BY KARA NEWMAN 

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Whiskey is made all across the world, and across America, too. But within the broad umbrella of this spirits category, many varieties exist. It may be confusing to keep track of them all, but here’s the headline when it comes to bourbon: Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, made with at least 51% corn. Remember that, and everything else falls into place.

“Bourbon drinkers are fond of saying, ‘All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon,’” says Heather Wibbels, managing director of Bourbon Women, a female-centered, consumer-based bourbon organization.

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“Bourbon is America’s take on whiskey that came over with the original colonists and immigrants from Europe,” Wibbels adds, noting in particular settlers from Ireland and France, where whiskey and brandy respectively have deep roots.

“People arriving in America brought their distilling traditions with them and adapted them to the grains and materials at hand to create a new kind of whiskey,” Wibbels continues. “Corn thrived in the U.S. more than rye and barley, so the colonists and early immigrants pivoted toward it as a base for their whiskies.”

Today, bourbon—America’s native whiskey—remains one of the most popular spirits categories. But it’s far from the only whiskey out there.

So, How Is Bourbon Different From Whiskey?

The key differences include:

The location: Bourbon needs to be made in the U.S. That means that everything—the mashing, distilling and aging—must be conducted on American soil.

Whiskey/whisky, more broadly, can be made anywhere. That said, certain types of whiskey do have geographical limitations, such as Canadian whisky (made in Canada), Irish whiskey (Ireland), Japanese whisky (Japan) and Scotch whisky(Scotland).

In addition, not all American whiskeys are bourbon. Think rye, Tennessee whiskey, American single malts, etc.

The mash bill: Bourbon is made with at least 51% corn. The remaining grains in the mix can range widely. High-rye bourbons contain a high concentration of rye grain, while wheated bourbons contain a high concentration of wheat. Other bourbons might include oats, barley or rice-based varieties. Some are 100% corn.

Whiskey is a broader category, and the grains will vary depending on the type of whiskey. For example, Scotch whiskey is made from malted (germinated) barley, while American rye whiskey contains at least 51% rye grain. (Rye made elsewhere may vary, but should contain a significant percentage of rye grain.)

The barrel: To be called bourbon, the whiskey must be aged in new charred oak barrels.

Whiskeys from other regions may have different rules about the vessels. Most allow for used oak barrels—and used bourbon barrels often are used for aging other spirits, including non-bourbon whiskeys.