Bourbon vs Whiskey: What's the Difference?

All Bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon

There are many kinds of whiskey (or “whisky,” depending on where you’re from). Such as Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, Tennessee whiskey, rye whiskey, bourbon whiskey, and, of course, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. At Jim Beam, we’re pretty partial to those last two, and we want to tell you what separates bourbon from the rest.

It all comes down to a pretty
high set of standards set by
the government. They decide
what’s what.

But we can tell you this—you’ve got to be all of the things below if you want to be labeled bourbon. And Jim Beam doesn’t just fit the bill, it’s the world’s #1 bourbon.

Made in United States of America (not Kentucky)
Product from a fermented mash of 51% corn.
Distilled at no more than 160 proof
Stored at no more than 125 proof in new, charred oak barrels.
Aged for minimum two years.
Free from additives.

This Is What Makes It Bourbon

Why corn matters

When European settlers arrived in America, they brought their grains with them. Barley had its place. Rye had its place. But in Kentucky, in the late 1700s, corn grew abundantly and reliably. For early Kentucky distillers, including the Beams, corn was not just available. It made something different.

The flavor difference: Bourbon vs Whiskey

One of the clearest taste differences between bourbon and whiskey from other traditions comes from the barrel. Bourbon must age in virgin American oak barrels, where the wood helps shape the color, smoothness and flavor that make bourbon so easy to enjoy.

It helps give bourbon its deeper color and its smooth, mellow flavor, with notes of vanilla, caramel and oak. That flavor is not added. It comes from the grain, the wood, and the time they spend together.

The proof rules help protect that character, too. Bourbon is distilled at no more than 160 proof (80% ABV), entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV), and bottled at no less than 80 proof (40% ABV). By the time it reaches the bottle, only water can be added to bring it to proof. Nothing else.

And when we’re done with those barrels, other whiskeys, wines and beers have been known to use them, hoping to pick up some of that bourbon character left in the wood.

We take that as a compliment.

Four Years in Oak. No Additives.

The law says two years for Straight Bourbon. We’ve always treated that as a starting point, not a finish line. Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is aged for a minimum of four years because those extra seasons matter.

Kentucky’s climate does a lot of work. Warm summers push the bourbon into the wood. Cooler winters draw it back out. Season after season, that movement helps build color, smoothness and flavor. It is not about making bourbon sound more complicated than it is. It is about letting oak and time do what they do best.

And when the bourbon comes out of the barrel, nothing goes in except water to bring it to proof. No added flavoring. No added coloring. No neutral spirits.

Four years in fresh American oak gives Jim Beam its character. We’ve never felt the need to dress it up.

Common bourbon myths worth busting

Bourbon has rules. A lot of them. And honestly, we don’t mind — we’ve been following them longer than most people have been asking about them. But over the years, a few myths have stuck around that blur what bourbon actually is.

So let’s clear them up.

Kentucky has a monopoly on Bourbon

You’ve probably heard that bourbon must come from Kentucky. It sounds true, but it isn’t. Bourbon can legally be made anywhere in the United States of America.

That said, Kentucky has earned its place in bourbon history. The climate, the limestone-filtered water and the generations of craft passed down there all help shape the way bourbon matures and tastes. Those things are not legal requirements, but they do make a difference.

That is why Jim Beam makes its bourbon in Clermont, Kentucky. Not because Kentucky is the only place bourbon can be made, but because it is the place we know best. The map alone does not make a whiskey bourbon. What happens in the mash, the barrel and the bottle does.

Every Bourbon Spends Two Years in the Barrel

The law does not demand two years for every bourbon. That two-year mark applies to Straight Bourbon.

But time matters. It deepens the color, rounds out the flavor and brings those notes of vanilla, caramel and oak forward from the charred barrel. The law sets one standard. At Jim Beam, we give our bourbon more time.

Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is aged for a minimum of four years in newly charred American oak barrels. We do it because those extra seasons matter, and because the barrel has always been one of our best partners.

All Bourbon Goes Through the Same Filter

It doesn’t. Bourbon law doesn’t require one specific filtration method, so each maker has to decide how to handle that final step before bottling.

Some producers filter more heavily. Others keep it lighter. At Jim Beam, the goal is simple: keep the bourbon clear and consistent while protecting the flavor the barrel worked so hard to build.

That final touch matters. By the time bourbon reaches the bottle, the corn, oak, char and time have already done the heavy lifting. Our job is to protect the character the barrel worked so hard to build.

Every Bourbon Spends Two Years in the Barrel

All Bourbon Goes Through the Same Filter

At least 51% corn. that´s our sweet spot

Being made from at least 51% corn means all bourbons will have a delightful sweetness.

the fantastic color of Jim Beam Bourbon in a glass

Maximum proof and so full of flavor

Our style of barrel aging imparts a deeper color and smooth, mellow flavor with hints of vanilla and caramel. When we’re done with those barrels, some other whiskeys, wines and even beers have been known to use them in hopes of “borrowing” some of the bourbon deliciousness trapped inside the wood.

Aged at least two years the pour is worth the wait

U.S. law says bourbon must be aged for at least two years. But other things like extreme temperature changes between seasons affect how whiskey ages. A whiskey aged in Kentucky matures much faster than one aged in Scotland. Here at Jim Beam, we age our bourbon at least four years for a more mature, extra-mellow flavor. The pour is worth the wait.

No additives, Our friends love us just the way we are

Many whiskey makers will add flavoring or caramel coloring to their whiskeys. But, even if they follow all of the other rules of bourbon, they can’t call their whiskey “bourbon.” The only thing that can be added to bourbon is water (and that’s just to bring down the proof).

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