National Bourbon Day Legend has it that the date on which National Bourbon Day is celebrated is the anniversary of the very first time this famous drink was distilled, way back in the late 1700s. Bourbon is a specific category of American whiskey, which is made from a mash that is primarily corn based-at least 51% must be corn in order for it to be classified as bourbon. Other grains in the mash typically include malted barley, rye or wheat. The mash is then distilled, then aged for at least two years in barrels that are new charred oak barrels, in order to be “straight bourbon whiskey”. Bourbon definitely originated in Kentucky, sometime in the 1700s, before it even had acquired its official name. The name seems to be a nod to the French Bourbon Dynasty, and possibly was in honor of Bourbon County, an area of Kentucky that was known for its corn growing. While some people think that bourbon must be made in Kentucky, that's not actually true. It simply needs to be distilled and aged in the state in order to be given the special name, “Kentucky Bourbon”. Check out these titles |