Whisky from USA

American whiskey covers several styles with their own rules: bourbon, made from at least 51% corn and aged in charred new oak; rye, from at least 51% rye; Tennessee whiskey, filtered through maple charcoal before it goes into the barrel; and a growing number of American single malts. This page compares UK prices on all of them, from Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark to Woodford Reserve, Michter’s and Westland.

American whiskey is spelt with an e, and brand labels keep their own spelling. Most bottles we track come from Kentucky or Tennessee, or see bourbon for the style. Prices are the best current in-stock offer from the UK retailers we check.

148 bottles in stock, with the best current price from the UK retailers we check.

Questions

What is the cheapest whisky from the USA?
The cheapest whisky from the USA is Jim Beam (40% ABV, 70cl), at £19.50 from Master of Malt. That is £24.45 delivered to the UK mainland for one bottle. Next cheapest: McAfees Benchmark No. 8 Bourbon 70cl (£22.64) and Four Roses Bourbon (£23.95).
How much does whisky from the USA cost?
Whisky from the USA costs from £19.50 to £1,236.50, with a median of £54.95 for a full-size bottle. The dearest is Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition.
What is the oldest whisky from the USA you can buy?
What is the difference between bourbon and rye whiskey?
The main grain. US bourbon must be made from at least 51% corn and US rye whiskey from at least 51% rye; both follow the same limits on distillation strength, barrel-entry strength and new charred oak. Bourbon tends to taste sweeter and fuller, rye drier and spicier. Outside the US, “rye” on a label is often far less tightly defined.
What is straight whiskey?
Straight whiskey has been aged for at least two years, in new charred oak barrels for straight bourbon and straight rye (straight corn whiskey uses used or uncharred oak). Under US rules straight bourbon and straight rye may not contain added colouring or flavouring. Plain bourbon has no minimum age at all, so “straight” is the word to look for if you want a guaranteed two years.
What is American single malt whisky?
It has its own US standard. American single malt must be made from 100% malted barley, distilled at a single US distillery at 160 proof or less, and matured only in the United States in oak barrels of up to 700 litres, which can be new or used, charred or uncharred. Caramel colouring is allowed only if the label discloses it.
What is the difference between bourbon and American whiskey?
Bourbon is one style of American whiskey, not a synonym for it. US rules (27 CFR 5.143) require bourbon to be made from at least 51% corn, distilled at no more than 160 proof and stored in charred new oak barrels. Rye, Tennessee whiskey, corn whiskey, wheat whiskey and American single malt are American whiskeys too, each with its own rules.