How Bourbon is Made
Ingredients
The initial dry grain mixture, or mash bill, consists of a combination of at least 51% corn, along with other grains such as rye, wheat and malted barley.
Mash House
The grains are then milled to produce a fine mixture that is combined with water.
Cooking
The milled grains are then cooked under pressure to create "mash" for fermentation.
Fermenter
Yeast is added to the cooled mash, fermenting the mixture and producing what is called "wash," the liquid used for the distilling process.
Distillation
The wash is then distilled, which produces a clear spirit typically between 65-80% alcohol.
Oak Barrels
The unaged whiskey is then poured into brand new charred white oak barrels.
Aging
The barrels are then placed in a warehouse for aging. During the aging process, the whiskey gains color and flavor from the charred wood.
Selection
Once the whiskey has reached the desired maturity, the barrels are sampled and selected based on a particular taste profile.

