Further Examining America’s Distinctive Spirit

The U.S. is known for a great many things. Thankfully, among them is bourbon. A darling of Hollywood, celebrities, happy hours, cocktails bars, and beyond, America’s native spirit is just that: fiercely native. Its reliance on 51% corn, new charred American Oak barrels, and maturation here in the States often crowds out emerging trends in whiskey-making abroad. Some claim that this strips identity from the finished product, but the truth of the matter is that few bourbon releases taste the same, even if their DNA may appear similar on paper.

Within the category of bourbon whiskey, there’s more room on the whiteboard for creativity than many notice at first glance. With the requirement for at least 51% corn in the mash bill, there comes 49% freedom, with distillers across the nation rooting their identity in what’s known as their “flavoring grains.” Rye, barley, wheat, additional corn, and more take up this slice of the mash bill, lending great variety in flavor.

Furthermore, while barrels must be new and charred, cask management goes far beyond simple construction. From Maker’s Mark’s tedious and analytical barrel rotation to the center cut of Beam’s blazing warehouses, where a barrel lives and for how long impacts the whiskey just as much as its mash bill and distiller’s approach.

In collaboration with Whiskey Advocate, we pulled together four bottlings that stand tall in the primer on flavor here in bourbon country. Let’s dive in.

There are few brands with the tenure, identity, and heritage to match Maker’s Mark. Sipped by many for decades, the distillery has long relied on two core principles to deliver one of America’s smoothest whiskeys.

First, the distillery employs a strategy known as barrel rotation to ensure every barrel meets its profile before bottling. Midway through aging, Maker’s empties high floors of warehouses (where the temperature is higher) and rotates the barrels to lower floors (where temps are lower).

Maker’s Mark features wheat as the flavoring grain, making its releases wheated bourbon, better known as “wheaters” among enthusiasts. Maker’s Mark uses the same mash bill for each of its labels and special releases, relying on a recipe of 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley. High corn and the presence of wheat lead to a smooth, caramel-forward, and creamy profile with a clean finish. Maker’s sips easy neat, works great with ice, and makes one of the best juleps no matter which horse you have in the Derby.

A relative newcomer in terms of bourbon brands, Basil Hayden stretches far back as a figure in the bourbon world. Said to have started distilling in 1792, Meredith Basil Hayden Sr. quickly became a father figure to the world of whiskey. More than 200 years later, he’d find a brand using his namesake to reintroduce drinkers to a new flavor profile.

A creation of Booker Noe, Basil Hayden 10 Year Old joined the Beam family of whiskeys to deliver a more refined whiskey in the hopes of delivering something “spicy yet smooth.” With more rye in the mash bill than Maker’s Mark, Basil Hayden promises a more flavorful whiskey without turning up the heat. Produced using 63% corn, 27% rye, and 10% malted barley, it’s not hard to see where the spice comes from with such a bump in the rye. Bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV), this expression ages for 10 years in the barrel before bottling. Layers of caramel, honey, a slight nuttiness, and a spicy presence on the palate give this whiskey plenty of character without the bite.

A darling for drinkers everywhere, Knob Creek is one of the whiskey world’s most cherished bourbons. Matured in the center of Beam’s warehouses, these barrels are subjected to the hottest and most volatile temperature swings, bringing extra flavor and character to every barrel. Bottled at a satisfying 50% ABV, this whiskey also steps up with a touch of boldness, delivering rich caramel, baking spice, clove, savory brown sugar notes, and a long, powerful finish.

As with Basil Hayden, the introduction of age statements is a testament to just how much flavor whiskey picks up in the barrel. By the time the barrels reach 9 and 10 years old, these whiskeys drink with no shortage of flavor. Knob Creek is a bold, oaky pour with the structure to stand up any number of cocktails — from whiskey sour to barrel-aged Manhattan.

Last but not least is a final frontier in a study on spice. Baker’s Single Barrel Bourbon is a recently reimagined whiskey, fresh off a redesign and stunning new package. Built to highlight each barrel's influence, Baker’s takes the concept a step further — each bottle comes from just a single barrel. Rather than batching hundreds or thousands of barrels for a batched release, drinkers get to experience each whiskey barrel by barrel. With the age and barrel number appearing on the neck of the bottle, Baker’s makes it easy to see just how much each barrel can differ within a single rickhouse.

Baker’s house profile presents a wallop of caramel, cracked pepper, light peanut brittle character, and a sweet oakiness with a wicked, smooth finish for 107 proof (53.5% ABV). Between different single barrels, you can most widely expect to see the concentration of tannins shift up and down, while some may drink a bit sweeter or be more baking-spice-forward depending on the individual barrel. For those who want to experience every bit that Baker’s has to offer: purchase a couple of individual barrels and compare them side by side!

While all four of the whiskeys above are bourbons, it’s clear they each have their own identities and profiles. Some may view them as the same due to their strict production and similarities to each other, but on the other hand, they couldn’t be more different. From their characters to their individual bottle styles and, most importantly, their flavor profiles, it’s clear how diverse the world of whiskey within the Bourbon category can be. Get your flight started with any of the bottles below in collaboration with Whiskey Advocate. Find even more examples of America’s intrinsic spirit, shop our full Bourbon Collection.