Bourbon
Bourbon is the unquestioned king of American whiskey, its production dating back to the 1700s. While bourbon is invariably associated with Kentucky, where 95 percent of all bourbon is produced today, in reality it can be produced anywhere in the U.S. (though only Kentucky Bourbon can include the name of the state on the label). By U.S. law, bourbon must be made from a mash of at least 51% corn; be aged in new, charred oak containers; distilled to no more than 160 proof, entered into barrel at no more than 125 proof, and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof. Contrary to popular opinion, there’s no minimum aging requirement for bourbon, although straight bourbon must be aged for at least two years and cannot have added coloring. One of the most popular spirits in today’s drinking world, bourbon prices have been on the rise as stocks have dwindled — although massive investments in the industry promise to ease those supply pressures in coming years.
Top Bourbon Posts:
Tips, Tricks, and Advice on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Top 10 Bourbons Under $20
Buffalo Trace’s Single Oak Project
When they said Covid was over, we didn’t think we’d be summarily dropped into a new financial crisis to replace the one we just got out of. The good news is that the holidays have arrived just in time to provide a welcome (if brief) break from yet another year of chaos. At Drinkhacker, we…
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Yellowstone puts out a Limited Edition bottling of its whiskey every year, but for 2022 we’re checking this out alongside another special release, a special version of its Yellowstone Family Recipe 6 Years Old, bottled to honor the namesake national park and its 150th anniversary. The former is new, but the latter came out way…
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Redwood Empire’s bonded bourbon and ryes — Grizzly Beast and Rocket Top, respectively — only arrived earlier in 2022, but now the company is back with a second batch of whiskeys, albeit slightly different from the first batch. These are fully produced “grain to glass” offerings made entirely in California and in keeping with the…
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The Covered Bridges Whiskey Company (TCBWC) is best known for its Ruddell’s Mill Kentucky bourbon. Now its out with a companion brand, Pigeon River, which is a sourced Tennessee whiskey made with the Lincoln County Process of undergoing charcoal filtration before it is aged. There’s a lot of info provided about the Pigeon River Bridge,…
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Penelope Bourbon has quickly become a small sensation in the American whiskey world. By taking the familiar non-distilling producer formula of sourcing whiskey and then blending or finishing it to create a new product they’ve seen great success since they got their start back in 2018. Penelope’s founders were known in the brand’s early days…
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Here at Drinkhacker we’ve previously covered Calumet “Single Rack Black” at 15 years old, which hit in 2021. Now, the whiskey’s a year older, and the label has been updated appropriately. At the time Monica noted two things that continue to be true – the company behind this expression isn’t very well known and offers…
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Every year, Angel’s Envy drops a barrel proof version of its iconic Port-finished bourbon, and while the proof changes slightly from one year to the next, the overall through-line doesn’t vary all that much. 2022’s release is no surprise, its burgundy-hued color a treat for the eyes, before you ever dip into it. Big and fiery…
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Stoli keeps meddling with its Kentucky Owl brand — releasing both The Wiseman releases (for the masses) as well as a growing number of “Innovation Series” bottlings which nod only to that sub-brand with a tagline reading, “The Wise Man’s Bourbon.” Today we look at two releases from its limited editions, Confiscated and Takumi Edition,…
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Noting, as others so often do, that “everything is bigger in Texas” speaks directly to the flavor profile of most whiskeys coming out of the Lone Star State. Because of Texas’ intense heat, the influence that oak has on these whiskeys tends to be far more pronounced at a younger age than comparable products from,…
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Stagg is back, baby! With the latest release of one of the most highly coveted whiskey collections produced anywhere, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection returns to its full complement of five whiskeys, including the big daddy Bruiser, George T. Stagg. Details follow for each of the offerings, but if you’d like to read some past…
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