Processing all the news, stress, and and anxiety over the past few days, and weeks even, during this Election, I felt like this week’s featured wine needed to have all the right elements to alleviate the worries surrounding us. Needless to say, no wine came to mind. However, I thought, “what is one thing that ALL Americans can agree on?”. Bourbon. We are the creators, sole producers, and every single state in the Union adheres to the same laws which classify it as Bourbon. 

Since the early 1800s this American whiskey has been produced on our land, using homegrown corn and lumber. In 1909 President Taft signed off an a law which defined the rules for a whiskey to be classified as Bourbon. There are several parts to this law, but the big takeaways are that there must be at least 51% corn in the mash bill, it must be aged in new, charred American Oak containers, and it must be made in the United States, which was further clarified by the Senate in 1964. 

There are so many wonderful Bourbons and each use the variations allowed in the additional 49% of the mash bill to produce unique, complex notes as well as the varying the bottling proof to add more or less “heat” to create a signature style. You can taste the nuances in each one ’til your heart’s content to find one that fits your preference. From the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 until now, Bourbon is something that is intertwined in our history and is uniquely our own.  

Some notable ones to try are: 

Old Forester. The first Bourbon distiller to sell individual bottles of their whiskey, and the longest continually operating as they were able to fill “prescriptions” during Prohibition. 

Hillrock Solera Bourbon. Dave Pickerell, the Master Distiller from Maker’s Mark consulted and helped create the New York distillery’s Solera system which continually adds depth, character, and complexity through the aging process.  

Hudson Baby Bourbon is 100% corn grown in New York State within a ten mile radius from Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery, which has claimed to be the first New York State distillery opened after Prohibition. 

…and one of my favorite ways to enjoy Bourbon is in a Whiskey Sour. Don’t let those unshaken cocktails with sour mix from a gun ruin your impression of the drink. Try one handcrafted at home with that egg white froth and you’ll see what I mean. https://www.liquor.com/recipes/whiskey-sour/