All Bourbon is Whiskey, but not all Whiskey is Bourbon.

Who knew, right?!

Not me just a few years ago. I was not a whiskey drinker.

My husband became an avid collector after a random distillery tour we took while on vacation in Pittsburgh. I knew he enjoyed hunting for rare whiskey, but I had no idea how many bottles we owned until we ran out of room in our pantry. You know, for food. (See here.)

In a blink, we went from owning zero bottles of whiskey to having shelf after shelf lined with the amber-colored liquor. I exasperatedly told Adam that we could drink whiskey every night for the rest of our lives and never run out!

I had no idea that he would die a few months later, at the young age of 40, and leave me alone with so much whiskey. While I’m no expert, I did pick up a few things about Adam’s favorite hobby along the way.

We watched the documentary “NEAT: The Story of Bourbon” on Netflix together and it was eye-opening. I knew nothing of America’s rich bourbon history before that and found it both educational and inspiring. So much so that I immediately wanted to book a trip to Kentucky to experience it all firsthand. Adam was thrilled, but we didn't get to cross that one off our list.

I'll get there someday.

If you haven’t seen "NEAT" - give it a watch. You'll learn a lot, but it's fun.

So, what is the difference between Whiskey and Bourbon?

Here are a few key differences thanks to the American Bourbon Association:

1. Bourbon is an American made whiskey. Bourbon must be distilled and aged in the United States.

2. Bourbon must be aged in new charred oak barrels, while whiskey may be aged in used barrels.

3. Bourbon is all natural with no additives, while whiskey may have flavor and coloring additives.

4. Bourbon must be made with at least 51% corn which gives it a sweet, distinct flavor.

See a few more fun facts about Bourbon below and then check out my latest Instagram reel to see the start of the bottle count. Keep in mind there are 3 more shelves to fill!

Wondering what the final count will be?? Don't forget to subscribe by email on the homepage so that you get an email alert whenever there's a new post on The Whiskey Widow blog.