Bourbon Tasting Notes: A Flavour Glossary

Bourbon tasting notes can read like a foreign language. This glossary defines the flavour and aroma terms you will see most often — grouped by family so related notes sit together. Where a term shows up in Juvenis, we have said so. For the method behind using them, see how to taste bourbon.

Sweet & creamy notes

Vanilla

A soft, sweet, creamy aroma drawn largely from the charred oak barrel. One of the signature notes of bourbon.

Caramel

A rich, burnt-sugar sweetness created as the sugars in the wood are caramelised during barrel charring.

Butterscotch

A buttery, brown-sugar note sitting between caramel and toffee, often with a creamy edge.

Crème brûlée

A dessert-like note combining custard-rich vanilla with a layer of caramelised burnt sugar — a core part of the Juvenis palate.

Honey

A light, floral sweetness, softer and more delicate than caramel.

Wood & barrel notes

Oak

The woody backbone of bourbon, ranging from fresh-cut timber to dry, seasoned wood. Comes from the new charred American oak barrels bourbon law requires.

Char

A toasted, slightly smoky or campfire note from the burnt inner layer of the barrel.

Toasted

A warm, golden note — think toasted bread or nuts — from gentler heating of the wood.

Tannic

A drying, slightly grippy sensation on the palate, similar to strong tea or red wine, contributed by the wood.

Spice notes

Baking spice

A catch-all for warm kitchen spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and allspice — often from the rye in the mash bill and from the oak.

Cinnamon

A sweet, warming spice note, common in bourbons with a higher rye content.

Black pepper

A sharp, peppery prickle, usually a sign of rye in the recipe.

Rye spice

The collective peppery, herbal, slightly minty character that rye grain brings to a mash bill.

Fruit notes

Banana

A soft, ripe-fruit ester note that can appear on the palate of richer bourbons, including Juvenis.

Dried fruit

Raisin, fig or date — concentrated, jammy sweetness often found in longer-aged whiskies.

Cherry

A red-fruit note, from bright and tart to deep and syrupy like a maraschino cherry.

Citrus

A zesty, fresh note of orange or lemon peel that lifts the heavier flavours.

Structure & sensation

Nose

The aroma of the bourbon — what you smell before you taste. Most flavour perception happens here.

Palate

The flavour and texture experienced in the mouth while tasting.

Finish

The flavours and sensations that linger after swallowing, and how long they last. A long finish is generally prized.

Mouthfeel

The physical texture of the spirit — thin and sharp, or full, round and oily.

Proof

A measure of alcohol strength. In the US, proof is twice the ABV, so 61% ABV is 122 proof.

Ethanol / heat

The sharp, warming alcohol sensation. More noticeable at cask strength, and softened by a few drops of water.

Legs

The streaks that run down the inside of the glass after swirling — a rough indicator of body and viscosity.