Here are the best bourbons that won’t disappoint. Certainly, some of the old stalwarts can be hard to find or are sold at a hefty markup, but whiskey drinkers still enjoy an embarrassment of riches. To keep pace, bourbon production has jumped over 360 percent since 2000, according to the Kentucky Distillers Association. In fact, there’s so much new juice on the shelves of your local shop, it can be hard to keep up with new producers and bottlings. There are a few other rules as well-distilled from at least 51 percent corn, aged in new oak barrels, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. While Americans have been drinking whiskey aged in charred barrels since the 1820s (give or take), demand for the brown spirit has recently rocketed. In fact, to be called bourbon, it has to be made in the United States.
Check out Spruce Eats’ 20 Best Bourbon Cocktails for some inspiration.Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also known as Mark Twain, famously said, “If I cannot drink bourbon and smoke cigars in heaven, then I shall not go.” Of course, it would be nearly impossible to argue with the late writer on this or any other subject, and why would you want to? Bourbon is liquid sunshine, and like Twain, the spirit is an American classic. There are many fantastic cocktails that utilise bourbon’s unique flavour profile. Yes, bourbon is the featured spirit in many cocktail recipes from the classic old fashioned to the refreshing mint julep. The best way to find out, though, is to try for yourself! 10. While law dictates that no flavourings or colour additives may be added to bourbon, it nevertheless has a diverse flavour profile, typically characterised by vanilla, oak, caramel and spice. It must be aged for at least three years to be recognised as whiskey in the EU. It must also be aged for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse. The act dictated that spirits must be the product of one distilling season from one distillery and bottled at 100 proof. What is bottled-in-bond?īottled-in-bond relates to an American-made distilled beverage that meets the legal requirements laid out in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. However, bourbon which has been aged fewer than four years must have an age statement on its label, and to be defined as ‘straight bourbon’ it must have been aged for a minimum of two. While the standards state that bourbon must be stored in charred oak barrels, there isn’t actually a minimum-ageing requirement.
Both took their names from the House of Bourbon, a European royal house of French origin. However, the most prominent contenders are Bourbon County in Kentucky and Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The origins of the name bourbon are extremely uncertain. To help you along, we’ve picked four classic bourbon serves and designated two bourbons to each. With so much room for exploration, it can be somewhat difficult to know where to start. Which one should I start with?īourbon’s varied flavours and storied heritage make it a drink worth exploring. Buffalo Trace and Blanton’s, two classic examples of bourbon 4. The mash must be distilled at 160 proof or less, the distillate must be stored in charred new oak barrels at 125 proof or less, and it must not contain any additives. What is the difference between bourbon and whiskey?įor a whiskey to call itself bourbon, its mash (the mixture of grains from which the product is distilled) must contain at least 51 per cent corn. No, the federal standards governing the identity of bourbon dictate that it is a ‘distinctive product of the United States’ and that ‘the word “bourbon” shall not be used to describe any whiskey or whiskey-based distilled spirits not produced in the United States’. The reality is, however, that it can be produced anywhere in America, and new bourbon distillers are cropping up across the country all the time. What’s more, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, 95 per cent of the world’s supply comes from Kentucky.
Despite it’s popularity, the spirit remains a mystery to many. Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, distilled from a mash made primarily of corn.
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