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Bourbon Whiskey

In the words of William Shakespeare, "Parting is such sweet sorrow". When I'm savoring the last of a bottle of Knob Creek, or another of the fine Bourbons in my moderately well-stocked bar, I know exactly what he meant.

Bourbon is the quintessential American whiskey. It has become a celebrated part of American history along with jazz and football, and holds its place among the great American cultural innovations. As legend has it, the first producer of Bourbon was a baptist minister by the name of Elijah Craig. Reverend Craig is rumored to have been the first to age his spirits in charred oak casks, a process which contributes to the unique sweetness and caramel qualities of the whiskey, not to mention its reddish color. Others suspect that settlers brought the method along with them from Europe. The exact origin of Bourbon has never been clearly documented, however, and various legends continue to circulate.

The area of Kentucky known as "Old Bourbon" was named for a French family of royalty. The area was also settled by Scots-Irish, though, and this cultural cross-pollination allowed this unique spirit to evolve. Bourbon was made primarily with corn, a crop which abounded in the region, while most other whiskeys were made with wheat and rye. This distinctive composition, combined with its aging in charred oak barrels, set Bourbons apart from all other whiskeys.

Only whiskeys made from grain mixtures which contain at least 51% corn, aged in charred oaken barrels, may be called "Bourbons". They must also be produced in Kentucky. Right next door, in Tennessee, the makers of Jack Daniel's label their brew as a "sour mash," although the production method is quite similar. If a Bourbon is aged a minimum of two years, it may be labeled "straight Bourbon," but other than this, Bourbon has no specific aging requirements. Nothing may be added to enhance its flavor, its sweetness, or its color. A single barrel Bourbon is a whiskey bottled from one barrel, while small batch Bourbons are blended from a "batch" of barrels.

The charred oak barrels in which Bourbons age are ranked from 1 to 4. Small batch and single barrel Bourbons are aged in more heavily charred barrels, ranked 3 or 4, while lesser Bourbons are aged only in a barrel ranked 1 or 2. The whiskey "breathes" inside the barrel, expanding into the wood during the hotter months and contracting during the cold winter months. For this reason, summer is considered "the aging season," as both color and flavor are transferred to the Bourbon while it is in the wood.

At Busch's, we have a very nice selection of Bourbons, ranging from reliable labels like Old Crow and Wild Turkey on up to the top shelf, which includes small batch and single barrel offerings, such as Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, and the recently released Maker's 46.

I opened with a quote from Shakespeare, so I'll exit with another, this one from As You Like It: "Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?"

Chuck Koelbel
Busch's Beverage Consultant at our Dexter and Pinckney stores.

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