A bourbon flight is a curated selection of small pours — typically three to five different bourbons — served side by side so you can compare them in a single sitting. Flights are usually built around a theme, like a single distillery, a range of mash bills, or a climb in proof, and they're the easiest way to train your palate.
How a flight works
Instead of committing to one full pour, you get several small ones — usually around a half-ounce each — lined up so you can taste them back to back. A good flight has an order to it: you generally move from lighter, lower-proof pours toward bigger, higher-proof ones, so the bold whiskeys don't overwhelm your palate early.
Common flight themes
The fun of a flight is the comparison. Popular ways to build one:
- By mash bill — a high-rye next to a wheated bourbon, to taste how the grains change everything.
- By proof — climbing from a standard pour up to a barrel-strength bourbon.
- By age — the same style at different ages.
- Single distillery — a vertical of one producer's range.
How to taste a flight
Take your time. Look at the color, give it a gentle nose, then a small sip and let it sit on your tongue. Try a drop of water in the higher-proof pours — it can open up the aromas. Move low to high, and don't rush; the whole point is noticing how each one differs from the last.
Taste a flight at Louisville Rickhouse
No reservation needed — just walk in for a flight at the bar, poured straight from our barrels. Want the guided version? Our Premium Tasting is a curated barrel-strength flight from multiple distilleries. Walk-ins always welcome.
Keep reading: What proof is bourbon? · What is single barrel bourbon? · Best distillery tours in Louisville