NOT A BLEND. Just in case you didn’t read the label.
As the title suggests, I’m going to provide a list of American blended whiskey brands. Sounds simple? Maybe not so much.
It is not so simple because whenever whiskey is mentioned, bourbon is usually mentioned. This confuses things. There is a difference and this difference is not just customary, it is legal.
Defining Bourbon
By definition and law, bourbon must be made in America using at least 51% corn. Bourbon has to be stored in oak barrels. They must be new barrels and they must be charred barrels. When it is distilled it cannot exceed 160 proof which is 80% alcohol. When it goes into the barrel, the liquid can be no more than 125 proof. Finally, when it is bottled, it cannot be less than 80 proof. No flavorings, additives, or colorings are allowed. That is bourbon law.
What About Whiskey
Whiskey, on the other hand, does not have to be made in America, does not have to be made using 51% corn or any corn at all, and it does not have to be stored in new oak barrels. For American whiskey, the barrels do have to be oak, but they do not have to be charred.
Taking a Look at Blended American Whiskey
American blended whiskey must contain at least 20% straight whiskey with the rest of it being a
neutral spirit. In some cases light whiskey, which is whiskey between 160 proof and 190 proof, is added instead of the neutral spirit. This American Blended Whiskey is what we’re talking about. There are blended whiskeys that are piss poor, fantastic and everything in between.
Mind boggling to me is that I discovered there are only eight companies that make most of the whiskey in the United States. These eight companies own thirteen distilleries that produce 99% of our American whiskey. There are some smaller outfits which bottle their own and even distill it. I’ve included some in my list.
Now the list. This is not a list of all, but a pretty good sample. It is in no particular order. Take a look around, you might find something you like.
Here’s a List of a Variety of American Blended Whiskey Brands
1.High West Campfire Whiskey, 2.Great Northern 3.Distilling Vanguard Whiskey, 4.Rogue Spirits Dead
Guy Whiskey, 5.Seagrams 7 Crown, 6.Kessler, 7.Beam’s Eight Star, 8.Heaven Hill Kentucky Whiskey, 9.Gukenheimer, 10.Kentucky Deluxe, 11.Kentucky Beau, 12.T. W. Samuels, 13.Wilson, 14.Ten High, 15.Old Thompson, 16.Imperial, 17.Fleischmann’s Preferred, 18.Barton Reserve, 19.Barton Premium, 20.Lord Baltimore, 21.Hobble Creek, 22.Bentley’s, 23.Ezra Brooks White Label, 24.Tenderfoot Whiskey, 25.Chicken Cock Bootleggers Reserve, and 26.Calvert Extra.
Beware of this list of American blended whiskey brands. There are some great whiskeys and some so nasty they could eat the paint off of your car.
John Johnson
John “Big John” Johnson is a serial fun seeker, a lover of craft beer, and enjoys all things adult beverage related. A dedicated online marketer and SEO, he has been described as “Peter Pan with German Work Ethic”. John is also a sleight of hand magician with serious chops, enjoys riding Harleys, practicing martial arts and travel.
