Know the Bourbon Lingo

Do you get confused and stressed when shopping for bourbon because you do not completely understand the terms you see on bottles?  There are lot’s of terms to understand and navigate.  Here is are a few terms that might be helpful during your search for that next bottle.  Let’s face it, labels can be confusing if you don’t know the terms.  

Let’s look at three terms in this Bourbon Mash-Up to better understand what you are seeing on a bottle.

Single Barrel Whiskey
Single barrel whiskey is drawn from one barrel that has not been mingled with any other whiskeys. Every barrel of whiskey provides a different taste as compared to the next. If you are individualistic in nature, this is a good way to go. The challenge would be that you may not ever experience that exact taste again.

Small Batch Whiskey
Small batch whiskey is created by mingling select barrels of whiskey that have matured into a specific style. The key here is to remember that the smaller the batch, the more inconsistent the bourbon might be between bottles purchased over time. This would certainly be less drastic than that of a single barrel. The reality however is that one brand’s small batch might be from a drastically different number of barrels that are used.  Small batch whiskey does not mean that your whiskey wasn’t handled in a large factory.

Barrel Proof Whiskey
Barrel proof whiskey is bottled at the desired proof while aging in the barrel. There is no water added before bottling, therefore these Bourbons are higher proof than others. These may be done in batches, I just thought this would be a good place to add the term into a discussion.

Related to all of this is the following.  You are going to hear the term Store Pick.  You will see labels on bottles that indicate a bottle was bottled specifically for your liquor store.  This is a private purchase that is bottled through a private purchase by a purchaser and the distillery.  The buyer then has the ability to make creative decisions with the distillery about the proof, etc.  The purchaser then has control over who gets the product.  If having something that can be something special because it may not be available again, these are great finds.  The challenge might be that it may not taste like you know that bourbon to taste because of the specific nature of that private purchase. This gets back to the earlier discussion about your desire for consistency or not. Better understanding what you are seeing on a bottle hopefully will help you in your hunt for that next favorite bourbon.

Cheers, Y’all!