by Robert Giles

The American spirit is about perseverance and ingenuity, and Bourbon is the perfect example of that. There’s a rich and complicated history of this whiskey that is unique to the United States—a history that’s carried on today by many producers, including some of our newest additions: Bardstown and Green River.

Although there’s no concrete, proven history on exactly how Bourbon got started or who invented it, we do know that distillates of whiskey were first being produced by Scottish immigrants who were trying to recreate the liquor of their homeland.

The main things to know now are the legal definitions – created by the U.S. Bourbon Act of 1964 – of what makes a whiskey a Bourbon.

A whiskey can only be called a Bourbon if it is:

• Made in the United States
• Made from 51% corn
• Aged in new, charred oak barrels for no less than two years
• Bottled at no less than 40% alcohol

Meeting these requirements means that the finished product can be called Bourbon, but still allows for a wide variety of experimentation as we will see.

Bardstown Bourbon Company is a modern and innovative take on what it means to make classic Bourbon while exploring the possibilities of what could be. Located in the heart of Kentucky’s distilling region, their “Napa Valley inspired” distillery combines distilling and culinary innovation and pushes the boundaries of how to make, pair and consume bourbon.

Bardstown has set their sights on refining and perfecting the classics, such as their Origin Series Straight Bourbon and Origin Series Wheated Bourbon, both of which show the roots of Bourbon and the strong foundation that they have built upon.

Keep your eyes open, though, because you can find the occasional special release of their Discovery Series. In this series each blend is unique and one of a kind so when you see one – grab it.

Green River Distillery is all about honoring the past. Originally founded in 1885, the distillery was popular and profitable for many years until a fire damaged it in 1918. Though they attempted to continue after the end of prohibition, production stopped completely in 1955.

Fifty years later, the distillery was renovated. Production got underway, with Green River’s first bottles of new product arriving in 2022.

The Green River Straight Bourbon and Green River Wheated Bourbon are testaments to the history of this distillery and a little slice of the past. Green River Full Proof Straight Bourbon is a way to take the richness of the past and meet the needs of modern tastes for high proof whiskey. Green River continues to drive forward while honoring the past.

While these are two fantastic brands, there are many more available. Bourbon has been an expanding spirit for decades and continues to see new products each year.

If these don’t strike your fancy, you can always ask any of our experts for a recommendation as well. We’ll make sure you find your new favorite way to celebrate the American spirit. Cheers!