Having taken tours of two of Kentucky's many bourbon distilleries (Woodford Reserve & Four Roses), I can impart the following nuggets of wisdom regarding this seductive spirit...
- All bourbon is whiskey but all whiskey is not bourbon.
- For whiskey to be bourbon it must be made in the USA.
- A bourbon recipe must contain at least 51% corn.
- It must be aged for at least two years in new, unused, charred white oak barrels.
- The distilled spirit that goes into the barrels is clear and relatively flavourless - it is from the charred oak inside that a bourbon gets its golden brown colouring and distinctive flavour.
- 95% of the world's bourbon is made in the state of Kentucky, owing to it's pure, limestone filtered spring waters along with an ideal climate for growing corn and grain. The cold winters and hot summers also help the ageing bourbon to flow into and out of the ever expanding and contracting oak of the barrel.
Bourbon country is also a beautiful landscape of verdant rolling hills, tree lined roads, crystal clear streams and pretty little villages with perfect lawns and white picket fences. The spring waters and mineral rich soil also lend themselves to excellent quality grass which when fed to horses, helps them run very fast. While I can see the appeal of horse racing, I much prefer Kentucky's liquid export...
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