by Libation Staff |
Last Updated: May 29, 2021 For those of you looking to learn more things about bourbon, the best place to start is casual slang. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran when it comes to bourbon consumption or simply getting started, you should try to learn as much as possible. Here’s how it typically starts…
You develop an interest in bourbon, you start researching, you notice that the lingo surrounding this is completely unfamiliar and that frustrates you, and you give up on it because you feel overwhelmed. Well, I’m here to help prevent that from happening. True bourbon connoisseurs take their love of this delicious spirit to almost obsessive levels and talking with someone who knows bourbon can leave you more confused than when you started with all the terms and jargon.
If you are ready to talk shop like a true bourbon aficionado, you will want to keep reading this article covering bourbon terms and slang that literally every consumer must know. Trust me, in no time, you’re going to be talking bourbon like a true bourbon scholar. Let’s start from the beginning with the simple question of “what is bourbon?”
What is Bourbon?
Bourbon is an American whiskey that is barrel-aged in a new container of charred oak, and typically made from a mash which must be at least 51% corn and must also contain rye and malt. Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th Century. Bourbons are usually associated with the deep South–such as Tennessee and Kentucky–but it can be produced in any part of the country.
Bourbon doesn’t have a requirement as to how long it must be aged, except for straight bourbon which must be aged a minimum of two years. Straight bourbon can’t, by law, have added coloring, flavors, or other spirits added to it.
Any bourbon that has been aged less than four years must have that information included on its label.
Now, to the fun part of this article. Time to cover bourbon slang and terms you must know.
12 Bourbon Terms and Slang Words
Now that you know a little more about bourbon, let’s look at some of the terms and slang associated with this special spirit:
Angel’s Share
This term is my favorite of them all. When you age bourbon, you do so in wooden barrels. These barrels are porous and some of the bourbon is absorbed into the pores of the barrel which will eventually evaporate off–resulting in a loss of 2-5% of the total volume in the whiskey barrel. The evaporation is considered an “angel’s share.”
Dusties
Do you have any older bottles of bourbon collecting dust in your liquor cabinet? If you do, someone who is a bourbon aficionado might be interested in seeing your “dusties.” Those old, dusty bottles are a hot commodity if they are bourbons that are no longer in production.
Fake Tan
Adding artificial coloring to bourbon is prohibited by law, but some bourbon drinkers claim that the distiller adds those types of ingredients to improve the color of their product. Because whiskey starts out as a clear liquor that develops a brown color over time while aging in barrels, a darker bourbon is often seen as more desirable than a lighter one.
Flipper
A flipper is someone who takes bourbon and sells it on the secondary market for personal profit, sort of like someone who sells clothes or shoes on ebay or Facebook marketplace. Being a flipper is looked down upon by the bourbon elite.
Honey Barrel
A honey barrel is something out of bourbon lore and is considered the ideal bourbon barrel. It is created without any real scientific knowledge, instead of relying on location, temperature, age, and luck.
Honey Hole
This is a liquor store, typically in a low foot traffic location, that sells harder-to-find or more desirable bourbon at or very near retail prices instead of jacking up the price.
Juice
Instead of saying “whiskey” or “bourbon” over and over again in a conversation, you would say “juice.”
Kentucky Hug
When you taste a bourbon, you will notice the different flavors will hit you in different places in your mouth and throat. You will also notice that you feel warm after a drink. This is considered the “Kentucky hug.” If you try a vintage variety and it hits you harder, you’re experiencing “The Kentucky Bodyslam.”
Tater
Taters are people who are all about the hype of a bourbon before they’ve even tasted it. If they hear that a particular type of bourbon has won an award, they will rush out to get as much of it as they can for the purpose of reselling it.
The Hunt
The search for highly coveted bottles of bourbon. It’s the thrill of the bourbon hunt that does it for so many consumers and spirits collectors today. That part in it itself is a fun conversation.
Unicorn
Also known as the unicorn bottle–this bottle of bourbon is a hard-to-find, limited edition, and highly sought after. Bourbons like Four Roses limited editions, Buffalo Trace’s antique collection, and Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon are considered “unicorns.”
White Dog
Before a bourbon is aged in a barrel it is clear, or a “white dog”, “white lightning”, white whiskey”, or “hooch”. It will taste very “corn-y” and won’t have the depth that comes with aging in a barrel.
Final Thoughts
Bourbon is more popular than it’s ever been. It’s experiencing a new life in the liquor world, and rightly so. There are many new bourbon varieties being created and we are really benefiting from this resurgence.
With this newfound popularity comes a whole new culture, including a bourbon-specific vocabulary. If you want to impress your drinking buddies the next time you get together, drop in some of this bourbon lingo and slang when talking about bourbon.
Sure, you can carry on a fine conversation about this spirit and the many bourbon brands that have emerged throughout the years without knowing these slang terms, but the more you know, the better off you will be when it comes to interacting with the true bourbon and whiskey aficionados. Trust me on this, these connoisseurs know their stuff!