Scotch vs. Bourbon?

Question

What is the difference between Scotch Whiskey and Bourbon Whiskey? I know Scotch is made in Scotland but what makes it a Scotch and the other a Bourbon????

Answer 1

SCOTCH

- Whisky from Scotland is Scotch. Whisky from Ireland is Irish Whiskey and whisky from Japan is Japanese Whisky. "Scotch" technically means the grains (usually but not always barley) water are from Scotland and the aging took place in Scotland.

BOURBON

- Whisky made in the USA can be called "Bourbon" if it's 50%+ corn, aged in charred new oak barrels and meets a few alcohol-level laws. "STRAIGHT BOURBON" has a few more rules, like naming the distillery on the label and using zero neutral grain spirits. Tennessee style whiskey (Jack Daniels) is made exactly the same as Bourbon except that it's filtered before it's aged through charcoal.

So, all whisky from Scotland is going to be Scotch (if it's made legally). All Bourbon comes from the USA (not just Kentucky) but not all whisky in the USA is Bourbon.

Answer 2

Single malt Scotch tastes great.

Blended tastes OK.

Bourbon doesn't.

That's all I need to know!

Answer 3

Others have pretty well explained the difference between the two, but for Scotch it's spelled "whisky" not "whiskey."  

Personally I prefer single malt Scotch.   My favorite brands are Lagavulin, Glen Garioch, and Glenmorangie.

Bourbon is good too, don't get me wrong.  Haven't drank as much or experimented with brands to really know what to recommend though.

Answer 4

Scotch Whiskey is made in Scotland from malted barley and other grains, I prefer Bourbon whiskey, when Scottish settlers came to America they didn't find a lot of barley and other grains growing but they did find corn, so using basically the same methods that they used for their Scotch they started making a new spirit using corn, and around the mid 1700s'

in Bourbon county Kentucky, USA the first Bourbon whiskey was born, and in May 1964 by act of congress Bourbon Whiskey was named as Americas native spirit. The other big difference between the two is, Scotch is aged in the barrel usually 7 to 12 yrs before bottling and Bourbon the interiors of the barrels are charred for flavor and aged only 2 to 4 yrs. Which one is better is a long debate, each Scotch tastes different as does each Bourbon. The journey can be better than the destination, cheers!

Answer 5

scotch is given a smokey quality from the peat that is used in the cooking part of the production. bourbon does not have this quality.

Answer 6

On 4 May 1964, the U.S. Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States," creating the Federal Standards of Identity for Bourbon. Federal regulations now stipulate that Bourbon must meet these requirements:

Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.[1]

Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume).

Bourbon must be 100% natural (nothing other than water added to the mixture).

Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.[1]

Bourbon which meets the above requirements and has been aged for a minimum of two years, may (but is not required to) be called Straight Bourbon.[2]

Bourbon aged for a period less than four years must be labelled with the duration of its aging.

In practice, almost all bourbons marketed today are made from more than two-thirds corn, have been aged at least four years, and do qualify as "straight bourbon"—with or without the "straight bourbon" label. The exceptions are inexpensive commodity brands of bourbon aged only three years and pre-mixed cocktails made with bourbon aged the minimum two years.

To be called Scotch whisky the spirit must conform to the standards of the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 (UK),[1] which clarified the Scotch Whisky Act of 1988,[2] and mandates that the spirit:

Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, to which only other whole grains may be added, have been processed at that distillery into a mash, converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems, and fermented only by the addition of yeast,

Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8%[3] by volume so that it retains the flavour of the raw materials used in its production,

Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for no less than three years and a day,

Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel colouring, and

May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume.

This definition is currently under review and new legislation is expected in the spring of 2008.[4]

Answer 7

I have some of each in my liquor cabinet ..

Scotch whisky : Buchanan's

Bourbon : Wild Turkey 101

and also a Wild Turkey Rye

(Never know what I might be in the mood for - booze wise that is!!)

Answer 8

They are such different tastes.

I personally hate scotch.  All types, even the good stuff.

I rarely drink, but bourbon is very very very good.  One of my favorites.

Answer 9

They taste different.

Scotch is mostly from Barley and Bourbon is mostly from Corn.

Probably the most important is where it is made, since the name Scotch can only be used if it comes from one of the authorized distilleries.