To the editor – Finally, a break from political discourse.
Some people who know me marvel at my obsession with “brown spirits”. I will vehemently deny that I have a drinking problem, but will gladly admit that I do get a little too overwhelmed by collecting. Although my cultural roots are deep in Scottish / Irish descent, my lineage has traveled through parts of the South, primarily Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Now every respectable whiskey (whiskey) fan knows that the distillation of bourbon (a truly American spirit) has certain requirements that are very different from rye, Scottish, Irish, Tennessee, Canadian, Japanese or blended American whiskeys. All bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon.
Having the opportunity to travel a lot through Kentucky, where 95% of bourbon is distilled, aged and bottled, my wife and I realized we had become “bourbon snobs”. I am writing this not to expose my knowledge of bourbon, but instead to encourage those interested in American history to explore how closely the history of bourbon is tied to the history of our country. Immigration, migration, taxation, scandals, politics, great wealth gained and lost, all tied to the history of bourbon.
Grab a book, a drink and enjoy! Hello!
