Today is National Bourbon Day, and it’s time to thank that good ol’ bottle of Bourbon for always making our summer sangrias taste 10x better! Besides the summery drinks, many people look forward to a glass of Bourbon, especially in the autumn! Bourbon tends to have notes of vanilla, oak and cameral, making it a great drink to serve over the rocks or in cocktails! But, if you want to know more about that bottle of Bourbon that was always sitting on top your parents bar cart, keep on reading!
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All About Bourbon
There’s a myth that Bourbon is the same as Scotch whiskey, but it’s not! Bourbon is made from grain mash consisting of at least 51% corn, while Scotch is typically made from malted grains. Another distinguishing factor is that Scotch typically has a smokier taste, while Bourbon tends to be sweeter on the plate!
The Bluegrass State, better known as Kentucky, invented Bourbon in the 1700s. To this day, they produce approximately 95% of the worlds Bourbon and it’s actually their water that brings out the flavours! The vast amount of blue limestone in the waters of Kentucky filters out hard iron and imparts sweet-tasting calcium and magnesium, making their Bourbon the best in the world!
Types of Bourbon:
- Traditional: sweeter, full-bodied
- High-Rye: spicer, drier
- High-Wheat: smoother and softer, with earthy aromas
Other Important Components of Bourbon Include:
- It has to be aged in charred oak barrels, the flavour from the oak impacts the Bourbon drastically!
- It can be distilled to no more than 80% abv!
- It has to be bottled to at least 40% abv!
- It must contain no additives!
- To qualify as “straight Bourbon”, it must be aged for a minimum of 2 years, no with no added colourings or flavours!
Picking The Right Bourbon
When choosing the right bottle of Bourbon it’s important to look at the label. If the bottle says “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey”, you know it’ll be good because if it’s made in Kentucky, it’s usually aged for at least 4 years! Another thing to keep in mind is that some companies are using white corn for their Bourbon, which is lighter in taste and doesn’t have the usual flavours of regular Bourbon. So, look for 51% corn on the label as well as no cameral colourings and vanilla extracts. Remember, all the flavours should be coming from the aged charred oak barrels!
Food Pairings:
- Grilled, Smoky Steak
- Assortment of Cheeses
- Chocolate
- Sweet Potato
- Maple Syrup
- Olives
- Apples, Pears, Peaches, Blueberries, Cherries
My Picks
Jim Beam White Label Bourbon
Basil Hayden Kentucky Bourbon
Sangria Recipes
The Ultimate Red Wine Sangria Recipe With Bourbon-Soaked Sugar Fruit
Bourbon Apple Cider Sangria Cocktail
