| DEEP DIVE |
BY KYLE SWARTZ
What ’ s hotter now than American whiskey ? Bourbon and other U . S . styles have caught the attention of mainstream consumers from coast to coast , rocketing in popularity in recent years . How come ? A number of reasons . On one hand , the rise of craft cocktails has educated consumers about the flavors and advantages of high-quality brown spirits . Mixed drinks made with the good stuff have opened a lot of eyes to what a well-produced bourbon tastes like .
The difference between a well whiskey and a nice bottle of Woodford Reserve in your Manhattan or Old Fashioned has been the gateway for many folks down the rabbit hole of American whiskey .
Premiumization , too , plays a large role . Affordable luxuries became all the rage during the pandemic , accelerating a trend that was already in place before the health crisis . Everyone stuck home and stressed out only led to more consumers wanting something nice to help take the edge off .
WHAT IS BOURBON ? To be called a bourbon , the whiskey must be made in the U . S ., for starters . ( And for the record , high-quality bourbon is distilled in just about every state , not just the three meccas of Kentucky , Tennessee and Indiana .)
The mash bill / grain recipe must include at least 51 % corn , in addition to other grains such as wheat or rye . That ’ s why bourbon is so sweet when compared with Scotch , which is made primarily with malted barley . Americans typically like to drink sweet , so this is another reason behind the broad popularity of bourbon .
Bourbon must age in new , charred oak containers . This helps add the trademark vanilla and caramel flavors , as the vanillins from the wood interact with the resting distillate .
Lastly , bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 proof , and enter the barrel at no more than 125 proof . Bottled bourbon must be at least 80 proof .
OTHER AMERICAN SPECIALTIES Tennessee whiskey follows the same rules as bourbon , except that it must be produced in Tennessee . It must also be filtered through maple charcoal before aging , known as the Lincoln County Process .
Rye whiskey is also similar to bourbon , except that the mash bill must be at least 51 % rye . As such , it tends to have a spicier flavor profile than bourbon . Rye also doesn ’ t have to be made in the U . S .; it ’ s widely produced in Canada and other countries .
Bottled in bond whiskeys , which have recently gained popularity , refer to the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 . The act required bonded whiskeys to be produced in a single distillation season at a single distillery , aged for at least four years in a U . S . bonded warehouse , and then bottled at 100 proof or 50 % alcohol by volume ( ABV ).
ON THE BOURBON HUNT
Perhaps the biggest reason for the modern bourbon boom : American whiskey has blown up on social media . Trendy brands like Buffalo Trace , Weller , EH Taylor , A Midwinter ’ s Night Dram , Blue Run and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof have driven social traffic when posted in groups or by whiskey influencers .
The groups , usually on Facebook , have blown up in size in the past few years , tripling or quadrupling in size as more people rush into the whiskey community to brag about their “ hauls ,” or to learn about what bottles they should be hunting . American whiskey makers are responding to the continued interest . Craft spirit producers continue to open up across the U . S ., and distilleries of all sizes are investing in a bigger future .
For example , Buffalo Trace is amidst a project that already tripled the size of its visitor center while aiming to double its production capacity .
Woodford Reserve also plans to increase the size of its distilling operations by 100 %. And Heaven Hill , maker of Elijah Craig bourbon , among others , has invested in a $ 125-million expansion , including a $ 19-million renovation to its visitor center .
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