One of the biggest issues in picking out a new whiskey is the label. Some are so full of numbers & abbreviations that it can be confusing or dare I say, a riddle as to what the heck it is.
Let’s solve the mystery and break it down to understand.
Brand Name
The name brand is the first thing you see, then quite often you see another name under that. It’s like GM (General Motors) is the name brand then you have GM’s Silverado, Corvette, or Impala and the list goes on. With liquor it’s the same thing, you have a name brand then it’s Class or Type under it.
For example, Jack Daniel’s is a popular name brand, and it has multiple products (Class or Type) to choose from. So, just asking for a Jack Daniel’s, you’ll need to know which one!
Class or Type example of Jack Daniel’s:
- Old NO. 7
- Tennessee Apple
- Tennessee Rye
- Single Barrel
- Gentleman Jack
- Tennessee Honey
- Tennessee Fire
- Sinatra Select
- Can Cocktails
- Winter Jack
Look for the story
Generally, somewhere on the label will be a place where the distillery owner will put their story on the bottle. It will give you a brief who they are and what is special about this bottle. These are great because it is going to give you an idea of what this bottle has to offer, how it was made, or the flavors to look for and experience, much like on a wine bottle. Sure, it’s marketing! But it will better inform you as to what it is.
Regulations
Spirits are required by law (both federal and state laws) to label their products in such a way that it doesn’t mislead the consumer and stay true to their product’s origin and history.
For example, if it says it is Tennessee Straight Whiskey it’s exactly that. Tennessee has their own state regulations for distillery’s whiskey content and aging and it must be made & bottled in Tennessee. Kentucky will have their own set of laws and standards too and so on.
It needs to list the alcohol by volume, stating it by % of volume.
The amount of the product in the bottle is listed in metric units.
And of course, they must have a governement warning on any liquor that has .05% alcohol or higher to warn consumers of health hazzards.
Single Barrel is simply meaning the product in the bottle was taken from a single barrel.
Bottled in Bond is an old term from 1897 Bottled in Bond Act. Back in the moonshine days anyone could produce brown spirit and call it a bourbon. However, once the prohibition was lifted, quality distillers wanted regulations to require bourbon to be made a certain way to ensure quality and consistency. Giving the consumer a better tasting spirit, and the distiller can build their reputation for being the best. You can find some distillers still labeling their bottles that way. It isn’t required now, but it shows the product was proudly distilled in the true manner of the old Bottled in Bond Act.
Today there are a lot of new craft distilleries being created and it takes time for their own whiskey’s to be aged and ready. They may use other distiller’s product and either blend it with their own, add their own spin to it, or private label it as their own. However, they must label it accordingly. You may find some that would say distilled at abc distiller and bottled at xyz for example.
Taste
Only you know what tastes good to you! Everyone’s palate varies from the next person. So, if you ask online what the best whiskey or bourbon is to try, you’re going to get a whole range of their favorites and name brands from maybe Kentucky & Tennessee areas. Which is not to say it’s bad – just remember two things:
- Trust your own taste, getting to know whiskey & bourbon takes time; your palate has to mature.
- Not everything is available everywhere, meaning even some of Kentucky & Tennessee’s best whiskey & bourbon isn’t easily found in every state.
There are lots of craft distilleries throughout the US, and they are winning awards and keeping up with the big dogs! Give your local distillery a try! Most will have a taste testing bar and would love to introduce you to their whiskey & bourbons and more.
Read the label, try new things, give it time. Half the fun is exploring all the different flavors! Keep in mind there is no right or wrong way to drink whiskey, whisky, or bourbon…as long as you enjoy them!
Cheers!
Thanks for joining me!
Cheers!
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