Bourbon, whose name comes from an area known as “Old Bourbon” in Kentucky, is a whiskey that’s distilled from corn. For a whiskey to be considered bourbon, the grain mash must be at least 51 percent corn. By law, the mixture must be stored in charred oak containers and cannot contain any additives.

The type of whiskey generally accepted as bourbon today can indirectly trace its name back to a dynasty of French royals.

Throughout the 19th century, bourbon grew and grew in popularity, being cheaper than imported liquors, relatively easy to distill thanks to the abundance of corn.

Kentucky state sits atop vast deposits of blue limestone, which filters out hard iron and imparts sweet-tasting calcium and magnesium in the water. From 1920 to 1933, Prohibition ruined many bourbon distilleries. Some of the majors came back, but it would not be until the late 20th century that bourbon saw a true resurgence, with craft distilleries and new small-batch runs from the majors popping up.

Today, bourbon is by far the most widely exported American spirit (factoring in Tennessee whiskeys as well), and total bourbon sales are near $3.7 billion dollars a year, with $2.7 billion of that figure coming from domestic sales.

Interesting fact:  According to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, the Bluegrass State produces and ages approximately 95 percent of the world’s bourbon whiskey.