Kentucky’s distilling history dates back to the first European settlement of the territory in the 1700’s.
A healthy portion of the area’s first corn
gained its own reputation and industry.
harvest was reserved for making whiskey,
Kentucky whiskey grew to be in such
and the good corn and limestone water in
high demand that people like Evan
the Kentucky distilling industry was drastically different. “They have over time gone from a
the area, combined with the rich distilling
Williams were able to make a living
fairly broad range of whiskies and grains
histories of the Europeans that settled
solely by distilling. Many more distillers
down to one region focused on one style
there, resulted in an exceptionally high
followed as the industry grew, and
of bourbon, one expression, and they
production of whiskey. This whiskey was
Kentucky’s distilling industry became one
have perfected it. Bourbon is absolutely
shipped to much of the surrounding area
of the largest in the world. Now, ninety-
amazing,”
and as distillers shared their knowledge,
five percent of the world’s bourbon comes
Corsair Distillery. While only a handful of
a Kentucky tradition that still lives on,
from Kentucky, according to the Kentucky
conglomerates run the show, they offer a
the quality increased with the demand.
Distillers Association, and at a whopping
wide variety of historic brands fitting every
By shipping their whiskey in oak
4.7 million, there are more barrels of
quality level and price point, meeting an
barrels they learned about the benefits
aging bourbon in the state than people.
of oak barrel maturation and eventually
The region was also prominent for
most Kentucky whiskey came to be
illegal
moonshine
called bourbon, which is the name of a
prohibition,
when
production Al
Capone
says
Andrew
Webber
of
overwhelming demand for bourbon that cannot currently be met.
during alone
Kentucky county now better known for
supplied over 10,000 speakeasies with
The demand for bourbon is so high
its racehorses than its whiskey. There
Kentucky whiskey. During prohibition
right now that distilleries will not sell
were many varieties of whiskey due to
several distilleries remained in business
their bourbon to brands other than their
the vast number of farmers who distilled,
to
own unless they have a prior arrangement.
distribute
whiskey
for of
medicinal provisional
Distillers have to meet their own needs
of
talent,
first, and the common practice of buying
each other’s spirits to be the best education.
recipes, mash bills, information, yeasts,
someone else’s bourbon and repackaging
Kentucky whiskey quickly became some
techniques and livelihoods were lost, and
it as their own is becoming less viable.
of the best whiskey, and the region
when Prohibition was finally repealed,
This is mainly because the bourbon has to
however as distillers shared whiskey and
purposes
by
means
techniques they found this exploration of
licenses.
An
abundance
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