DAGS Whiskey Glossary

Alcohol By Volume. The percentage of pure alcohol in a bottle. Proof = ABV × 2.

The number on the label refers to the youngest whiskey in the bottle, not the average.

A level 4 barrel char — the deepest — where the interior looks like alligator skin. Adds heavy vanilla and caramel.

Whiskey lost to evaporation from the barrel during aging. Typically 2–4% per year in Kentucky.

Whiskey bottled straight from the barrel with no water added. See also Cask Strength.

The proof at which new-make whiskey enters the barrel. Legally capped at 125 for bourbon.

See Store Pick.

Whiskey made from a combination of straight whiskey and neutral grain spirits, or multiple whiskeys blended together.

See Bottled in Bond.

Product of one distillery, one distilling season, aged at least 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse, bottled at exactly 100 proof.

American whiskey made from at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, distilled to no more than 160 proof, entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof.

Bottled at or near the proof it came out of the barrel. Usually 110–140+ proof.

Burning the inside of a new oak barrel to break down wood sugars and open the grain. Char levels run 1–4.

Cooling whiskey and filtering out fatty acids to prevent cloudiness. Some distillers skip this — see Non-Chill Filtered.

A tall continuous still used for most American whiskey. Efficient and consistent.

American whiskey made from 80%+ corn. Does not have to be aged, and if aged, uses used or uncharred barrels. The base of moonshine.

Whiskey absorbed into the wood of the barrel, extracted by soaking the empty barrel with water.

The clear liquid that comes off the still before aging. Also called new-make or white dog.

A bottle sold only at the distillery gift shop.

A pot still used for a second distillation pass after a column still.

Whiskey moved into a second new charred oak barrel for additional aging. Adds a heavier oak, vanilla, and caramel character.

A small pour of whiskey. Scottish in origin, not a fixed measurement.

An old, discontinued bottle found on a store shelf covered in dust. The bourbon hunter's white whale.

See Barrel Entry Proof.

1) The lingering flavor after you swallow. 2) A secondary aging period in a different barrel (wine, rum, port).

Traditional method of germinating malted barley by hand on a stone floor. Rare and labor intensive.

See Mash Bill.

The first, harsh, volatile portion of a distillation run. Cut and discarded.

The good stuff — the middle portion of a distillation run that becomes whiskey.

A bourbon with a mash bill containing roughly 18%+ rye. Spicier and drier than a wheated bourbon.

A single barrel that outperforms every other barrel in the same batch. The one you hope your store pick lands on.

A store or bar that consistently gets rare, allocated bottles.

Rolling whiskey around your mouth before swallowing to coat every taste bud. Named for Booker Noe.

The warm chest-and-belly sensation from a high-proof bourbon.

The streaks that run down the inside of a glass after swirling. Indicates viscosity and proof.

Barley that has been germinated and then dried. Contains enzymes needed to convert starch to sugar during mashing.

The recipe of grains used to make a whiskey. E.g. 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley.

The person in charge of everything that turns grain into whiskey — recipe, distillation, and quality.

Ridiculous secondary or retail markups on hyped bottles.

No Age Statement. A whiskey without a stated age on the label.

Whiskey served in a glass at room temperature with no ice and no water.

Unaged clear distillate straight off the still. See White Dog.

Bottled without chill filtration. Retains more oils and body, may go cloudy when cold.

The aroma of a whiskey. Nosing is the practice of evaluating it before tasting.

Served over ice.

A copper still used in batches. Common in Scotch and Irish whiskey production.

Two times the ABV. 100 proof = 50% alcohol.

The warehouse where barrels rest during aging. Also called a rackhouse.

American whiskey made from at least 51% rye. Spicier and drier than bourbon.

Whisky (no 'e') made in Scotland, aged at least 3 years in oak. Single malt = from one distillery, 100% malted barley.

Whiskey drawn from one individual barrel rather than blended from many. Every bottle from that barrel will vary slightly.

Whiskey made at one distillery from 100% malted barley.

Whiskey blended from a limited number of hand-selected barrels. There is no legal definition of 'small.'

Using leftover mash from a previous fermentation to start a new one — like a sourdough starter. Keeps pH and flavor consistent.

A single barrel selected exclusively by a retailer, bar, or private group. Often the best value at a good store.

Bourbon aged at least 2 years with no added coloring, flavoring, or spirits. If under 4 years, an age statement is required.

The last, weaker portion of a distillation run. Cut and either discarded or re-distilled.

Slang for someone who obsessively hunts and flexes hyped bourbon without much appreciation for it.

Bourbon made in Tennessee that also uses the Lincoln County Process — filtering the distillate through sugar maple charcoal before aging.

A barrel heated but not charred, or a bourbon finished in a second toasted barrel. Adds soft baking spice and toffee.

The empty space in a barrel or bottle where liquid has evaporated.

A near-impossible-to-find bottle. Pappy 23, Michter's 25, BTAC's rarest years.

A rare pour offered after a common one.

A bourbon that uses wheat as the flavoring grain instead of rye. Softer, sweeter, more mellow (Weller, Maker's, Pappy).

Unaged, clear distillate straight off the still. Legally a whiskey the moment it enters the barrel.

The specific yeast a distillery uses during fermentation. A closely guarded part of the flavor signature.