What does it take to join the club of people who can take a sip of a bourbon and then confidently say things like, “I’m getting lots of banana in here,” or “this is hot”? How can one bridge the gap between not understanding the difference between a rye and a bourbon to having a strong preference for cask strength bourbon? And what kind of knowledge does it take to pick a bottle from a shelf and know you’re getting a good deal versus contenting yourself with anything under $20?

Bourbon, along with other specialty beverages, has a kind of mystique about it that makes these questions hard to answer. It is something that, without experience, you can’t pre-judge the same way you can dry goods like furniture, or some clothing. It has to be tasted. 

But even in tasting, people will talk not just about the whiskey-ness of the whiskey, but of the very non-whiskey things it tastes like. When we eat peanut butter on toast, it tastes like peanut butter on toast. When we drink bourbon, we free-associate. We become synesthetes. It tastes like vanilla, or caramel, roasted nuts or banana. It’s not just liquid but it’s silky, spicy, smooth or hot. Bourbon’s most notable qualities and characteristics are the things it isn’t. 

This kaleidoscopic quality of bourbon is one of the real joys of the drink, but it’s also part of what can make the beverage feel inaccessible. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be. Even something as transporting and seemingly subjective as bourbon has objective qualities and principles that you can use as a foothold.

We’ve teamed up with writer Jonah Flicker to do just that — to give you a foothold on the world of bourbon. In the ensuing lessons, we’ll break down everything you need to know about bourbon into seven simple lessons. Over the next few weeks you’ll get the basics of bourbon history, learn how to taste it, hear about the difference between big time and craft distillers, learn how to read a bottle and get numerous recommendations for building out your own bar. 

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Thanks again for signing up. Enjoy the journey. 

Best, 

J.D. DiGiovanni