Posted on 07/20/2021 4:39:28 AM PDT by Kaslin
BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. -- About 250 years ago, farmers looking for a way to make their surplus corn crop profitable decided to distill it. Today, that leftover grain has become a billion-dollar industry and a symbol of the Bluegrass State's identity, economy and culture.
"How bourbon came about is (what) ... the American spirit looks like: business, independence, freedom, a little bit of luck and a lot of perseverance," said Justin Thompson.
Thompson and his colleague Justin Sloan are the proprietors of The House of Bourbon, the world's largest bourbon store, located on West Main Street in Lexington right across from Mary Todd Lincoln's childhood home.
And right now, business is booming.
Thompson and Sloan started collecting rare and vintage bottles of bourbon 20 years ago, when the drink was out of favor. Then, four years ago, the state passed a law allowing the resale of distilled spirits and the duo opened their store, selling not just their stockpile but the history of the drink itself.
Bourbon is concocted from a strict formula. "By law it has to be made with a minimum of 51% corn, aged in charred new oak barrels and stored at no more than 125 proof and bottled at no less than 80 proof," Thompson said.
But its sweet, rich flavor was actually born out of happenstance. In the early days, the best market for bourbon was on the East Coast, so farmers had to ship their barrels down the Mississippi to Louisiana then around Florida and up the coast. The trip took months but also allowed the whiskey to age beautifully.
"When merchants along the East Coast started marveling about this red whiskey with its unique flavor, that marked the beginning of the bourbon industry," said Thompson.
In 1964, Congress deemed bourbon the nation's native spirit, and there's nothing more American than enjoying a sip of the brown stuff in a classic cocktail like a mint julep or an Old-Fashioned on the Fourth of July weekend.
But it's only in the past 10 years that America's appetite for bourbon has really skyrocketed -- and Kentucky tourism along with it.
While bourbon can technically be crafted in any state, Kentucky makes 95% of the world's supply. The whiskey is now the state's $8.6 billion signature industry, generating 20,100 jobs with an average salary of $95,000, an amount that has climbed by 23% since 2009.
According to the Kentucky Distillers Association, tourists to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail spend on average between $400 and $1,200 a trip -- with more than 70% of visitors coming from outside the state.
"This industry is a testament to the American spirit of making something from nothing, or making something from something leftover," said Kentucky state Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, a Bourbon County Republican.
Right now, Kentucky has $2.3 billion in bourbon-related capital projects planned, including a massive $1.2 billion expansion at Buffalo Trace, the country's premier distillery dating back to the late 18th century. Buffalo Trace now crafts some of the world's most sought-after brands, including Elmer T. Lee, E.H. Taylor and Pappy Van Winkle, which can retail for more than $1,000 a bottle.
"Like works of art, they are more than likely snapped up by collectors and either kept for themselves or sold at highly inflated prices," said Thayer.
But while some labels have vaulted into the realm of luxury, the bourbon industry as a whole would never have come about without humble grit and ingenuity. Over the years, it has survived fickle consumer trends, natural disasters like flooding and drought, and government overreach in the form of Prohibition to become a symbol of our nation -- and the pride of Kentucky.
"Kentucky has two unique signature industries, horses and bourbon. And no offense to other states, but if we don't protect horses and bourbon in terms of the economic effect of both, we're West Virginia or Mississippi," said Thayer.
"And while those are fine places, we have two things that are unique to Kentucky like nowhere else."
My “top shelf” is Angel’s Envy, straight up. Not for sharing.
My “daily driver” is Woodford Reserve, either straight up, or in highballs or cocktails. Shared with friends and family.
My BYOB is Jim Beam, or whatever’s on sale.
Without a doubt, was kicking back with some Belle Meade Reserve last night, it might be bottle by Greenbriar, but its sourced from MGP.
Good stuff, at least to me.
PFL
A lot of my friends prefer the Japanese whiskeys - for the record - they are not called Scotch - I’ve purchased a number of them (I prefer Glenlivet, Balvenie, or Macallan personally if I’m not drinking bourbon). They are simply compared to Scotch since they have the same flavor profiles.
Good low-priced bourbons include Wild Turkey 101, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, and Gentleman Jack.
There is a documentary on Netflix about Pappy and Rep Van Winkle Bourbon, called Heist. 3rd episode. Pretty good.
And I know Netflix is a 4 letter word around here.
Woodford Reserve double oaked is to die for. We just enjoyed a bottle recently. I usually use Wild Turkey 101 for Manhattans.
Some of the Japanese Scotches are really good. The original couple that learned in Scotland and a couple others. Then there’s the clones. Japan is adding laws on what can and can’t be called Japanese Whisky that should help eyeball the wheat and chaff.
LOL Good point.
Most bourbons taste pretty good to me in a glass with one big ice ball in it. Pappy’s did not.
I live here in the middle of bourbon country. I have 42 different kinds on my bar in my basement. I started out trying to collect them. Then, I ran out of room.
My neighbors and I routinely do blind taste test with one another to see if we can really tell the difference between the good and the bad... or rather, the expensive vs the cheap.
Drinking it neat, we cannot.
With Ice, some of us can pick out our favorite. For me, that’s Woodford.
If I mix them with Diet Coke (I know, sacrilege... but, that’s how I LIKE it!)... I can pick out Woodford about 80% of the time. Occasionally, I still confuse it with Old Forrester, especially the 10 yr version. But, they’re related anyway. So, it’s not too surprising.
For MOST people though, drinking over ice, they can’t tell the difference between $1000 Pappy’s and $10 Heaven Hill.
As I said, it’s 95% marketing.
My favorite Low Priced bourbon is Old Forrestor, 100 proof.
If you want REALLY cheap stuff, Ancient Age is not too bad either.
It’s all relative. A few years ago, I was working in the back woods part of China for 3 weeks. NO BOURBON of any kind, anywhere. When I spent the night in Seoul, waiting for my flight back, I paid $20 for basically, a shot of Jim Beam.
Tasted as good as ANY Bourbon I ever had! :-)
In many cases, they're selling actual scotch and labeling it as "Japanese Whisky". IIRC, some of the big distillers there (Suntory, Nikka, etc.) own a number of distilleries in Scotland. Suntory now owns Jim Beam as well). With few laws in Japan to prevent the questionable labeling, it was a "anything goes" situation. I understand that new Japanese laws passed this year will put the brakes on most of those practices once they go into effect.
Until a few years ago when Tennessee passed a *state* law regarding the use of the "Lincoln County Process" (charcoal filtration) on any whiskey labeled "Tennessee Whiskey", that name was just a marketing decision (and one heck of an effective one). Based on the legal mash bill and cask aging requirements, Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is a bourbon. So is George Dickel, which at one point during its history was bottled and sold as a bourbon.
Evan Williams is relatively inexpensive and quite good. I have at least a dozen different Bourbons here but EW is what I have most often.
ML/NJ
🥃🥃toasting with Knob Creek💖
LOL I remember when that happened. I went and bought a few bottles of TJ wine. The Chard was OK. Wasn’t that impressed with their reds.
Sad to say, after having tasted some of the ‘good stuff’, I’ve turned into a bit of a wine snob. I can find several that I like in the $15-20 range. But, there are a bunch I’d like to buy in the $120 - $300 range that I KNOW I would like a LOT better. :-)
I just can’t see spending that much. I try to buy some of them young, and hang on to them.
Wonderful! Since I can no longer take a whisky tour in Scotland, I’ll plan on a Bourbon tour in Kentucky. :-)
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