From the settlement of the Wild West to the space race, Bourbon has managed to find its niche as America’s native spirit.
It’s not that long ago that Bourbon was considered a cheap and inferior alternative to Scotch and Irish. Indeed, the boom in Bourbon over the past 40-odd years was spurred entirely by the success of Scottish single malts, which inspired Bourbon makers to shake off their inferiority complex and make bold, distinctive whiskeys that couold stand up to and compete with the best Scotland could produce.
And hasn’t it been a welcome move?
Centred on its spiritual home of Kentucky, Bourbon’s charm has spread to the very ends of the earth. Here, in other words.
Bourbon’s hold on this nation’s heart remains as firm as ever, with the American spirit making sure that New Zealand and Australia remain one of the few parts of the world where whiskey still trumps vodka for popularity.
But there is more to America than merely Bourbon. Rye, once a major player, especially in the northeastern states, almost disappeared entirely after Prohibition. American rye was a tiny segment until recent years, when major distillers such as Jim Beam began to take it seriously again.
Its renaissance has been a joy to watch. Spicier and less overtly fruity than Bourbon, rye is once again winning friends among consumers.
And then there are the liqueurs. This month we included two liqueurs in our American spirits tasting, one of them a Bourbon liqueur, the other Southern Comfort, a liqueur that has long been associated with Bourbon, even though these days it’s made with neutral spirit.
But for all the glories of rye and the sheer fun of the liqueurs, I keep coming back to the Bourbons. There’s something about that wonderful belt of sweet spirit that keeps me interested; the flavours that range from vanilla and dessicated coconut through the spectrum to dark, stewed fruit and leather.
It’s a great mixer and equally at home on its own in the glass, which is always the sign of a great drink. The other sign of a great drink is, of course, that a lot of people drink it and that’s where Bourbon really burns off the competition.
This month’s tasting was held at the Whisky Shop in Elliott Stables and the Panel consisted of
owner Bart Burgers, staffer Sam Snead, regular panellist Dave Batten, and myself.  We were also lucky enough to be joined
by Chase Bickerton, Bourbon fanatic and award-winning bartender at the Corner Store.

Click here to download the tasting notes.