One man's taste is often paramount when choosing a favorite food or beverage. Judging good from bad is essentially subjective. However, there are major competitions in which a panel of renowned judges compares selected varieties of whiskeys. The best small batch bourbon will probably have earned a place at the top of such a contest, winning a 'gold' or, more likely, a 'double gold' rating. Even a silver or bronze medal in such company is deemed impressive.
Bourbon is essentially corn whiskey, although the mash might contain only 51% of this grain. After fermentation, the clear spirit is aged in charred oaken barrels which have never been used for another purpose. By law, it is an American product, most of which comes from Kentucky. Tennessee also has this sort of whiskey; Jack Daniels is one example. Kentucky claims that their iron-free water and limestone aquifers make the best whiskey.
The history of this kind of spirit is shrouded in time. Some believe a pioneer Baptist minister, Reverend Elijah Craig, was the first to use a charred oak barrel for aging. Jacob Spears, an early distiller, was the first known person to give his corn whiskey the name of 'bourbon'. The name may have come from the New Orleans street named after the French royal dynasty.
Just like wine descriptions, evaluations of fine bourbons are poetic. Connoisseurs speak of 'overtones of hay, caramel, and French toast', and a trace of the cigar box. Textures are smooth, even though the whiskey may be well over 100 proof. Taste comes partly from the mash, partly from aging, and partly from the charred barrel, which also deepens the color of the originally clear distillation.
Bourbons come in 80 proof varieties, but these never make the top ten list. 80 proof is the minimum, according to federal regulations, but there is no upper limit. Small batches are made using a limited number of barrels of whiskey; Maker's Mark is made in twenty-barrel lots, while many others require ten or less. Dickel Barrel Select and Four Roses Select are two other well-known, limited-edition bourbons.
People take their bourbon-drinking seriously. Although it is used in cocktails like the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour, many drinkers prefer it neat. Others have it over ice or with a splash of 'branch water' (fresh from the creek in the old days.) The Mint Julep is famous as a summer-time highball in the Bluegrass State.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one highly esteemed contest. In 2013, the Pappy Van Winkle 15-year Old 'wheated' bourbon won a double gold award. Another well-regarded contest is held in Chicago, the International Whiskey Competition. There, in 2014, the Knob Creek 9-year Old won the highest accolades among bourbons.
Just as wine lovers sometimes treat themselves to a rare vintage, you who love corn whiskey might want to try some of the award-winning brands on special occasions. See if you agree with international judges on what makes the best of the best.
Bourbon is essentially corn whiskey, although the mash might contain only 51% of this grain. After fermentation, the clear spirit is aged in charred oaken barrels which have never been used for another purpose. By law, it is an American product, most of which comes from Kentucky. Tennessee also has this sort of whiskey; Jack Daniels is one example. Kentucky claims that their iron-free water and limestone aquifers make the best whiskey.
The history of this kind of spirit is shrouded in time. Some believe a pioneer Baptist minister, Reverend Elijah Craig, was the first to use a charred oak barrel for aging. Jacob Spears, an early distiller, was the first known person to give his corn whiskey the name of 'bourbon'. The name may have come from the New Orleans street named after the French royal dynasty.
Just like wine descriptions, evaluations of fine bourbons are poetic. Connoisseurs speak of 'overtones of hay, caramel, and French toast', and a trace of the cigar box. Textures are smooth, even though the whiskey may be well over 100 proof. Taste comes partly from the mash, partly from aging, and partly from the charred barrel, which also deepens the color of the originally clear distillation.
Bourbons come in 80 proof varieties, but these never make the top ten list. 80 proof is the minimum, according to federal regulations, but there is no upper limit. Small batches are made using a limited number of barrels of whiskey; Maker's Mark is made in twenty-barrel lots, while many others require ten or less. Dickel Barrel Select and Four Roses Select are two other well-known, limited-edition bourbons.
People take their bourbon-drinking seriously. Although it is used in cocktails like the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour, many drinkers prefer it neat. Others have it over ice or with a splash of 'branch water' (fresh from the creek in the old days.) The Mint Julep is famous as a summer-time highball in the Bluegrass State.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one highly esteemed contest. In 2013, the Pappy Van Winkle 15-year Old 'wheated' bourbon won a double gold award. Another well-regarded contest is held in Chicago, the International Whiskey Competition. There, in 2014, the Knob Creek 9-year Old won the highest accolades among bourbons.
Just as wine lovers sometimes treat themselves to a rare vintage, you who love corn whiskey might want to try some of the award-winning brands on special occasions. See if you agree with international judges on what makes the best of the best.
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