Using the official Bourbon Flavor Wheel:
Systematic Exploration and Identification of Flavors & Flavor Categories
The Council of Whiskey Masters publishes the official Bourbon Flavor Wheel.
This fully integrated version of the Bourbon wheel was developed by
Adam Edmonsond, Master of Whisky
Carmen Hartwich, Master of Bourbon
Kevin Malta, Master of Bourbon
Tom McCormick, Master of Whiskey
Justin Strumpfer, Master of Bourbon
under advice of Steve Beal, Master of Whisky
On this page, we will break down the hard-to-read wheel details, for practical use in daily leisure tastings as well as analytical tastings.
The categories and descriptors shown on this page are part of the official vocabulary for candidates in the Council’s certifications programs.
Category 1: Herbal Flavors
The choices on mashbill, fermentation, distillation and maturation all play a role in the development of these flavors.
Fresh
dill, tarragon, eucalyptus
Minty
mint, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen
Anise
star anise, licorice, fennel
Bitter
cough, syrup, turpentine
Dried
dried herbs, incense
Category 2: Spicy Flavors
Appealing aspects from the production process, sweet & fragrant.
Baking
cinnamon, clover, nutmeg, ginger, cardamon
Savory
coriander, caraway
Piquant
pepper, allspice
Category 3: Floral Flavors
Yeast strain choice and the details of the fermentation process determine the floral perceptions in Bourbon.
Fresh
rose, lavender, white lilly
Compound
perfume, florist shop, wildflowers
Dried
dead flowers, potpourri
Category 4: Fruity Flavors
Once more, yeast is the dominant factor here.
Citrus
lemon, orange, pomelo, tangerine, grapefruit, lime
Stone
cherry, plum, peach, apricot, nectarine
Orchard
apple, pear, fig, grape
Tropical
banana, coconut, lychee, guava, mango, pineapple, papaya
Melon
watermelon, honeydew
Berry
blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, strawberry
Processed
zest, date, dried fig, prune, dried apricot, dehydrated fruit
Dried/Dehydrated
raisin, date, dried fig, prune, dried apricot, dehydrated fruit
Cooked
jam, marmalade, cobbler, stewed fruit
Category 5: Finished Flavors
Wood maturation increases complexity and balance, and adds color.
Ex-Dry Wine
red wine, white wine
Ex-Sweet Wine
Sauternes/Barsac, Tokaji
Ex-Fortified Wine
sherry, port, Madeira, Masala, Vin Santo
Ex-Spirit
rum, brandy, Tequila
Category 6: Aged Flavors
Barrel maturation is the key driver behind a sense of “age”, but funky flavors often can be traced back to the fermentation process.
Funky
leather, old library, dust, wood polish, mushroom
Oxidative
rancio, varnish, molasses
Category 7: Flawed Flavors
Chemical imbalances from fermentation and distillation are usually behind objectional tastings notes of this category.
Sulfurous
struck match, cabbage, egg
Fungal/Bacterial
mold, cardboard, wet dog, yogurt, cheese, vinegar
Burnt Mash
bitter, charred grain
Over-Extracted Wood
acrid, bitter, astringent, murky, flocculated
Ethereal
acetone, lacquer, solvent
Category 8: Industrial Flavors
Multiple chemical reactions during fermentation and distillation lead to this flavor category. Can show positive or negative.
Waxy
candle, lanolin, beeswax
Rubbery
new tire, garden hose
Chemical
marker, new carpet, paint
Category 9: Primary Flavors
Yeast and bacteria contributions during fermentation are main drivers, but maturation also plays a major role.
Sweet
(possibly due to low barrel entry proof)
Sour
(unresolved acids in young whiskey or in Rye)
Salty
(untypical of Bourbon or Rye)
Bitter
(due to over-extracted wood or burnt mash)
Umami
rancio, leather, mushroom
Category 10: Textural Aspects
Grain composition and starch content can drive texture, but so can yeast types during fermentation, and proof & cooper in distillation.
Full-Bodied
heavy, rich, viscous, syrupy, oily, slow-moving, supple
Light-Bodied
light, watery, elegant, thin, nimble, delicate
Warming/Cooling
nose-warming/cooling, mouth-warming/cooling, mild, approachable, prickly, unbalanced, hot, fiery
Tannic
grippy, drying, angular, hard, chewy, velvety
Mineral
chalky, flinty, graphite, hard water, vitamins
Category 11: Woody Flavors
Partially directly from the oak, partially related to aging, wood maturation increases complexity and balance, and adds color.
Baked
crème brûlée, pastry, Graham cracker
Soda
cola, Dr. Pepper
Wet/Dry, Fresh/Old, Toasted/Charred
oak, maple, cedar, balsa, sandalwood, mahogany, hickory, pencil shavings, charcoal, campfire
Category 12: Sweet Flavors
The mash bill, especially corn, drives the impression of sweetness, along with wood sugars from barrel aging.
Sweetener
brown sugar, white sugar, burnt sugar, maple syrup, honey, artificial
Confectionary
caramel, butterscotch, toffee, vanilla, nougat, bubblegum, marshmallow
Chocolate
milk, dark or white chocolates, baker’s chocolate, fudge, cacao
Category 13: Lactic Flavors
Lactic flavors usually arise during the fermentation process of the mash, particularly due to activity of lactic acid bacteria.
Dairy
popcorn butter, cream, whole milk
Category 14: Nutty Flavors
Multiple points in the productions process can cause these, including mashing, fermentation, distillation, maturation, and oxidation.
Fresh, Roasted, Shells, Butter, Spread
peanut, almond, hazelnut, chestnut, walnut, pecan, cashew, marzipan
Category 15: Grainy Flavors
These flavors are directly related to the major grain types used in the Bourbon’s mashbill.
Corn, Rye, Wheat, Barley, Mash
corn bread, popcorn, rye bread, wheat bread, malted barley, cereal, biscuit, yeast, ale
Category 16: Earthy Flavors
All three major production steps can cause earthy flavors: Fermentation, distillation, barrel aging.
Coffee
ground, brewed, burnt
Tobacco
cigar, pipe, cigarette
Geosmin
rain, wet concrete
Musty
cellar, barnyard, rickhouse
Vegetation
foliage, lawn clippings, dry grass, dry leaves
The roundness of a Tasting Wheel indicates that flavor categorization represents a circular continuum:
One type of flavor may blend into the next, often absent of clear borders.
When present in moderation, most of the above tasting descriptors are perceived as positive.
From Description to Evaluation
While the above Flavor Wheel discussion assists during the description of whisk(e)y, other categories and criteria are used during a professional and comparative evaluation of the spirit:
Assessing a whiskey’s Complexity, Balance and Expressiveness may help the taster to arrive at an overall quality assessment.
Further, assessing a sample’s Typicity and Character—its expression of a regional or traditional style alongside the distillery’s unique characteristics—may provide further insight into the product’s identity and relative positioning in the marketplace.
Learn & Apply:
Approach Mastery with The Council of Whiskey Masters
The certification programs at The Council of Whiskey Masters prepare students located around the world for both descriptive as well as evaluative skills in the world of whiskey.
Candidates with a primary interest in Scotch start with the Certified Scotch Professional (CSP) credential, and then advance from there.
Candidates with affinity for Bourbon first take our Certified Bourbon Professional (CBP) exam, then climbing through the levels.
Those candidates interested in the wider segment of Spirits can become Certified Spirits Judges (CSJ), ready for professional judging.