A simple question for some, a difficult question for others.  What is Bourbon?  What distinguishes bourbon from whiskey, whisky, scotch………etc. 

The history of Bourbon is not well documented in the US and is really unknown who made the first bourbon.  It is mainly unknown because bourbon has to have many characteristics to legally be considered bourbon.  For bourbon to be bourbon it has to be made of at least 51% corn and must be aged in unused charred oak barrels.  There are also some other minor legalities to consider it bourbon,  however, it does not have to be made in Kentucky in order for it to be called bourbon.  It is called bourbon for another historical reason.

Back in the days of the pioneers who moved to Old Bourbon county, a very large county in Kentucky, they began making whiskey.  When these barrels of whiskey were shipped to ports around the east coast they were branded “Old Bourbon Whiskey” to indicate their origin.  So the name stuck.  These pioneers in the Kentucky area hailed from mainly Ireland and Scotland so some of them were bred with the ability to make great whisk(e)y.  The main ingredient in there whiskeys was malted barley.  Now since they had moved to a hotter climate in Kentucky, barley wasn’t as readily available as in their homeland, so they used the more common grain, corn thanks to the native Americans who taught them how to grow it.  This whiskey caught on very quickly due to its uniqueness for being the first whiskey to be made with corn and so the name for all corn whiskeys became considered “bourbon whiskey”.

In my personal opinion I am favored towards bourbon.  While there are great scotches, irish and canadian whiskies.  Bourbon has amazing quality with a wide variety of flavors and aromas for an amazing value.  The american history that surrounds this spirit goes so deep and I can’t help but learn something that makes me appreciate how far it has come.