// CASK STRENGTH DAILY
Glossary
Alligator Char (#4 Char)
A heavy 55-second burn on the barrel interior creating a deep, cracked texture that provides maximal carbon filtration.
ProductionAllocated
A bottle whose demand outpaces what a distillery can supply, so distributors ration it across retailers in limited quantities.
MarketAngel's Share
The portion of whiskey lost to evaporation through the barrel's wood every year it ages; commonly cited around 2% a year in Kentucky's climate, faster on a rickhouse's hot top floors.
ProductionAroma / Nose
The volatile aromatic compounds detected via olfactory receptors before taking a sip.
TastingBackset
The acidic, spent liquid left in the still base after the primary distillation run, reintroduced into later mash cookers to control pH.
ProductionBarrel Entry Proof (BEP)
The ABV at which high wines enter the barrel, legally capped at 125 proof; lower entry proofs dissolve more water-soluble wood sugars.
ProductionBarrel Proof / Cask Strength
Whiskey bottled directly from the barrel without water dilution to reduce the proof.
MarketBeer Stripper (Wash Still)
The primary column still that separates alcohol vapors from fermented distiller's beer to produce low wines.
ProductionBeer Well
A large holding tank between fermentation and the column still that supplies an uninterrupted feed of distiller's beer.
ProductionBody & Mouthfeel
The tactile texture and viscosity on the palate, from thin and watery to oily, creamy, or coating.
TastingBottled-in-Bond (BiB)
A federally regulated standard requiring single-distiller, single-season whiskey aged at least 4 years in a bonded warehouse and bottled at exactly 100 proof.
RegulationBourbon Whiskey
A distinctive product of the United States, defined under 27 CFR § 5.143 by mash bill, distillation proof, barrel-entry proof, bottling proof, and a no-additives rule.
RegulationBung / Bung Hole
The circular access opening drilled into the widest part of the barrel, sealed with a wooden or synthetic stopper.
ProductionChar Level (1 through 4)
The duration of open flame applied to a barrel's interior, from a light 15-second Level 1 to a 55-second Level 4.
ProductionChill Filtration (Cold Chill Filtered)
A cosmetic processing method chilling whiskey near freezing and forcing it through fine filters so it won't turn cloudy when poured over ice or stored cold.
ProductionDistiller's Beer
The fermented grain mash, roughly 7-10% ABV, ready to enter the column still after yeast conversion completes.
ProductionDoubler / Thumper
Secondary distillation vessels that redistill low wines into high wines -- a steam-heated pot still (doubler) or a vapor-heated thump keg (thumper).
ProductionFinish
The duration and evolving character of flavors remaining on the palate after swallowing.
TastingFlocculation (Chill Haze)
The natural, reversible cloudiness that appears in non-chill filtered whiskey when cold water or ice is added.
ProductionFull Proof (e.g., Barton 1792)
Whiskey diluted with water only down to the exact proof at which it originally entered the barrel, rather than to its raw dump proof.
MarketHigh Wines
The second-distillation clear spirit, typically around 125-140 proof, prior to barrel entry.
ProductionHigh-Rye Bourbon
A mash bill using a larger proportion of rye (typically 18-35%) alongside the mandatory 51%+ corn, imparting bold baking spices, black pepper, and mint notes.
RegulationHoney Barrel
Distillery slang for an exceptional barrel from a prime rickhouse microclimate that exhibits superior depth, balance, and maturity.
ProductionKentucky Hug
The distinct, warming sensation spreading down the esophagus and chest after swallowing high-proof straight bourbon or rye.
TastingKentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon that meets all "Straight" criteria and was both distilled and aged in Kentucky for at least one full year.
RegulationLegs (Tears)
The droplets and streams running down the inside of a tasting glass after swirling, correlating with alcohol and sugar/lipid density.
TastingLincoln County Process
A charcoal-filtration method required by state law for nearly all Tennessee Whiskeys, mellowing harsh congeners in unaged distillate before barrel aging.
RegulationLow Wines
The intermediate distillate emerging from the beer column, sitting around 50-70 proof.
ProductionMalt (Diastatic Malted Barley)
Barley germinated to develop active amylase enzymes, added to mash cookers to break down corn and rye starches into fermentable sugars.
ProductionMash Bill (Grain Bill)
The recipe of raw grains milled and cooked for fermentation, defined by its dominant grain -- corn for bourbon, rye for rye whiskey.
ProductionMGP (Midwest Grain Products)
A major industrial distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, famous for supplying high-rye bourbons to non-distiller producers.
MarketMonongahela Rye (Pennsylvania Style)
A historic rye style made without corn, combining high percentages of unmalted and malted rye for a dry, peppery, robust profile.
RegulationNDP (Non-Distiller Producer)
A whiskey company that purchases, blends, and bottles whiskey sourced from third-party contract distilleries rather than operating its own stills.
MarketNeat
Whiskey poured directly from the bottle into an unchilled glass with no ice, water, or mixers added.
TastingNeck Pour
Enthusiast slang for the very first pour from a freshly opened bottle, before oxygen exposure softens and opens up its aromas and flavors.
TastingNew Make / White Dog
Fresh, unaged American whiskey straight from the still condenser before barreling.
ProductionNon-Chill Filtered (NCF)
Whiskey bottled without cosmetic chill filtration, preserving natural lipids, fatty acids, and aromatic esters for a richer mouthfeel and longer finish.
ProductionPalate
The complex flavor sensations experienced on the tongue during a sip, generally broken into front, mid, and back-palate stages.
TastingRickhouse (Rackhouse)
Traditional multi-story wooden warehouses where barrels age horizontally on open timber ricks, with dramatic temperature swings between top and bottom floors.
ProductionRye Whiskey
A whiskey produced from a mash of at least 51% rye grain, distilled to no more than 160 proof and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof without additives.
RegulationSingle Barrel
Whiskey pulled and bottled from one individual cask rather than mingled across multiple barrels.
RegulationSmall Batch
A marketing term without statutory legal limits, indicating whiskey blended from a curated, limited number of barrels.
RegulationSour Mash
The industry-standard process where acidic backset from a previous run is added into the fresh mash to control bacteria and ensure consistent pH.
ProductionStave
The precision-shaped, curved planks of American white oak bound together with steel hoops to assemble a barrel.
ProductionStraight Whiskey
An American designation requiring aging in new charred oak for at least 2 continuous years; under 4 years requires an explicit age statement.
RegulationSweet Mash
A production method where every batch starts fresh without backset, often yielding brighter, grain-forward fruit and herbal notes.
ProductionToasting
A gentle, slow radiant-heat process applied before charring that breaks down wood lignins into vanillin and spicy lactones.
ProductionUncut & Unfiltered
Consumer-facing label shorthand indicating both cask strength (no dilution water added) and non-chill filtered status.
MarketVirgin Oak
Unused American white oak barrels, mandatory under federal law for aging straight bourbon and rye whiskey.
ProductionWater Back / Splash
Adding a few drops of room-temperature spring water to a high-proof pour to release aroma compounds and lower ethanol prickle.
TastingWheated Bourbon ("Wheater")
Bourbon substituting wheat in place of rye as the secondary flavoring grain, producing a softer, sweeter, more rounded mouthfeel.
Regulation