Bourbon; the blue-collar icon of Kentucky.
A spirit whose story has the humblest of beginnings, bourbon whiskey was once a working-class staple that, today, is one of society's favorite drinking liquors.
Bourbon whiskey is, by law, a whiskey composed of 51% or more of corn in the mash bill, with the other 49% being barley, wheat or rye. Bourbon is typified by a smoother, more subtle yet altogether full-bodied, and flavorsome profile compared to other drinking whiskeys.
Synonymous with Kentucky and Tennessee, bourbon is produced in a variety of states and distilleries across America, with large distilleries prevalent in states such as Virginia (John J. Bowman), Nevada (Nevada Distilling Co.), and Texas (Garrison Bros.).
Despite this, it's Kentucky whiskey and Tennesee whiskey that are almost exclusive producers of bourbon, and distilleries such as Buffalo Trace, Michter's and Heaven Hill continuing to push the boundaries and redefine the realm of bourbon with their innovations.