Irish Whiskey vs Bourbon - What's the Difference?

Irish whiskey vs bourbon, what truly is the difference? They can both taste similar, but there are some distinct characteristics that differentiate the two types of liquor. Let's get into them.

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Irish Whiskey vs. Bourbon - the key differences

Location. Irish whiskey is made on the island of Ireland and traditional bourbon is made in the United States.

Content. Irish whiskey is made with barley malt and the occasional cereal grains, whereas bourbon is made with at least fifty-one percent corn.

Production Process. Irish whiskey is typically aged in ex-bourbon barrels or sherry casks, and bourbon is aged in new charred oak barrels.

Flavor Profile. Irish whiskey tends to be a bit fruitier, is a bit warmer in flavor and has notes of caramel. Bourbon tends to have notes of oak, caramel, marshmallow, and vanilla. Bourbon will typically be used for a mixed drink recipe like a mint julep for the Kentucky Derby.

Irish Whiskey Act

Established in 1980, the Irish Whiskey Act establishes the necessary steps in the production of Irish whiskey and sets legal requirements to establish basic requirements.

Be made from a mix of malted barley plus other cereal grains.
Be mashed, fermented and distilled to an alcohol content of no more than 94.8%.
Be matured in wooden casks for a minimum of 3 years in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
Be bottled at no less than 40% ABV.

4 types of Irish Whiskey

There are lots of different types of whiskey, but 4 specific different types of Irish whisky. Let's get into each type of whiskey.

Single Malt Whiskey - this is made from one-hundred percent malted barley and produced in one single distillery.
Single Grain Irish Whiskey - this is made from no greater than 30% malted barley and produced in one single distillery. The other 70 or so percent of single-grain whiskey could be unmalted cereals or whole grains, like wheat or corn.
Single Pot Still - this is a combination of 30% malted and 30% unmalted barley, distilled in one single distillery.
Irish Blend - this is, as the name suggests, a blend of various Irish whiskies. It can contain any type of grain and can be produced at different distilleries.

Irish whiskey vs bourbon, what truly is the difference? They can both taste similar, but there are some distinct characteristics that differentiate the two types of liquor. Let's get into them. — *Image via Instagram*

Is Irish whiskey better than bourbon?

It depends on what you prefer! The main difference, I would say, would be if you like a sweeter drink or a light and smooth drink. If you like something a bit sweeter, you'll want to opt for a bourbon. If you want something smoother and lighter, you'd want to opt for Irish whiskey. The flavor notes are different, so I recommend grabbing some and trying them for yourself.

Does Irish whiskey taste like bourbon?

Not necessarily! Bourbon is a bit sweeter with notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and warm spices. Irish whiskey is lighter and tends to be a bit fruitier, yet not necessarily sweeter.

Well-known Irish whiskey brands

Here are some of the well-known Irish whiskey brands.

Jameson
Tullamore Dew
Bushmills
Teeling

6 types of bourbon

There are lots of details that go into bourbon making, but here are the 6 main types of bourbon to help you pick out your next bottle at the store.

Standard Bourbon - this is, as the name suggests, the baseline for bourbon. It has to be 51 percent corn mash, aged in new charred oak barrels, aged for at least two years, barrelled at a maximum of 125 proof
Single Barrel - just as the name suggests, this is a bourbon that comes from a single barrel and isn't blended with any others.
Cask Strength - these are very strong blends of bourbon. Typically distillers add water to get the bourbon to their desired alcohol level, but not with cask strength. They pack a serious punch in both the flavor and alcohol content categories.
Wheated - this is a type of bourbon where distillers use wheat as the secondary ingredient on the mash bill. They're typically less spicy, due to the addition of the wheat, and softer in taste.
High Rye - as the name suggests, high rye whiskey bourbon has high amounts of rye. This adds a spicier, bolder flavor.
High Corn - similar to high rye, high corn bourbon has high amounts of corn. This adds a sweeter flavor since corn is known for its sweetness.
Blended Bourbon - this is a blend of various bourbons from different distilleries and states.
Kentucky Bourbon - as the name suggests, this is a bourbon that has to be distilled in Kentucky.