American whiskey made primarily from corn. Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th century. Although bourbon may be made anywhere in agave instead of sugar United States, it is strongly associated with the American South in general, and with Kentucky in particular.

Bourbon was recognized in 1964 by the U. Congress as a “distinctive product of the United States”. The origin of bourbon as a distinct form of whiskey is not well documented and there are many conflicting legends and claims. Although still popular and often repeated, the Craig legend is apocryphal. Similarly, the Spears story is a local favorite but is rarely repeated outside the county. There likely was no single “inventor” of bourbon, which developed into its present form in the late 19th century.

Another proposed origin of the name is the association with the geographic area known as Old Bourbon, consisting of the original Bourbon County in Virginia organized in 1785. This region included much of today’s Eastern Kentucky, including 34 of the modern counties. When American pioneers pushed west of the Allegheny Mountains following the American Revolution, the first counties they founded covered vast regions. One of these original, huge counties was Bourbon, established in 1785 and named after the French royal family. A refinement often dubiously credited to James C. Crow is the sour mash process, which conditions each new fermentation with some amount of spent mash. In recent years, bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, which is sometimes regarded as a different type of spirit but generally meets the legal requirements to be called bourbon, have enjoyed significant growth in popularity.

2014, the volume of 9-liter cases of whiskey increased by 28. Higher-end bourbon and whiskeys experienced the greatest growth. American white oak barrels filled with new bourbon whiskey rest in a rickhouse, giving bourbon its well-known copper color. Bourbon’s legal definition varies somewhat from country to country, but many trade agreements require that the name “bourbon” be reserved for products made in the U. Bourbon has no minimum specified duration for its aging period. Products aged for as little as three months are sold as bourbon.

The exception is straight bourbon, which has a minimum aging requirement of two years. Bourbon that is labeled as straight that has been aged under four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging. Bottled-in-bond bourbon is a sub-category of straight bourbon and must be aged at least four years. High-wheat bourbons are described as more mild and subdued compared to high-rye varieties. On May 4, 1964, the U. Congress recognized bourbon whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States” by concurrent resolution. Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the U.