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Originally Posted by Bacchanal
So I can say I know, can someone tell me the difference? I know they're closely related, but evidently I don't know where the line is.
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From
www.straightbourbon.com FAQ's:
1. What is bourbon?
There are strict laws governing just what a Bourbon must be to be labeled as such. For example, at least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn). Bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred. Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color.
6. Is Jack Daniel's a bourbon?
Jack Daniel's, is not considered a bourbon because it is charcoal-mellowed -- slowly, drop by drop, filtered through sugar-maple charcoal -- prior to aging, which many experts say gives it a different character. The process, called the Lincoln County Process, infuses a sweet and sooty character into the distillate as it removes impurities. But up to and after the charcoal filtering, the Jack Daniel's production is much the same as any other Bourbon. Jack Daniel's and George Dickel are two fine Tennessee Whiskeys though neither can be called bourbon.
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The different woods that are used (KY - white oak, TN - sugar maple) will provide different flavors to the alcohol. Also, under Central Kentucky is basically all limestone rock, and all the water that filters past it is supposed to pick up minerals and what-not that add to the flavor of Bourbon.