04/07/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

As discussed in Bourbon Whiskey, there are some common tastes that are noted when tasting bourbon. For this Sunday Spirit Note, the focus is on contribution of the grains, the foundation of the spirit, to the taste of bourbon.

Corn

As part of the requirements, bourbon must be made from at least 51% corn. Corn imparts a sweet flavor profile to bourbon and contributes to bourbon’s rich body and creamy texture. Some of the tasting notes derived from corn could include:

– Vanilla
– Caramel
– Butterscotch
– Honey
– Brown butter
– Toffee
– Toasted marshmallows

Rye

Rye is a common grain used by many distillers. In general, it assists in adding a spicy flavor profile to the spirit. The percentage of rye used in the mash will influence the flavor produced. Rye bourbons are also described as aggressive and have a savory balance to the typically sweeter, corn-based elements of the bourbon. Some of the tasting notes derived from rye might include:

– Black pepper
– White pepper
– Rye bread
– Mint
– Herbal
– Anise

Wheat

In general, using wheat in the primary mashbill is not common. Some distillers create a wheated bourbon and omit the use of rye.  Others include wheat and rye to make a four-grain bourbon. The combinations are endless. In general, wheat doesn’t have a lot of flavors but can mellow the spirit and add a bread-like taste to it. Some of the tasting notes influenced from wheat use might include:

– Vanilla
– Honey
– Caramel
– Toasted oak
– Toffee
– Fruity
– Vanilla ice cream
– Bananas foster

Malted Barley

Nearly all bourbon has some percentage of malted barley because it assists with the fermentation process. Malting is a drying process that causes barley to produce enzymes that convert long-chain carbohydrates into simpler sugars that can be fermented by yeast into alcohol. In addition to that critical contribution, malted barley can give bourbon a warm, nutty, and smoky profile with hints of:

– Toast
– Toffee
– Cereal
– Cocoa

Conclusion

When you next taste bourbon and pick up various flavors, connect to its source and consider the contributions made by the various grains used in the mashbill.

There are many more sources of bourbon flavors. Most often, this includes, yeast selection, fermentation process, barrel selection and preparation (level of toast and char), entry proof into the barrel, the storage environment, and even decisions made for bottling. With so many variables, it is no wonder that there is such a wide range of bourbon flavors and why five people tasting from the same bottle may pick up different notes.

Happy Tasting!
Rebecca