How to Choose the Right Bourbon Whiskey for your Taste

What does bourbon taste like? This is a question we’re often asked at Still Spirit. And the answer is that bourbon is widely known for its sweet, warm, and smooth character. Yet there are a wide variety of bourbons, and depending on how they’re made, carry a slightly different taste profile. So, how do you find the right bourbon for your particular taste?

We’re here to help. In this blog, we’ll explore the world of bourbon whiskey taste. We’ll discover which factors of production give bourbon its unique flavour; we’ll learn how age impacts taste; and based on your preferred flavour notes, we’ll recommend standout bourbons for you to try, plus we’ll give you handy tips on how best to drink them.

But, before all that, let’s start from the beginning.

What is Bourbon?

Bourbon is a distilled grain spirit made in the USA from at least 51% corn and aged in new charred American oak casks.

What does Bourbon taste like?

Bourbon whiskey has a rich, smooth, and slightly sweet flavour profile. Common tasting notes include caramel, vanilla, and toffee, with hints of toasted oak from the aging process. Depending on the mash bill (recipe and ratio of grain) and aging, you might also detect spice (usually from the added rye), nuttiness, dried fruit, or smoky undertones.

How does Bourbon get its flavour?

There are various factors in the production process that influence bourbon’s flavour.

Water

It’s often said that a quality water source produces quality bourbon. And it’s true! Much of the flavour of bourbon is attributed to the high pH quality of its water source. Most bourbon is produced in Kentucky, which is known for its limestone-rich water, contributing significantly to its smooth, sweet character.

Corn

Corn’s high starch content converts into sugars during the fermentation process, which later develops into rich caramel, vanilla, and toffee flavour notes during distillation and aging. This natural sweetness balances the oak and spice flavours.

Rye

Rye in bourbon’s mash bill adds spice, complexity, and a bit of heat! It introduces bold flavours like black pepper, cinnamon, and baking spices, balancing bourbon’s natural sweetness from corn. A higher rye content results in a drier, spicier finish with a more robust, slightly fruity character compared to softer, wheat-based bourbons.

Wheat

Wheat in bourbon’s mash bill helps to mellow the taste and reduce the spiciness that rye typically adds. Wheated bourbons (bourbons with a high wheat content), like Maker’s Mark, often have a mellow, creamy mouthfeel with a gentle, long-lasting finish.

Casks/Barrels

Casks (or barrels) play a crucial role in bourbon’s flavour, as bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak casks. The charred wood caramelises natural sugars, imparting rich notes of vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch. The aging process also adds spice, oakiness, and hints of smoke while mellowing the spirit, creating depth and complexity.

How much does age determine Bourbon’s taste?

Age significantly influences bourbon’s taste. Younger bourbons, of two to four years, have a lighter, grain-forward profile with sharper alcohol notes. As bourbon ages, it absorbs more flavours from the charred oak, developing deeper caramel, vanilla, spice, and smoky notes. However, excessive aging can create overly woody, tannic flavours, reducing balance and smoothness.

Our picks – Find the right bourbon for your taste

Although bourbon is predominantly sweeter than most other American whiskies, there’s a great variation of flavour notes. Below, we’ve pulled together a list of recommended bourbons based on the flavour notes that might appeal to you. Plus, we’ve included tips on the best way to enjoy them. If you like:

Caramel, butterscotch and vanilla

Try Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Comprised of over 200 detectable flavour notes, this deliciously sweet bourbon can be enjoyed ‘neat’, with ice, with water, or mixed into a cocktail.

Honey, butterscotch and spice

Try Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky. Surprisingly smooth for a barrel proof whiskey, this robust ‘wheated’ bourbon is probably best served either with a drop or two of water, or ‘neat’ to appreciate the nuances of flavour and aroma.

Spice, black pepper and cinnamon

Try Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Known as a high-rye bourbon, this whiskey with its savoury kick, is ideal served in an Old Fashioned or a Whiskey Sour cocktail.

Deep caramel, citrus and oak

Try Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey. Once reserved just for friends and family of legendary distiller, Colonel Blanton, this single barrel bourbon whiskey is best served ‘neat’, or with ice.

Sweet, spicy and oaky

Try 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey. Bold, yet smooth and balanced, this small-batch bourbon is best served ‘neat’, with ice or with a drop or two of water.

Dark caramel, toasted oak and spice

Try Kentucky Owl Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. At a cask strength of 60.1% ABV, this bold, powerful bourbon whiskey is best served with a drop or two of water.

Vanilla, dark chocolate and stone fruits

Try Angel’s Envy Port Wine Finish Bourbon Whiskey. Finished for a short secondary period in port wine casks, this nuanced bourbon is extremely versatile and could be served ‘neat’, with ice, with water or mixed into a cocktail.

Whichever your preferred bourbon taste profile – vanilla, spice, fruit or oak - you’ll find plenty of variety in Still Spirits large range of bourbon and American whiskey. Additionally, we stock an extensive range of whiskies from around the world, old & rare whisky, plus glassware and gift sets.