Whiskey

Whiskey is a broad category of grain-based spirits produced across regions including Kentucky, Tennessee, Scotland, and Ireland, each governed by distinct legal standards and production traditions. Kentucky straight bourbon, the dominant style here, must be distilled from a grain bill of at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak containers, producing the vanilla, caramel, and dried fruit character found across expressions from Buffalo Trace and Blanton's. Within bourbon alone, styles diverge considerably - the wheated mash bill behind Weller Special Reserve and Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year generates softer, rounder character than the rye-forward profile of Eagle Rare. The Hearach Isle of Harris Single Malt represents Scotland's tradition of barley-based pot still distillation, offering a maritime counterpoint to American grain-forward richness.