What is Bourbon?

Bourbon is a variation of whiskey and as with Tequila, there are strict laws governing just what a Bourbon must be to be labeled as such. For example, at least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn). Bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred. Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness or alter color. Though technically Bourbon can be made anywhere, Kentucky is the only state allowed to put its name on the bottle. And as Kentucky distillers are quick to point out, Bourbon is not Bourbon unless the label says so.

The History of Bourbon

Bourbon takes its name from Bourbon County, located in the central Bluegrass region of Kentucky. It was formed from Fayette county in 1785 while still a part of Virginia and named to honor the French Royal Family and was once the major transshipment site for distilled spirits heading down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. Barrels shipped from its ports were stamped with the county's name, and Bourbon and whiskey soon became synonymous.

Types of Bourbon

While Bourbon is a whiskey, whiskey is not necessarily Bourbon. There are two main types of Bourbon:

Small Batch:  Small batch bourbons are bottled from a "batch" of barrels that have been mixed prior to the bottling. Some of the more well known small batch bourbons include: Baker's, Booker's, Basil Hayden's, Knob Creek, Maker's Mark, and Woodford Reserve.

Single Barrel:  Bourbons called single barrel are the bottling of one "single" barrel of bourbon. The single barrel bourbons include: Elijah Craig, 18 years old; Blanton's; Elmer T. Lee, Single Barrel Bourbon; Henry McKenna, Single Barrel; and Evan William's Vintage.

Bourbon Myths & Legends

Bourbon Myth #1 - Jack Daniels is Bourbon.

Jack Daniel's, is not considered a bourbon because it is charcoal-mellowed -- slowly, drop by drop, filtered through sugar-maple charcoal -- prior to aging, which many experts say gives it a different character. The process, called the Lincoln County Process, infuses a sweet and sooty character into the distillate as it removes impurities. But up to and after the charcoal filtering, the Jack Daniel's production is much the same as any other Bourbon. Jack Daniel's and George Dickel are two fine Tennessee Whiskeys though neither can be called bourbon.

Bourbon Legend or Myth #2 - Baptist Minister, Elijah Craig first introduced Bourbon.

While it's known that Craig definitely produced whiskey (and paper) at the site, some observers of bourbon lore believe that calling him its inventor was simply a late 19th-century marketing ploy to counter the temperance movement.

Reverend Craig also founded Georgetown College. Legend has it that a quart of bourbon reposes under each of the six Ionic columns of the portico of the oldest building on campus, Giddings Hall, built in 1839.