On June 14 the Official Spirit of America is recognized. It is National Bourbon Day. Huzzah!
This day is of particular interest to me because I am and always will be a Bourbon/Whiskey man. Clear liquid is a disgusting vomit-inducing poison and beer just doesn’t get the job done when you’re trying to go in.
Like Scotch, Cognac and some other spirits that must meet certain standards as well as be produced in a particular geographical region, Bourbon is a whiskey which is only so named if distilled in the United States. Boo-yah, Ireland. To legally be a considered Bourbon, it must be 51 percent corn, stored in new (not aged) charred-oak barrels and distilled no more than 160 proof and barreled at 125 proof.
This particular whiskey derives its name from the Kentucky county which was established in 1785 and was a large producer of corn. The corn, once distilled, would be put in barrels and stamped “Old Bourbon” and shipped down the Ohio River.
In 1964, a Congressional Resolution designated Bourbon as America’s native spirit. Since then, there is nowhere else in the world that can make a whiskey and call it Bourbon. Basically, #Murica.
Also, here’s a picture of my friend’s dog, who he named Bourbon. Bow to his cuteness.
How to Celebrate
Pour a glass of Bourbon and use #NationalBourbonDay on social media. It’s literally as easy as that. Friendly reminder that the holiday is on a Wednesday, so don’t blame us if you’re too hungover to make it into work on Thursday.
