United States Congress recognized bourbon whiskey as a distinctive product of the United States in 1964.
In 1791, the federal government began imposing a tax on distilled spirits to help pay off the national debt that was created by the American Revolutionary War. The settlers didn’t find the imposing tax to be fair. They felt that the tax was purposely set up to benefit the large whiskey producers. The largest whiskey produce at the time was President George Washington. Large whiskey producers were only taxed six cents per gallon where as small producers were taxed nine cents per gallon. Besides being taxed more than the large whiskey producers, the settlers were also at a disadvantage because they didn’t have much money to start with, weren’t located as close to the markets as the large producers were and lacked good roads to travel to the markets on. The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 caused the smaller whiskey makers on the East Coast to revolt against the imposed tax and flee west to Kentucky, which happened to be located outside of the federal government’s control at the time.
Ninety-five percent of the world’s bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky. Whiskey is distilled from grain. Corn is a native Kentucky grain. Other grains that are used in creating bourbon include rye or wheat and malted barely. By law, bourbon has to be made from at least 51% corn and aged in brand new white oak charred barrels for at least two years. The layer of wood that is caramelized on the inside of the barrel mellows out the flavor and gives the bourbon an amber color. The darker the bourbon is, the longer its been aged.
The name Bourbon Whiskey comes from the whiskey that was being shipped in the 1800’s from Bourbon County in Kentucky to St. Louis and New Orleans. Originally this type of whiskey was referred to as “Whiskey from Bourbon” and eventually became “Bourbon Whiskey”.
There are different types of bourbons such as small batch and single barrel. Small batch bourbon is produced and distilled in small quantities, usually 1,000 gallons or less which means that it’s made in small batches. Single barrel bourbon means that each bottle consists of bourbon whiskey that comes from just one barrel and isn’t blended with anything else.
The following is a list of popular bourbon whiskey brands out on the market today: Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Basil Hayden, Elijah Craig, Baker’s and 1792.
Bourbon whiskey can be served neat, straight up or in popular mixed cocktails such as a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned.
