Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon whiskey is made with a minimum of 51% corn, with the remainder being wheat, rye, or malted barley. The resulting clear spirit is placed in newly charred American oak barrels for aging, during which it gains color and flavor from the caramelized sugars in the charred wood. Changes to the spirit also occur due to evaporation and chemical processes such as oxidation. Bourbons gain more color and flavor the longer they mature, often taking on spicy, scotch like notes.