Bourbon FAQ

We ship Kentucky bourbon to every U.S. state where it's legal to receive distilled spirits by mail. As of 2026 we do notship to AL, AR, DE, KY, MS, RI, SD or UT — those states either prohibit direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping or require an in-state license we don't hold. Every shipment requires an adult signature with ID verification at delivery. See the full state-by-state breakdown on our shipping page.

You must be 21 or older to buy bourbon in the United States. We verify age on every order — first on this site through our age gate, then again at delivery, where the carrier checks a government-issued ID matching the order name. If the recipient is not 21 or refuses to present ID, the carrier returns the package and we refund the bottles minus shipping.

Single barrel bourbon is whiskey bottled from one specific cask, never married with other barrels. The barrel number, warehouse and often rick position appear on the label, so every bottle from that barrel will taste the same as every other from it — but a different single-barrel release from the same distillery can taste markedly different. Read our master distiller's guide to how single barrels are picked.

Small batch bourbon is a hand-married blend of a small number of barrels — typically 8 to 30, sometimes up to 100 — chosen for a consistent flavor profile. There is no legal definition; "small batch" is a marketing term, but reputable distilleries use it to mean a deliberately curated mingling. Small batch bourbons are usually less expensive than single barrels and more consistent bottle-to-bottle.

Bottled-in-bond is a federally regulated whiskey category created by the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. To carry the label, the bourbon must be: the product of one distillery, made by one master distiller, in one distilling season (January–June or July–December), aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. It's the strictest authenticity guarantee in American whiskey.

An allocated bourbon is one where annual demand vastly exceeds annual supply, so the distillery rations bottles to retailers in fixed quotas. Pappy Van Winkle, E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof, William Larue Weller and George T. Stagg are the most famous examples. Allocated bottles usually sell out within hours of release at retail. Get on our newsletter list to be notified when we receive an allocation.

Store bourbon upright (not on its side — the high-proof spirit will degrade the cork), out of direct sunlight, at room temperature. An unopened bottle will last decades. Once opened, oxidation slowly changes the flavor — finish a bottle within one to two years for best taste. Half-empty bottles oxidize faster, so transfer the remainder to a smaller bottle if you're a slow drinker.

Yes. Distillation removes the gluten protein from any grain mash, including bourbon's corn-rye-malt or corn-wheat-malt base. Bourbon is safe for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. The TTB and the FDA both classify distilled spirits as gluten-free regardless of the source grain.

Proof is exactly twice the ABV (alcohol by volume). A bourbon labeled "90 proof" is 45% ABV. The U.S. proof system was created so distillers could provethe alcohol content by "gunpowder test" — soaking gunpowder in spirit and lighting it. 100 proof was the minimum strength at which the powder would still ignite.

All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. Bourbon is a legally defined American whiskey that must be: made in the U.S., from a mash bill of at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, aged in newcharred American oak barrels at no more than 125 proof entry, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. Scotch, Irish, Japanese and most rye whiskeys don't meet those rules.

A mash bill is the grain recipe a distillery uses for a particular whiskey. For bourbon, the mash bill must be at least 51% corn; the remainder is typically rye and malted barley, or wheat and malted barley (a "wheated" bourbon). High-rye bourbon tastes spicier and drier; wheated bourbon tastes softer and more honeyed. Same distillery, different mash bill, completely different bourbon.

There's no minimum aging requirement to call something "bourbon," but to call it "straight bourbon" it must be aged at least two years. If aged less than four years, the age must be stated on the label. Bottled-in-bond bourbon requires four years. Most premium Kentucky bourbon ages 6–12 years; allocated bottles like Pappy Van Winkle 23 age more than two decades.

Yes — orders over $250 ship free within the continental United States. Below that threshold, shipping is calculated at checkout based on weight and destination, typically $18–$32 for a single bottle and $35–$60 for a case. Allocated bottles ship in custom protective cartons. Full details on the shipping page.

Damaged-in-transit bottles are replaced free of charge. Photograph the package and the broken bottle, email support@bourbonandoak.com within seven days of delivery, and we'll ship a replacement at no cost. Full policy on the returns page.