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.
To be classified as bourbon, a whiskey must be from a mash at least 51% corn. It must be aged in new, charred, oak barrels. It must be at least 80 proof and be made in America. These are federal regulations and generally-accepted international agreements. Kentucky is where almost all bourbons are made (some are made in Tennessee, like Jack Daniels); distillers say the state's iron-free water filtered through limestone which is the key to success.
Of course, corn whiskey can be and is made anywhere. It's the quality of the spirit that causes some locales to be thought superior to others. The history of bourbon in America is clouded by time. A Baptist minister is credited by many with first using a charred oak barrel to age his distillation from a corn mash. The name traces back to the royal French dynasty, but whether it comes via a Kentucky county or a famous street in New Orleans is debatable.
Reading accounts of the tastes evoked by a fine oak-barrel-aged sour mash is like reading the raptures of wine connoisseurs. A whiskey might have overtones of caramel, French toast, and a cigar box, with a velvety texture even though it's over 100 proof. The cigar box flavor comes from aging in a charred oak barrel, as does the color, and other flavors come from the combination of mash ingredients and the period of aging.
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 who value bourbon highly take their drinking seriously. Some say they hate to dilute it even with saliva. Although cocktails like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned are popular, most devotees drink it neat, on the rocks, or with a tiny splash of 'branch water' (from a creek.) The Mint Julep is perhaps Kentucky's most famous highball.
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.
The only way to find your favorite is to try some of the best-known brands. Taking the judges' recommendation is a good way to start. In addition, knowing what happened in the annual competitions makes good conversation when you get together with other bourbon lovers.
To be classified as bourbon, a whiskey must be from a mash at least 51% corn. It must be aged in new, charred, oak barrels. It must be at least 80 proof and be made in America. These are federal regulations and generally-accepted international agreements. Kentucky is where almost all bourbons are made (some are made in Tennessee, like Jack Daniels); distillers say the state's iron-free water filtered through limestone which is the key to success.
Of course, corn whiskey can be and is made anywhere. It's the quality of the spirit that causes some locales to be thought superior to others. The history of bourbon in America is clouded by time. A Baptist minister is credited by many with first using a charred oak barrel to age his distillation from a corn mash. The name traces back to the royal French dynasty, but whether it comes via a Kentucky county or a famous street in New Orleans is debatable.
Reading accounts of the tastes evoked by a fine oak-barrel-aged sour mash is like reading the raptures of wine connoisseurs. A whiskey might have overtones of caramel, French toast, and a cigar box, with a velvety texture even though it's over 100 proof. The cigar box flavor comes from aging in a charred oak barrel, as does the color, and other flavors come from the combination of mash ingredients and the period of aging.
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 who value bourbon highly take their drinking seriously. Some say they hate to dilute it even with saliva. Although cocktails like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned are popular, most devotees drink it neat, on the rocks, or with a tiny splash of 'branch water' (from a creek.) The Mint Julep is perhaps Kentucky's most famous highball.
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.
The only way to find your favorite is to try some of the best-known brands. Taking the judges' recommendation is a good way to start. In addition, knowing what happened in the annual competitions makes good conversation when you get together with other bourbon lovers.
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