What's The Difference Between Young And Old Bourbons?

As bourbon ages, distillers must determine when it's ready for consumption. This is a difficult skill to master as aging both adds and removes characteristics to and from the liquid. Generally speaking, older bourbons are darker than younger bourbons. For example, the 6-year-old Bulleit Bourbon boasts light, golden yellow tones, while the brand's 10-year-old bourbon has much darker, brown hues. 

Distillers must also consider the bourbon's flavor. Younger bourbons tend to be less complex than older bourbons; during the aging process the alcohol's harshness is lessened and other flavors, including those of caramel and oak, are introduced to the spirit. For example, the younger Bulleit offers tons of vanilla and toffee notes, with a dry finish, while the older Bulleit has complex flavors of baking spices, tobacco, and pepper with a smoky, lasting finish. This increased complexity is also often demonstrated through the bourbon's aroma.

While older bourbon is darker and more complex than its younger counterpart, this does not mean it is inherently better. Each person will prefer bourbons of a different age, and the idea that older bourbons are always superior is simply a myth (as the number of older bourbons included in our list of 14 bourbons that aren't worth buying, proves.) Of course, another key difference between young and old bourbons is that the latter tends to be much more expensive than the former. So, if you're on a budget, you are probably better off turning to younger bourbons. Either that, or you need to find a bar that sells old, exclusive bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle, at cost. 

To be classified as bourbon, the spirit must be aged in charred, white oak barrels that have never been used before. To char a barrel, a distiller sets fire to the inside. This draws out and caramelizes the wood's natural sugars in the oak staves. A level one char is about 15 seconds, while a level four char is about 55 seconds. Once placed inside these barrels, the bourbon absorbs complex flavors directly from the wood. The longer a bourbon ages in a barrel, the longer the charred oak has to transfer its spicy, smoky, complex flavors into the spirit. The addition of these flavors is exactly why so many people love barrel-aged booze. 

Due to the intricate interplay between charred oak and bourbon, distillers are constantly evaluating their products during the aging process to figure out when they've struck the perfect balance between all these different flavors. Once they are happy, they prepare the bourbon for bottling. Unlike with wine, once bourbon is transferred to a glass bottle, the aging process ends. This means that a bourbon should taste exactly the same whether the bottle is opened soon after bottling or many years down the line. In other words, all of the aging occurs in the distillery.