Bourbonado

Bourbon 101: Free Bourbon Education

Every lesson is written the way you would explain it to a friend at the bar. No jargon for the sake of jargon, no gatekeeping, and no cost. Work through the topics in any order, with a glass in hand if you like, and ask questions in the comments when something does not click.

The lessons live inside the free community on Skool, so you can read one and then talk it through with people who just read the same thing. If you want the backstory first, read how Bourbonado started, or head back to the community home page to see what happens inside. You can also browse member bottle reviews to see the lessons put to work.

Lesson topics

  • What Makes Bourbon Bourbon

    Bourbon has to follow a short list of legal rules covering grain, barrel, and proof. We walk through each rule and what it means for the pour in your glass.

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  • Mash Bills Explained

    The mash bill is the grain recipe behind every bottle. Learn how corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley change the flavor before the whiskey ever touches wood.

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  • How Aging Actually Changes Whiskey

    Time in the barrel is only part of the story. We cover char levels, warehouse heat, evaporation, and why a six year old barrel can beat a twelve.

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  • Proof and Why It Matters

    Proof shapes texture, heat, and how much flavor makes it through. Learn the difference between barrel proof, cask strength, and everyday 80 proof bottles.

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  • Single Barrel Versus Small Batch

    These two terms get used loosely and mean very different things. We explain how each bottle is built and what to expect from bottle to bottle.

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  • Reading a Label

    Age statements, bottled in bond, distilled by, and sourced whiskey all hide in plain sight. Learn what the front label promises and what the back label admits.

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  • Building a Tasting Vocabulary

    You do not need florid poetry to describe a pour. We give you a simple set of words that helps you name what you taste and remember it later.

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  • How to Run a Tasting at Home

    Pick the bottles, pour the right amount, and set an order that does not blow out your palate. Everything you need to host friends without overthinking it.

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Bourbon glossary

Ten terms you will run into on labels and in tasting notes, explained without the fuss.

Mash bill
The recipe of grains used to make the whiskey. Bourbon has to be at least 51 percent corn.
Bottled in bond
One distillery, one season, at least four years old, bottled at exactly 100 proof.
Barrel proof
Bottled at the strength it came out of the barrel, with no water added.
Angel's share
The whiskey that evaporates out of the barrel while it ages. Nobody gets to drink it.
Char
The burnt inner layer of the barrel. Deeper char pulls out more color and sweetness.
Single barrel
Every bottle in that release came from one individual barrel, so batches vary.
Small batch
A blend of a limited number of barrels. There is no legal definition of how many.
Age statement
The age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle, not the average.
Sourced whiskey
Whiskey bought from another distillery and bottled under a different brand.
Finish
The taste that lingers after you swallow, and how long it hangs around.

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