If you're not someone who drinks a lot, the difference between bourbon and whiskey might not seem very apparent. .So here are a few pointers to help you distinguish between the two types:.In order to be classified as bourbon, a whiskey needs to be distilled from grains that are at least 51% corn. .Bourbon also must be aged in new charred oak barrels, and cannot include any additives or colorings.Before bottling, bourbon is filtered and diluted down to no less than 80 proof.You may have heard that in order to be a bourbon, the whiskey has to be from Kentucky. That's actually not quite true.Bourbon can be made outside that state. But a "Kentucky bourbon," has to be both distilled and aged in Kentucky.Next time you order bourbon, just know that what you get isn't just a whiskey, but a very specific kind of whiskey.