Irish, scotch and Canadian whisk(e)ys have been examined as to how they are matured/aged.
Standard caveat: I am not a rabbi and I don't play one on tv.
This time the subject is American Bourbon whiskey.
A brief overview of "whiskey." All "sour mash" is Bourbon, but all Bourbon is not sour mash. All Bourbons are whiskeys, but not all whiskeys are Bourbon.
Bourbon or not Bourbon
Although most Bourbons are technically kosher, there are a few that fail to meet the strictest kashrut standards.
According to the cRc: In general, bourbon does not require kosher certification. Two exceptions are:
- Some have begun adding flavors and/or aging the liquor in a wine cask. Such items would not be acceptable without certification, and consumers can determine if a given liquor has this issue by carefully reading the bottle's label
- Some bourbon companies are owned by Jews who don't sell their hametz; those brands are not recommended.
Star-K states that unflavored Bourbon, rye, Tennessee, and all American whiskeys are acceptable without certification" but continues "excluding the brands listed on Page 2" - a rather lengthy list
Two products I can identify that are absent from both the cRc and Star-K lists are
- LI>Angels Envy Bourbon Whiskey (Lincoln Henderson distillery) - port wine casks
- Parker’s Heritage Collection (Heaven Hill) - Limousin Oak Cognac barrels
According to the U.S. Government, "neither coloring nor flavoring may be added and Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels." Go to the end of this entry for the legal definition of Bourbon. Flavors are one reason pseudo-Bourbons are absent from my list.
Considerations
AGE All of the Bourbons on the included table are aged at at least eight (8) years; many longer - the table lists at least six (6) products aged for 20 years or more.
The majority of Bourbons commonly found on store shelves today are aged three (3) or four (4) years. Legally, distillers can sell a "Bourbon" at three months. But most opt for at least three (3) years.
Does the length of the aging process make a difference? It should impact both taste and color since it is influenced by the barrel in which it matures.
Both are on the list below, but it must be understood the list is NOT "all inclusive."
At the "low end," it's usually possible to find a 750 mL bottle of straight (not blended) Bourbon for (never "under" but) less than US$12 (at a local Total Wine & more store).
Blends vs. Blends With the exception of single barrel whiskies, all Bourbons are technically "blends." The Bourbons in the table below are straight whiskies; that is, they are blended of products from the same distillery. Blended whiskeys, such as Four Roses are blends and may include products from different distilleries. (See the U.S. government definition of "blends" at http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam/chapter4.pdf)
IF YOUR FAVORITE PRODUCT is missing from the list, contact the distillery. As with all things, this, too, is subject to change./I>
Legal requirements
On May 4, 1964, the United States Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a "distinctive product of the United States." The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 C.F.R. 5.22) state that bourbon must meet these requirements:
- LI>Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn (maize)
- Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.)proof (80% alcohol by volume)
- Neither coloring nor flavoring may be added
- Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels
- Bourbon must be entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume)
- Bourbon, like other whiskeys, must be bottled at not less than 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume.)
- Bourbon that meets the above requirements and has been aged for a minimum of two years may (but is not required to) be called Straight Bourbon.
- Straight Bourbon aged for a period less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging
- If an age is stated on the label, it must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle
- Only whiskey produced in the United States can be called bourbon
In practice, almost all bourbons marketed today are made from more than two-thirds corn, have been aged at least four years, and do qualify as "straight bourbon"—with or without the "straight bourbon" label. The exceptions are inexpensive commodity brands of bourbon aged only three years and pre-mixed cocktails made with straight bourbon aged the minimum two years. However, a few small distilleries market bourbons aged for as little as three months.
Note: Only the products listed below have been checked by this scrivener.
| Distillery | Brand | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beam | Black | 8 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Eagle Rare | 10 y/o > | |
| Buffalo Trace | Eagle Rare 17 y/o | 17 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Geo. T. Stagg | 15 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Old Charter | 8 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Stagg Jr. | < 10 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Van Winkle | 10 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Van Winkle | 12 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Van Winkle | 15 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Van Winkle | 20 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | Van Winkle | 23 y/o | |
| Buffalo Trace | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | 12 y.o | |
| Bulleit Frontier | Bulleit 10 Year | 10 y/o | |
| Heaven Hill | Elijah Craig 12 | 12 y/o | |
| Heaven Hill | Elijah Craig 23 | 23 y/o | |
| Heaven Hill | Henry McKenna | 10 y/o | |
| Heaven Hill | Henry McKenna Single Barrel | 10 y/o | |
| Knob Creek | Single Barrel Reserve, 120 Proof | 9 y/o | |
| Knob Creek | Small Batch 100 Proof | 9 y/o | |
| Michter’s Distillery | Celebration Sour Mash | 20 y/o | |
| Michter’s Distillery | Kentucky 10 y/o Straight Bourbon | 10 y/o | |
| Michter’s Distillery | Kentucky 20 y/o Straight Bourbon | 20 y/o | |
| Michter’s Distillery | Kentucky 25 y/o Straight Bourbon | 25 y/o | |
| Wild Turkey | Russell's Reserve 10 | 10 y/o | |
| Wild Turkey | Russell's Reserve Single Barrel | 8-9 y/o | |
| Wild Turkey | Wild Turkey 12 | 12 y/o | |
| Wild Turkey | Wild Turkey 13 | 13 y/o | |
| Wild Turkey | Wild Turkey 8 | 8 y/o | |
| Willett | Web site not active | n/a | |
| Multi-brand pages | n/a | n/a | |
| Bourbon Enthusiast | n/a | n/a | |
| Bourbon Brands | n/a | n/a |
