Other products competing in the whiskey bottom shelf, meanwhile, aren’t necessarily blended whiskeys-Early Times, for instance, is priced similarly but contains no neutral grain spirits. Things can also head in the opposite direction, as a whiskey with a mere 5% or less straight bourbon in it can call itself “spirit whiskey,” a label that is not very common. Blended whiskeys that contain at least 51% straight whiskey, for instance, gain an additional descriptor, being able to call themselves “blended bourbon whiskey,” or “blended rye whiskey.” Brands like Ten High and Kentucky Gentleman fall into this designation. However, these blended whiskeys are just the start of a spectrum. That makes these bottles VERY cheap-often $10 or less per 750 ml bottle-and often harsh in flavor, as they typically possess a very “raw,” boozy taste that is more akin to whiskey-flavored vodka than it is to proper bourbon. These spirits are then blended together and watered down to the desired proof.Ĭlassic American blended whiskeys such as Seagram’s 7, then, typically contain a bit more than 20% straight bourbon-that’s bourbon that has been aged for at least two years in newly charred oak, meeting all the other qualifications to be “bourbon”-and are filled out by those inexpensive grain neutral spirits. In practice, this almost invariably means the remainder is made of grain neutral spirits-heavily distilled, flavorless, pure alcohol that is akin to high-proof vodka made from any kind of grain. This is due to the definition, which is built around creating an extreme budget product, but can also be interpreted differently.Īccording to the federal definition, “blended whiskey” must contain a minimum (but can contain more) of 20% straight whiskey, while the rest can essentially be any other style of alcohol. is very cheap stuff, although there are some notable, more recent exceptions. Most of the blended whiskey consumed in the U.S. Notable brands: Seagram’s 7, Kessler, Kentucky Gentleman, Ten High, Banker’s Club Let’s start, then, by explaining what “blended whiskey” means in the USA. But actually defining “blended whiskey” is considerably more complicated, owing to one thing in particular: The term “blended” means very different things in different nations. When it comes to the latter question, you can look at our blind tasting of 13 bottle-shelf, bourbon-adjacent whiskeys and see for yourself. If you’re an average spirits consumer browsing the whiskey aisle of a package store, you’re eventually going to face the following question: What are all these “blended” whiskeys on the bottom shelf, exactly? What does the “blended” label mean? Do their cheap price tags automatically imply a low level of quality, or are some of them actually fit to drink? Check out every entry in the series to date. Cocktail Queries is a Paste series that examines and answers basic, common questions that drinkers may have about mixed drinks, cocktails and spirits.
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