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Article #313: Bourbon: The Straight Facts

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Bourbon is one of those drinks that go Just as California is known for wine and
extremely well with cigars. Cheese can Colorado is known for beer, Kentucky is
have wine, candy can have soda, toast can known for Bourbon, though it can
have orange juice, but Bourbon is all technically be produced in any US state
about getting a good smoke. Despite this where distilling alcohol is not illegal.
fact that Bourbon and cigars are a match In the past it has been produced in
made in tobacco Heaven, a lot of cigar Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
lovers misconstrue what Bourbon is really Tennessee, Missouri, and Kansas. In
all about: it's more than a street in New addition to Kentucky, Bourbon is
Orleans. presently produced in Virginia.
Bourbon is a high maintenance alcohol, Still, it is the Bluegrass State that is
one that involves several regulations. off to the races when it comes to
The rules and laws that govern Bourbon Bourbon; it is a derby Kentucky has been
production are strict. In short, winning since the 1700's.
manufacturers must follow the below There is no single person credited with
criteria in order for whiskey to get its the invention of Bourbon - though Al Gore
"bourb" on. may claim to be the initial creator - but
Some people may assume that Bourbon is the history of it is known. The Bourbon
just the same as whiskey or that it is name was derived from Bourbon County, a
barley, er barely, different, but Bourbon large Kentucky county founded after the
is very distinct; it is a whiskey made of American Revolution.
corn. By US law, at least 51 percent of a Bourbon County had a penchant for growing
whiskey must be made of corn in order to crops, and farmers soon found themselves
be called Bourbon. Most Bourbons are, with more corn than their livestock could
however, made up of even more corn: they eat. The extra corn was turned into
are made up of around 70 percent and, whiskey, and bourbon was born.
being cornier, often tell jokes that Bourbon County was eventually divided
aren't really all that funny. The into smaller counties and residents began
remaining ingredients in Bourbon include to refer to it as "Old Bourbon." When
wheat, rye, and malted barely. whiskey makers began shipping their
Another key component to Bourbon is age: liquor on the Ohio River, which served as
it must be distilled and put inside white a major port, they stamped their sealed
oak barrels for a minimum of two years. barrels with the name "Old Bourbon." The
This, like corn content, is rarely an name stuck and Bourbon became a synonym
issue as most Bourbons are aged in for corn whiskey.
barrels for around four years. Once aging In 1964, the US Congress made Bourbon the
is complete, nothing can be added to the "native spirit," sealing its place in
Bourbon to change the color, add flavor, American history forever.
or enhance sweetness.






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