The main difference between rye and bourbon are the ingredients that are used to make them. Bourbon is usually created from a mash that is composed of a lot of corn. This would need to be aged for about two years so that it can be considered as “straight bourbon.”
Rye is similar to bourbon, but instead of being created with corn mash, this is created with rye. There are some that only come with 50% rye, but it is quite common for some rye to be up to 100% rye. It would depend on what people want.
This also needs to be aged for a couple of years before it can be called “rye.” In different parts of the world, bourbon is more popular, and in others, rye is considered to be the better option. It would depend on people’s taste and what they are looking for.
Tara Pele, Technical Blogger, MCA from New York, New York
Answered Oct 03, 2019
The major difference between rye and bourbon can be found in the ingredients that are used in the process of distillation. It is important to note that they both are completely distilled from grain. Rye main ingredient is the rye grain that has been distilled from a mash. It contains about 51% of the mash. Other ingredients added to the mash include malted barley and corn. Rye whiskey is often stored in charred oak barrels. It is also possible to find rye that contains 95 to 100% rye.
Rye is spicier and has a drier taste. Bourbon is mainly distilled from corn mash as corn makes up about 51% of the mash. Other ingredients added include rye and malt. It can only be termed bourbon if it was produced in the United States It is often stored in new charred oak barrels. Bourbon taste sweeter than rye. It cannot contain more than 62.5% alcohol. Hope you find this information helpful.
Answer Anonymously
Copy Link
