Looking into my bourbon psychosis

“Civilization begins with distillation.” – William Faulkner

Why bourbon? That’s easy. It’s delicious straight, it makes great cocktails, it has an illustrious, mischievous, and even dark history, it has a touch of class, and … it’s uniquely American. What’s not to like?

I’m certainly not going to attempt to go into the entire history of bourbon here; there are countless books on the topic. Here’s a simplified gloss-over from off the top of my head.

Scottish immigrants came to the United States in droves during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. Many of these Scottish immigrants settled on the frontiers of the American Colonies, namely Kentucky and Tennessee to get away from English tyranny. They had left a country that had a solid tradition of whiskey making, I’m talking about Scotch of course. Well, Kentucky and Tennessee weren’t the greatest places to grow malted barley, which is a key ingredient in Scotch. Nor are they known for their peaty soil, another key aspect to Scotch making. What did they have? Corn!

Wham, bam, they began to make a uniquely American whiskey made from corn, aged in new American charred oak barrels, and they “bottled” it at least 80 proof. Viola! We just defined what bourbon is. Seriously – by law.

Specifically, Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations (1964). This law codified that “bourbon is a distinctive product of the United States.” It also listed certain criteria for its manufacturing/bottling. These are:

• Minimum of 51 percent corn in the mashbill
• Distilled at a maximum of 160 proof
• Entered into barrels at a maximum of 125 proof
• Bottled at a minimum of 80 proof
• Aged in new charred oak containers
• No artificial coloring or flavoring permitted
• Mandatory age statements for bourbons aged less than four years

Note: It does NOT have to be made in Kentucky. Yet, ask a bourbon aficionado from Kentucky about that and see what they say!

Fast forward through Prohibition, two world wars, several bourbon slumps and comebacks, to today. We are living in a bourbon renaissance. It is everywhere. Everyone is drinking it – young, old, men, women, little elderly ladies, college kids. It’s not just old guys in suits enjoying their lunchtime Manhattans anymore. Searching for rare or hard-to-find bourbons, or just buying and collecting any bourbon one can get one’s hands on, has become a pastime for many.

And … yes, I’m one of those who strives to get my hands on any bottle of bourbon I can find. I have about 300 bottles ranging from bottom-shelf hooch to very nice rarities. Hence the “psychosis,” but that’s a story for next time.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this beginning, and I hope you’ll join me in the future for more musings on my bourbon psychosis.

Jon Smyrnis is a lifelong Indianapolis area resident. He enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, kayaking, dining out, and, of course, fine cocktails and great bourbons.