Once the bill passed, Schenley began promoting its aged bourbons–creating the illusion that when it comes to bourbon, the older the better. With more bourbon on hand than he knew what to do with, the Schenley Distillery lobbied the US Government to pass a bill giving producers more time to hold onto their stock before paying taxes on it.

The Birth of Aged Bourbon: Aged bourbon was not considered desirable until the Korean War, when one distiller overestimated the grain shortages that would result from the conflict.Regional Domination: Today, the north-central region of Kentucky produces 95 percent of the world’s bourbon.The difference between the two comes in aging and the barrel selection: Pappy Van Winkle’s youngest bourbon is aged for 15 years, and Buffalo Trace cherry picks the best of the best of the barrels for it, leaving the rest of what is still very good bourbon for the W.L. Both bourbons are made from the same recipe, or “mash,” in industry parlance. Weller 12-Year Bourbon, also made by the Buffalo Trace Distillery, is nearly identical.

A Cousin of Pappy: Wanna try Pappy van Winkle but can’t get your hands on it? W.L.

Up until then, the liquor had been sold straight from the barrel, usually into whatever container the customer had brought with him.

The First Bourbon Bottles: Around 1870, Old Forester became the first bourbon to be sold in standardized sealed bottles.

If the flame sputtered because the alcohol content was low, the liquor was “under proof.” If it flared up like a bonfire, it was “over proof.” A steady and even flame, which occurs when whiskey is about 50 percent alcohol by volume, meant it was “100 percent proved.” That’s why today 100 proof whiskey contains 50 percent alcohol.

The Origins of “Proof”: The origin of the term “proof” to measure the alcohol content of a spirit comes from the following practice, in Mitenbuler’s words: “istillers would “prove”…a spirit’s strength by mixing it with gunpowder and lighting it on fire.

In that year, there were 14,000 distilleries in the United States.

Early Days: Already by 1810, the Ohio River Valley, where Kentucky is located, was producing more than half of the young country’s booze.

As I read the book, I noted a few particularly interesting tidbits.

Bourbon Empire by Reid Mitenbuler