I’ve always been a strictly beer, wine, and milk(!) kind of gal. But then my son moved to Kentucky to take his first job after college and almost immediately he started drinking Kentucky bourbon. Little wonder. The Bluegrass State produces a whopping 95% of the amber whiskey, and so it wasn’t long before we began trekking along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which links 16 bourbon distilleries spread mostly between Louisville and Lexington open to the public with tours and samplings. My son, by the way, also now listens to country music, but I’m not there yet.
There are several things, I’ve learned, that make bourbon unique in the whiskey world. For one thing, it can only be made in the America, making it the country’s only certified “Native Spirit.” It must contain at least 51% corn. It must be distilled to no more than 160 proof, barreled at 125 proof and bottled at no less than 80 proof. Finally—and this is what I find most remarkable about the whole process—it must be aged in oak barrels that are not only new, which certainly supports the cooperage business around the state, but have also been charred by fire. Apparently, it’s this charring of the barrels that gives bourbon its distinct flavor, allowing the liquid to soak up the wood’s sugars and caramel vanilla flavor. Also good to know is that bourbon has no added flavoring, coloring or additives. Because I try to be healthy, I’m all in.
Obviously, there’s much more to Kentucky bourbon than what I’ve described here, but everything I know about bourbon can be found in my following articles: “Everything you need to know about Kentucky Bourbon” published in 10Best.com/USA Today, “Love Bourbon? You’ll love the Kentucky Bourbon Trail” appearing in gettingontravel.com (which has since ceased publication; find the PDF below), and “In Kentucky, it’s all about Horses and Bourbon” on this website.
