company’s been bottling for years, an amazing whisky that I highly recommend. The 2000 Single Barrel shares a lot of DNA with the 1999, but while last year’s version is noteworthy for its lightly bitter, wood and charcoal finish, the 2000…
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