Whiskey Bourbon

The History of Bourbon

The birth of Bourbon, the ultimate American spirit, dates back to the late 18th century. The introduction to the New World of the tradition of creating grain spirits was the result of the presence of the British colonies. British citizens brought their oldest traditions to the American lands and continued to honour them in order to preserve a strong link with their homeland. The vast plains of the United States had no shortage of raw materials. Corn, wheat and rye were common crops in the fields and it was easy to find cereals for artisanal distillation. The name comes from the county of origin, which is located in the state of Kentucky, still the largest producer, along with the states of Illinois, Pennsylvania, California, Indiana and Georgia. Thanks to its high level of quality, this product has been exported for a long time and is appreciated all over the world as a valid alternative to Scottish or Irish labels. Today, it is very easy to buy excellent bourbon online at very affordable prices.

The Production

Bourbon is an American whisky and can therefore only be produced within the territory of the United States. The fundamental difference with its Scottish counterparts lies in the fact that the raw material must consist of at least 51% corn, but often up to 70%, with the addition of other cereals, such as rye, malt or wheat. According to the specifications, the process must result in a distillate of no more than 80% alcohol by volume, to which only water may be added to lower the alcohol content. It is absolutely forbidden to enrich it with any aromatic substance. The brewing process starts with a mixture of ground cereals, known as a "mash bill", to which a small percentage of the must from the previous distillation and pure water are added. The crystal-clear water from Kentucky's springs is particularly valuable because it is naturally filtered through layers of limestone, making it particularly light and ideal for preserving the aromas of the distillate. At the end of the cooking process, the sour mash is cooled and then yeast is added to start the fermentation process. This is followed by the distillation process, which generally uses column stills to extract the precious vapours and then condense them through cooling. At this point, the maturation phase begins. The Bourbon is transferred with a maximum alcohol content of 62.5% into new, heavily toasted American oak barrels, which feature a slight charring of the wood. The barrels treated in this way are capable of enriching the distillate with pleasantly smoky and toasted aromas, which may be somewhat comparable to the peaty notes of the famous Scotches from the Hebrides. Different raw materials and very different processing methods are used to give slightly smoky notes. The US regulations do not set a minimum period of cask maturation before bottling and a period of two years is sufficient to qualify as Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Clearly, this is a far cry from the long ageing in fine wood of the great Scotch whiskies, which often exceed 15 years. However, this is obviously a completely different product, with a simpler, softer and more fragrant personality.

Characteristics

The decisively predominant presence of corn in the mash bill gives a particularly sweet and persuasive aromatic profile. The fruity and honeyed aromas are crossed by a clear spicy and smoky vein, thanks to the considerable toasting of the oak casks. It is a young and simple Whiskey, pleasant to drink straight or with ice, but particularly suitable for making excellent classic cocktails or thirst-quenching long drinks by adding citrus and tropical fruit juice.

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