For those sipping during the big game, this
should provide a conversation starter. "If you are a cognac, you
have to be made in the Cognac region. If you are a champagne,
you have to be made in the Champagne region. It is the same for
scotch. Single-malt scotch whisky
is made at a single distillery, exclusively from malted
barley, and must be aged for at least three years in oak
casks.
Bourbon and rye are
native American spirits. Aside from the point of origin, what
differentiates variants of whiskey (Irish and Americans), or
whisky (Scots) is the 'mash bill', or list of ingredients used
to make it.
Bourbon in the US must have 51% or more corn, and the rest of
the mash bill is traditionally rye and malted barley. All bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey
is bourbon.
Rye whiskey must have
51% or more rye, and the rest is usually corn and malted barley.
In addition, both must be aged in brand new American oak
barrels.