moraym
Active Member
Originally posted by Bang Guy
Technically it's a bourbon.
Uh-oh, now we're splitting hairs. And now I'm going to look like a bourbon nerd, but eh, here it goes:
According to the Code of Federal Regulations:
Southern Comfort is a bourbon. The Code of Federal Regulations defines bourbon as follows:
(1)(i) "Bourbon whisky", "rye whisky", "wheat whisky", "malt whisky", or "rye malt whisky" is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of the same type.
Bourbon obviously gets its name from Bourbon County in Kentucky, the primary producer in the 1700-1800s, it can now be produced legally all over the United States.
However, Southern Comfort even defines itself as a "traditional American liquer" made from bourbon and peaches.
According to general requirements to be a 'bourbon': Southern Comfort is not a bourbon.
Bourbons in general have certain requirements used to qualify them as a bourbon, the distilled mash must be aged for a two year minimum in brand new white oak barrels, that have been charred. No additives may be added to enhance the flavor in any way. This is where the title "bourbon liqueur" comes from in the case of Southern Comfort. The bottle says that peaches, and even caramel, have been added. So essentially SoCo was splitting hairs so finely between being legally a bourbon, and being recognized as a bourbon, that they made their own category: bourbon liquer.
So legally, it's a bourbon. Kind of like, "legally", OJ is innocent.
But in the court of general requirements, SoCo fails the bourbon test since it has several additives to enchance flavor.
Technically it's a bourbon.
Uh-oh, now we're splitting hairs. And now I'm going to look like a bourbon nerd, but eh, here it goes:
According to the Code of Federal Regulations:
Southern Comfort is a bourbon. The Code of Federal Regulations defines bourbon as follows:
(1)(i) "Bourbon whisky", "rye whisky", "wheat whisky", "malt whisky", or "rye malt whisky" is whisky produced at not exceeding 160° proof from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn, rye, wheat, malted barley, or malted rye grain, respectively, and stored at not more than 125° proof in charred new oak containers; and also includes mixtures of such whiskies of the same type.
Bourbon obviously gets its name from Bourbon County in Kentucky, the primary producer in the 1700-1800s, it can now be produced legally all over the United States.
However, Southern Comfort even defines itself as a "traditional American liquer" made from bourbon and peaches.
According to general requirements to be a 'bourbon': Southern Comfort is not a bourbon.
Bourbons in general have certain requirements used to qualify them as a bourbon, the distilled mash must be aged for a two year minimum in brand new white oak barrels, that have been charred. No additives may be added to enhance the flavor in any way. This is where the title "bourbon liqueur" comes from in the case of Southern Comfort. The bottle says that peaches, and even caramel, have been added. So essentially SoCo was splitting hairs so finely between being legally a bourbon, and being recognized as a bourbon, that they made their own category: bourbon liquer.
So legally, it's a bourbon. Kind of like, "legally", OJ is innocent.
But in the court of general requirements, SoCo fails the bourbon test since it has several additives to enchance flavor.
