#Bourbon whiskey full

Meaning, from which distiller is the raw spirit first distilled prior to shipment. What is worth noting, however, is understanding where your bourbon originates. Bourbon cannot be artificially flavored or enhanced with coloring - a key reason why Jack Daniels is labeled as a Tennessee whiskey and not a proper bourbon. The federal government doesn’t recognize such strict standards so we’ll leave that tidbit to float in the realm of subjectivity for the time being. Also, some bourbon devotees suggest if the spirit doesn’t come from Bourbon County, KY and utilize Kentucky limestone water in the distilling process then it isn’t bourbon. Namely, that bourbon cannot be artificially flavored or enhanced with coloring - a key reason why Jack Daniels is labeled as a Tennessee whiskey and not a proper bourbon. We’ve also seen more specific rules come into play over the years as well. For any deviation from the aforementioned mandates results in a spirit that shall not be labeled as bourbon. These are the tenets by which all bourbon distillers must adhere. So, what is bourbon if not standard American whiskey? Well, thanks to a federal decree passed in 1964, we can summarize the legal definition of bourbon whiskey in a few short sentences. Now, Heaven Hill distillery is one of the few titans of the bourbon industry - standing alongside Four Roses, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, and Brown-Forman among others today. Craig then proceeded to open a little distillery in Georgetown, KY to capture the new method. It was just a few years later when Bourbon Country, Kentucky was officiated and then Mister Elijah Craig himself broke new ground when he started aging corn whiskey in oak barrels. Instead, some believe the Even Williams distillery, established along the banks of the Ohio River in the late 18th century, led the way for more modern takes on the spirit. Unofficially, it’s believed the first bourbon whiskey was distilled in the late 18th century. Unofficially, it’s believed the first bourbon whiskey was distilled in the late 18th century by the Samuels family (whose youngest heir now runs Maker’s Mark) but skeptics have voiced their concern since the Samuels Family hadn’t begun to produce commercially sold bourbon until the mid 19th century.

#Bourbon whiskey full

From here, we saw the production of American whiskey take full advantage of our nation’s climate, agriculture, and entrepreneurial sense of adventure. Meaning, bourbon is the one variant that’s uniquely American through and through, with production dating back centuries to the very foundation of America - before Prohibition-era speakeasy lounges, organized crime, and Tommy-Gun-fueled police pursuits. And the basics begin here: All bourbon is whiskey but not all whiskey is bourbon. Maybe there’s something we can take away from that reality.

In a world of on-demand convenience, fine bourbon is in absolutely no rush at all. And perhaps that very characteristic is what’s cherished most about the spirit. The American spirit has come a long way and passed through judgment, testing, and in some cases up to two decades or more of maturation. But for those few savory moments, we’re transported back in time to when the expression was first distilled, then aged, matured, and cut prior to arriving at its journey’s end - your glass.

Opening with the nose and closing out with the back palate, the entire process may only take a few seconds. That’s because bourbon, like a fine single malt or wine, is a journey worth exploring. Or, dare we say, what lies above on the top shelf. For the time has come to say so long to what’s in the well and start exploring what’s on-call directly in front of your nose. A tragic reality, but hey, we’re not here to judge. These are the folks who associate the spirit with more of a revengeful hangover than a refined and delicate warming embrace. Just ask any fellow legal-aged drinker and they’ll dispel - either positive or negative - on how college-aged shot-for-shot evenings at the local watering hole eventually transpired into sipping sessions by a warm fire because “you don’t shoot fine bourbon.” Conversely, non-believer “I don’t touch the stuff” statements are just as common from those who never quite made the shot-to-sip transition.