Collection: Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon whiskey (/bɜːrbən/) (or simply bourbon) is a type of barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn (maize). The name derives from the French House of Bourbon, although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County, Kentucky, and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both of which are named after the House of Bourbon.^[1] The name bourbon might not have been used until the 1850s, and the association with Bourbon County was not evident until the 1870s.^[1]

Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th century.^[2] Although bourbon may be made anywhere in the United States, it is strongly associated with the Southern United States in general, and with Kentucky in particular. As of 2014, distillers' wholesale market revenue for bourbon sold within the U.S. was about $2.7 billion, and bourbon made up about two thirds of the $1.6 billion of U.S. exports of distilled spirits.^[3][4] According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, in 2018 U.S. distillers derived $3.6 billion in revenue from bourbon and Tennessee whiskey (a closely related spirit produced in the state of Tennessee).^[5]

Bourbon was recognized in 1964 by the U.S. Congress as a "distinctive product of the United States". Bourbon sold in the U.S. must be produced within the U.S. from at least 51% corn and stored in a new container of charred oak.^[6]

^{Source: Wikipedia}