Bourbon & Rye Whiskey

Bourbon is an American whiskey distilled primarily from a fermented grain mash containing at least 51 percent corn, with the majority of production concentrated in Kentucky, where limestone-filtered water and temperature extremes accelerate maturation in new charred oak barrels. That barrel contact is responsible for the category's signature vanilla, caramel, and baking spice character, though mash bill composition and aging duration produce significant variation across expressions. Wheated bourbons, where wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain, define the Weller and Pappy Van Winkle family, yielding softer, rounder profiles compared to the higher-rye Buffalo Trace house style found in Eagle Rare 10 Year and Blanton's Single Barrel. At the apex, Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year and Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot B represent some of the most sought-after wheated expressions in American whiskey production.