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
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Buffalo Trace’s Single Oak Project
In 2018, Basil Hayden’s dropped its first 10 year old version of its classic bourbon. Since then the bottling has become an annual affair, dropping in the later months of each year. Recently we received ...
George Dickel is clearly sitting on sizable stocks of well-aged whiskey. The release of their Bottled in Bond in 2019 (first a 13 year and recently a more modest 11 year) and the ever-growing list ...
Dripping Springs, Texas-based Kooper Family has been slowly ramping up its product line since we first encountered them 5 years ago. Our latest find is this bourbon, a 4 year old sourced from Kentucky (though ...
Since 2016, Barrell has ended a long year of whiskey releases with a limited edition bourbon send-off dubbed New Year. When I first discussed this release years ago with the Barrell Team, I was told ...
It’s round five for Yellowstone’s special-edition bourbon releases, which always hits at the tail end of the year and offers a much different experience than the standard Yellowstone Select bottling — as well as the ...
Three Chord — producer Neil Giraldo’s boutique whiskey brand — has been gaining significant notice for its entry-level Blended Bourbon — and now more upscale bottlings are hitting the market from the brand. Today we’re ...
Newcomer Reverend Spirits hit shelves earlier this year in Virginia, the passion project of Norfolk-based restaurant owner Karl Dornemann. Karl named his distillery, R.D.Wilhelm Distilling Co., and its spirits line for his own father, an ...
Can lightning strike twice? 2019’s 13 year old Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whiskey from George Dickel won all kinds of raves, including from yours truly — proving that a $35 bourbon could go toe to ...
Barrell Bourbon may be 25 batches into the straight bourbon blending game, but in recent years, the company has also been looking for even more interesting ways to build a unique product, from infinity bottles ...
Drinking in the day? How about some 80 proof, one-year-old bourbon — instead of Treaty Oak‘s flagship, the 95 proof Ghost Hill bourbon? While that calculus may be suspect, this new whiskey, a “100% Texas-made ...
