What is the minimum aging requirement for Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey?

The minimum aging requirement for both Kentucky Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey is indeed one year. This requirement ensures that the spirit has sufficient time to develop flavors and character from the interaction with the wood barrels in which it is stored.

For bourbon, it must be aged in new charred oak barrels, and while there is no mandated aging period for a whiskey to be labeled as bourbon, aging for at least one year is necessary for compliance with U.S. regulations. If a bourbon is aged for less than four years, the label must indicate the age.

In Tennessee whiskey, practitioners adhere to similar requirements. The whiskey also undergoes a charcoal filtering process, known as the Lincoln County Process, contributing unique flavor profiles.

This one-year aging minimum allows the distillers to create a beverage that meets legal definitions, while still offering opportunities for many bourbons and Tennessee whiskeys to age much longer, enhancing their profiles and complexity even further with extended aging.