A Couple Shots of Bourbon

France has Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and more. Portugal has port. Mexico has tequila. So, what is America’s claim to a specific booze named after a region? Bourbon. That’s right. Whiskey (or Whisky) has a tradition dating back to 15th century Scotland and Ireland. It’s a distillation of grains, kind of like concentrated beer. Rye is often the predominant grain used. But, it tends to be a bit bitter. So, Kentuckians incorporated corn into the mix to create a sweeter version. Before long, people lined up for A Couple Shots of Bourbon. And, today is national Bourbon day. Let’s join the Queue.

While, the origins of the whiskey are definitely not in question, there are competing stories of where Bourbon came from. Some claim Bourbon street in New Orleans influenced the name. But, the more likely scenario is where it was produced and/or invented in Bourbon county, KY. This makes sense, and has more influence, since Kentucky has the closest association with Bourbon. And, the Kentucky derby is famous for its bourbon based mint Juleps. So, let’s start there.

Go to Kentucky for A Couple Shots of Bourbon

Whiskey claims responsibility for bad decisions throughout history. But, it also is present at a lot of reconciliations, like the end of the civil war. Rumors have it that US Grant and Robert E Lee signed the surrender at Appomattox over a couple shots of Bourbon. Although, we can’t confirm that. In fact, it sounds made up. Yet, Lee was from Virginia. And, the story behind Bourbon claims that Elijah Craig, a Virginia born Baptist minister, lived and worked in Kentucky when he invented Bourbon whiskey some 4 score and a few years before the civil war.

But, Craig was in Fayette county which bordered Bourbon County. Well, a short time after Craig supposedly invented bourbon whiskey, a distiller by the name of Jacob Spears, just across the border in said Bourbon county, began labeling his interpretation: “Bourbon” whiskey. While these stories are just lore, they sound better than the story that In New Orleans, shipments of whiskey from Kentucky helped people who couldn’t afford cognac have a drink. But, that story implies that bourbon actually hailed from Kentucky. So, where’s the dispute? Regardless of the etymology, the name “Bourbon” is now officially sanctioned by government regulation to designate a product of the United states distilled from a minimum 51% corn.

Is it legal?

So, like the French government controls what is and isn’t champagne. The US government puts the following restrictions on Bourbon Production:

• Produced in the U.S. and its Territories (Puerto Rico), as well as the District of Columbia^[24]
• Made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn^[25]
• Aged in new, charred oak containers^[25]
• Distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume)^[25]
• Entered into the container for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume)^[25]
• Bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof or more (40% alcohol by volume)

Others can imitate bourbon. But, just like champagne, they can’t call it bourbon. Even in the US, there is a similar drink named Tennessee whiskey. And, there are variations even on he bourbon side. Staraight bourbon has to be aged a minimum of 2 years. And, then there are blended bourbons. Different combinations result in different names, like if you use about 1/4 to 1/3 rye, they call it rye bourbon. Furthermore, recently, there has been an influx of flavored bourbons, like maple, dark cherry, vanilla, salted caramel, and more. Why you would do that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Just start with bourbon and mix the other stuff in in a drink.

A Couple Shots of Bourbon? Straight or mixed.

If you’re going to have A Couple Shots of Bourbon, know your drinking cohort. Since bourbon has its own denomination, chances are, there are plenty of bourbon snobs around. They claim ultimate authority over what is and isn’t good. And, they proclaim how you can and can’t drink bourbon properly. Then there are the manly men who value the ability to drink copious amounts of bourbon and savor the burn. Perhaps after a couple shots of bourbon you too can drunk dial your ex, then drive your monster truck into Stoner creek outside Paris Kentucky in Bourbon County.

For most people, though, the sweet spot is somewhere between a pinky lifting connoisseur and redneck wife beater. You can appreciate a well crafted bourbon straight or mixed. Wild Turkey and Coke or Jack and Ginger are equally pleasing. Once you know what to expect, you can incorporate Bourbon into your mixed drink repertoire. While it appears to be a manly drink, that is because of the alcohol and the bitter tones of cheaper bourbons. In reality, the predominant flavors are sweet. Think brown sugar, molasses, caramel, vanilla, and baking spices like cinnamon. Bourbons age in charred casks. So, they pick up some smokey flavors. But, don’t forget, the major ingredient is corn, which is sweet to begin with.

Uniquely American, but, stolen from a variety of places.

Bourbon has its own place in Spirits history. Federal law, recognized world wide, states that it must be produced in the USA to carry the name. And, most of it comes from Kentucky. Ironically, Bourbon from Bourbon county was outlawed during prohibition in 1919. And, distilleries didn’t return there until 2014. So, for 95 years, no bourbon came from bourbon Kentucky. So, unlike Champagne, Bourbon comes from anywhere in the US and its territories, not just the namesake county.

This is fitting since everything about bourbon comes from somewhere else. The name Bourbon itself derives from a famous French family. You may have heard of the Capetian Dynasty. Well, there was a Bourbon Dynasty as well. They were actually descendants of the Capetian line. The house of Bourbon ruled France as far back as the 12th century. Then they intermarried and spread to other regions. To this day, there are still Bourbons ruling in Spain, a couple regions in France (duke of Anjou, Count of Paris), Luxembourg, and there have even been a couple Bourbons in Brazil. So, the name Bourbon came to the US from French settlers. And, of course, Whiskey has Gaelic roots. And, using corn to make spirits comes from Indigenous tribes.

Technically, it is representative of the American Ethos. French, Spanish, Scots, Irish, and indigenous peoples all contributed to this one drink. You could think of it as a sort of alcoholic melting pot.

So, what to do with it?

We constantly say, save the good stuff for straight drinking. If you get a special, reserve, and aged bourbon, serve that neat or on the rocks. So, if you have a bottle of Woodford, Widow Jane or Blanford, you may want to sip that straight. But, mid range bourbons are great for mixing. You may want to avoid cheaper whiskeys though. Some of the cheaper ones cheat by mixing de-neutered alcohol to make them stronger, and it shows. They also use cheap additives and cut corners. The result is inferior quality, and, most likely a nasty hangover. You want a bourbon that is representative of the genre, but, not overly strong in any one direction. A good balanced bourbon like Maker’s Mark or Jim Beam works well.

Bourbon lends itself to generally sweeter cocktails. The classic, Old Fashioned is Bourbon with Simple Syrup, water, bitters, and a garnish of orange and cherry. You can go one step further and make a Ginger Old fashioned with the addition of ginger ale. Of course, there is the classic mint Julep (more here). And, there’s the Black Eyed Susan . These are both staples of horse racing. But, we aren’t always at the races, so here are a few more ideas:

Quick Recipes:

• Manhattan: 2 oz Bourbon, 2 dashes bitters, 1/2 oz sweet Vermouth, cherry garnish
• Gold Rush: 2 oz Bourbon, 3/4 oz Lemon Juice, 3/4 oz Honey, lemon twist garnish
• Brown Derby: 2 oz Bourbon, 1 oz Grapefruit Juice, 3/4 oz Honey, Grapefruit twist garnish
• And, for the more adventurous, there is the Kentucky maid: Muddle 8 mint leaves with 2 cucumber slices and 3/4 oz simple syrup, Add 2 oz Bourbon, 1 oz lime juice. Garnish with cucumber and mint

There are plenty more bourbon cocktails. Have fun. But, don’t overdue it. We don’t want to have to fish you or your car out of a lake.

Cheers!