Bourbon Vivants: How to enjoy the true spirit of the US...

Bourbon: Exploring the charming history of America’s native spirit

Accepted wisdom has it that the world’s first whiskies were distilled in Scotland more than five centuries ago when its then-king, James IV, ordered 500 bottles of aqua vitae (water of life) from a local monastery. In the intervening half-millennium, Scotch has become beloved the world over, with the global market valued at a staggering US$1.5 billion in 2020. Yet, some 6,000km-distant from the Highlands where it all began, an entirely different whisky has captured the hearts of discerning drinkers – bourbon, the tipple typically titled ‘America’s native spirit’.

The exact origin of bourbon, however, remains shrouded in controversy. While some maintain it was created by the Samuels family in Kentucky in 1783, others believe it was invented by Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister, in 1789 as a variant of moonshine recipes.

Still another vocal lobby holds that it evolved ‘in barrel’ from one of the existing whiskies of the day, with its name said to be derived from Kentucky’s Bourbon County, home to a popular port for the shipping of various imported spirits. Wherever the truth may lie, bourbon is now one of the state’s most famed exports, with local distillers still accounting for 95 percent of all production.

This near monopoly may, in part, be down to the strict legal definition of what can officially be sold as ‘bourbon’, with the requirements still vigorously enforced to this day. Firstly, the spirit must be made in the United States and from a mash consisting of at least 51-percent corn. It must also be aged in new charred American oak barrels (whereas other whisky varietals, such as Scotch, are typically aged in barrels that have previously held port or wine) with ageing beginning at no more than 125 proof. The final product must then be bottled at 80 to 160 proof with no flavouring, colouring or other additives allowed aside from the basic ingredients – malted barley, rye, wheat and water.

Despite the simplicity of its ingredients, bourbon comes in a surprisingly large array of flavours, ranging from floral and fruity iterations to spicy, dry concoctions and pretty much everything in between. While the ageing process all but guarantees that such spirits will be sweet to a certain degree, this can easily be enhanced by varying either the barrel dwell time or the exact composition of the mash, options that can impart notes of vanilla, caramel, honey or even chocolate as desired. Any floral flavours, meanwhile, are typically by-products of the yeast used during the fermentation process, which can yield hints of honeysuckle, rose petals or herbs. As a general rule of thumb for the unwary and uninitiated – the darker the bourbon, the higher the alcohol content.

“As a rule of thumb for the unwary — the darker the bourbon, the higher the alcohol content”

As with Scotch, bourbon can be served in countless different ways. While classicists often enjoy it neat, on the rocks or maybe with just a dash of water, cocktail aficionados have, meanwhile, incorporated it into any number of iconic tipples, most notably Manhattans, Old Fashioneds or Mint Juleps, with the latter’s trifecta of bourbon, mint and sugar still a particular favourite in Kentucky, bourbon’s original stomping ground. Indeed, there are varieties of this flexible, flavourful alcohol capable of suiting any mood or fitting any occasion, which no doubt explains why it remains such a perennial favourite in the US and far, far beyond.