Is bourbon gluten-free? Yes, it’s a distilled spirit

Yes. Bourbon is made from a mash that’s mostly corn and often includes rye, wheat or barley, but it is distilled, and distillation leaves the gluten behind. Coeliac UK lists spirits, including whisky, as suitable.

What to check

• Flavoured whiskeys, whiskey liqueurs and cream liqueurs can have ingredients added after distillation. Read the label or the maker’s information.
• Mixers and cocktails: check what’s added, and beer-based drinks are a different thing.

Keep reading

• Are vodka, gin and whisky gluten-free?
• Is rum gluten-free?
• Gluten-free beer

Sources: Coeliac UK, EU Regulation 1169/2011 and 828/2014, US FDA gluten-free rule and FALCPA, Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less). Checked 28 September 2026. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.