Is bourbon gluten-free?
Almost none, but the exception matters: bourbon's legal definition requires 51% corn and mandates no gluten grain at all. KOVAL builds its mash from corn and millet and is gluten-free outright. Every other bourbon here uses malted barley for enzyme conversion, and most add rye or wheat for flavour, so it cannot carry the label even though distillation removes the gluten protein.
Every bourbon here, by base material
| Brand | Made from | ABV | Gluten-free label |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOVAL Bourbon | Corn and millet | 47% | ✓ Yes |
| 1792 Small Batch | Not stated | 46.85% | Not by label |
| Angel's Envy | Not stated | 43.3% | Not by label |
| Basil Hayden's | Not stated | 40% | Not by label |
| Blanton's Original Single Barrel | Not stated | 46.5% | Not by label |
| Booker's | Not stated | 62.5% | Not by label |
| Buffalo Trace | Not stated | 45% | Not by label |
| Bulleit Bourbon | Not stated | 45% | Not by label |
| Eagle Rare 10 Year | Not stated | 45% | Not by label |
| Elijah Craig Small Batch | Not stated | 47% | Not by label |
| Evan Williams Black Label | Not stated | 43% | Not by label |
| Four Roses Small Batch | Not stated | 45% | Not by label |
| Jim Beam White Label | Not stated | 40% | Not by label |
| Knob Creek 9 Year | Not stated | 50% | Not by label |
| Larceny Small Batch | Not stated | 46% | Not by label |
| Maker's Mark | Not stated | 45% | Not by label |
| Maker's Mark 46 | Not stated | 47% | Not by label |
| Michter's US*1 Small Batch Bourbon | Not stated | 45.7% | Not by label |
| Old Forester 86 Proof | Not stated | 43% | Not by label |
| Old Grand-Dad Bonded | Not stated | 50% | Not by label |
| W.L. Weller Special Reserve | Not stated | 45% | Not by label |
| Wild Turkey 101 | Not stated | 50.5% | Not by label |
| Wild Turkey Rare Breed | Not stated | 58.4% | Not by label |
| Woodford Reserve | Not stated | 45.2% | Not by label |
"Not by label" means the spirit is made from a gluten grain, so US rules bar the claim. It does not mean gluten was detected.
Why that is the answer
The thing people get wrong, and this page got wrong first time round, is assuming the bourbon rules require a gluten grain. They do not. 27 CFR 5.22 asks for a mash of at least 51% corn, distillation below 160 proof and new charred oak, and says nothing about barley or rye. The reason nearly every bourbon uses malted barley anyway is enzymes: malt carries the diastatic power that turns corn starch into fermentable sugar. Substitute millet and add the enzymes another way, as KOVAL does, and you get a bourbon with no gluten grain in it. Hudson and a handful of others have made 100% corn bourbons on the same principle. For the rest, the two answers diverge: the protein does not survive the still, which is why the Celiac Disease Foundation lists distilled spirits as safe regardless of source grain, while FDA and TTB rules reserve the "gluten-free" claim for products not made from gluten grains at all. A bourbon marked "not by label" here is a statement about the label, not the liquid.
FAQ
Is bourbon gluten-free? ▾
Nearly all bourbon is made from a mash of corn plus malted barley and rye, so it cannot carry a gluten-free label, though distillation removes the gluten protein and coeliac organisations consider distilled spirits safe. The exception is real: bourbon law requires only 51% corn and mandates no gluten grain, so a mash of corn and millet, like KOVAL's, is bourbon and is gluten-free outright.
Is whiskey safe for celiac disease? ▾
Most people with coeliac disease drink distilled whiskey without a reaction, because gluten peptides are too large to carry over in distillation. A minority report symptoms anyway. If you would rather not test it, a corn, potato, grape or agave spirit removes the question entirely.
Is Jack Daniel's or Maker's Mark gluten-free? ▾
Neither can be labelled gluten-free. Both are mash-distilled from corn plus rye or wheat and malted barley. The same chemistry argument applies as for any distilled spirit.
Informational only, not medical advice. If you have coeliac disease, your own tolerance matters more than any label.