Type | American whiskey |
---|---|
Country of origin | United States |
Region of origin | the American South, mainly Kentucky. |
Introduced | 18th century |
Alcohol by volume | At least 40% bottled |
Proof (US) | At least 80° bottled |
Color | Amber, orange, red or brown |
Ingredients | at least 51% corn |
Related products | Corn whiskey, Straight whiskey, Tennessee whiskey |
Bourbon whiskey (/bɜːrbən/) (or simply bourbon) is a type of barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn (maize). The name derives from the French House of Bourbon, although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County, Kentucky, and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both of which are named after the House of Bourbon.[1] The name bourbon might not have been used until the 1850s, and the association with Bourbon County was not evident until the 1870s.[1]
Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th century.[2] Although bourbon may be made anywhere in the United States, it is strongly associated with the Southern United States in general, and with Kentucky in particular; however, there is a common misconception that bourbon can only be distilled in Kentucky.[3][4] As of 2014[update], distillers' wholesale market revenue for bourbon sold within the U.S. was about $2.7 billion, and bourbon made up about two thirds of the $1.6 billion of U.S. exports of distilled spirits.[5][6] According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, in 2018 U.S. distillers derived $3.6 billion in revenue from bourbon and Tennessee whiskey (a closely related spirit produced in the state of Tennessee).[7]
Bourbon was recognized in 1964 by the U.S. Congress as a "distinctive product of the United States". Bourbon sold in the U.S. must be produced within the U.S. from at least 51% corn and stored in a new container of charred oak.[8]
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