The Spirit World

In celebration of the upcoming Kentucky Derby, today’s Drinks Around the World is going to take a look at Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Like wines from the historical growing regions, labeling a product Kentucky Straight Bourbon means something specific and is governed by law. The spirit must be made from at least 51% corn, while the remainder (and what gives each brand its unique taste) is generally barley malt, rye or wheat. While 51% corn is the minimum, most distillers actually use somewhere in the 65% - 75% range. In addition, the whiskey must be aged for at least two years in new white oak barrels which have been charred. The depth of the char is another defining characteristic of each brand. Nothing can be added to affect color, flavor or sweetness, and the whiskey cannot be altered by any process, such as charcoal filtering which is used by some whiskey distillers. The Kentucky Distiller’s Association says that what makes their Bourbon special is the Kentucky spring water and its lack of minerals.

The name “Bourbon” comes from a county or district in Kentucky. There are various stories about the connection but the one thing they have in common is that the name was soon used by others who wanted to associate themselves with the popularity of the name.

Today you will find additional distinctions in bourbons. Singe barrel is pretty much what you’d think it is - bourbon bottled from a single barrel, not from a blend of barrels as is most common. Often these barrels come from the heart of the storage shed where the temperature and climate are most controlled. Once identified as being especially good, they may also be aged for a longer period of time before bottling.

Small Batch bourbons are sort of a compromise between the traditional method of mixing many barrels for bottling and bottling from a single barrel. Instead, a small number of barrels, identified as being particularly high quality, are mixed with the idea, again like wine, that each barrel will bring something to the blend.

Each year this American classic is celebrated at it’s own festival, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. This year it will be held September 13 - 17. Attendees have their choice of several events and can tour many participating distilleries. In honor of this event, our drink today is the Official Drink of the 2006 festival.

Island Mango Slush

9oz. Kentucky Bourbon
¾ Mango, peeled & diced
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Ginger Root, peeled & diced
4 oz. Ginger Ale
4 cups Ice
1 sprig Mint, Leaves Picked

Combine all ingredients in blender and pulse until slushy consistency. Serve in cocktail glass and garnish with mint and mango. Recipe submitted by Chris Howerton of Bourbons Bistro.