Bourbon: The Basics

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What You Need To Know

Bourbon is America’s spirit. While many in this country happily romanticize about Irish and Scotch Whisky (rightfully so) they are often ignorant of the equally romantic, and historically compelling resume of Bourbon. Bourbon, by law must be made in the USA although most are made in the State of Kentucky (Bourbon is named for Bourbon County in Kentucky). It is required to be made with a majority of corn (at least 51%) with rye, wheat, and malted barley used in varying proportions. The significance of the majority use of corn dates back to the original Kentucky settlement which was originally part of the state of Virginia. In order to make the new settlements to the west economically viable, the new "Kentuckians" were encouraged to plant corn as a cash crop. In turn their spirits - the first Bourbons - were mandated to rely on the staple crop. Bourbon will always be bold in color and robustly wood influenced, as it is required to be aged in new, and charred (barrels are charred over an open flame) oak barrels. Bourbon is America's Spirit.

The Experts Rap

Today, distillers are producing better, and more consistent Bourbon than ever before. The flip side of this is that we are seeing a lot of labels and a wide range of prices, which can be a bit confusing for the consumer. Spend a little bit of time and learn about the origins of your favorite brand. There are just a handful of distilleries in Kentucky while there is a crate load of labels. (This is the same reality that exists for Irish Whiskey as well). Further, take a look at the recipes as this quite logically determines the flavor and character of the Whiskey. Of course, corn dominates all Bourbon recipes. Large portions of rye tend to add spice to the resulting Bourbon while wheat adds soft biscuit like flavors and often creates the sweetest tasting Whiskies. Check out the “Full Story” as I breakdown the distilleries and their brands.

When and How

Unlike Whisky from Ireland and the British Isles, Bourbon has successfully positioned itself as a beverage to be enjoyed in a cocktail as well as straight. For this reason Bourbon is enjoyed year-round in mint juleps, on the rocks, straight-up, or with coke (I must confess to not being a fan of this application but to each his or her own). Get the full rap on Bourbon here.