// Style · Bourbon
Traditional Bourbon
The classic corn-forward bourbon profile; vanilla, caramel, and oak in familiar balance.
At a Glance
- Category
- Bourbon
- Flavor Direction
- Sweet & Dessert-Like, Oak & Wood, Spice, Fruity
- Related Styles
- Wheated Bourbon, High-Rye Bourbon, High-Proof / Barrel-Proof Whiskey
What Makes It Different?
- Bourbon must be made from a mash of at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, entered into a new charred oak container at no higher than 125 proof, and bottled at 80 proof or higher, with no added flavoring or coloring.
- "Traditional" here means a lower-rye mash bill; typically around 75-80% corn, 8-12% rye, and 10-12% malted barley; the most common bourbon recipe shape, as opposed to the higher-rye or wheated variations covered in their own guides.
Flavor Profile
Production
A lower-rye mash bill -- typically 70-80% corn, 8-12% rye, 10-12% malted barley -- run through the same mash-to-barrel sequence every American whiskey follows. See Process for the full walkthrough of how each step (mash, ferment, distill, barrel, age) shapes the final spirit.
Explore Bottles
This style spans too many distilleries' own mash bills to reliably match specific bottles here without guessing. Explore real core-lineup expressions in the Distillery Directory, or build your own grain bill in Find Your Perfect Pour.
Related Distilleries
Try It Yourself
Trying a traditional bourbon? Use the Guided Tasting experience to walk through aroma, palate, and finish while it's actually in the glass -- a more useful way to learn what this style tends toward than reading about it alone.