It is the beverage of choice before, during and after the great horserace, the Kentucky Derby which was held last May 1st. The mint julep a sweet and smoky riotous affair of mint, sugar, crushed ice and bourbon, is best served in silver or pewter cups to maintain a maximum frost level. But bourbon can he enjoyed throughout the year and throughout the land. Kentucky bourbon is the real deal bourbon, a homegrown American whisky, a savant blend of corn and rye, aged to a sweet perfection.

In fact, bourbon is about as American as you can get. Early settlers to the region around Lexington, Kentucky and its fine spring waters were already distilling brews back in the late 18th century. The spring waters that burst forth from limestone deposits, which it was said made the blue grass blue, was key in this great homegrown whiskey. When the barley crop failed one year they mixed barley mash with corn mash and the excellent result was bourbon. Today federal law requires that all bourbons have 51% corn in this make-up. The Gourmet Gazette brings to you a fine selection of this classic American whiskey, a summertime and all the time favorite.

Blanton’s Original was the first bourbon to be bottled from a single barrel back in 1984. Each bottle comes from one single cask and so each batch is unique. The entire bottling process is undertaken by hand from the filling up of the bottles to sealing them, labelling them and then numbering each bottle before it is placed manually into a case. This bourbon is a rich affair, like all bourbons actually, offering up savors of vanilla, toffee, clove and ripe fruits and spices.

Weller, described as the Original Wheated Bourbon is aged for 12 years, much longer than traditional bourbons. The rye has been replaced by wheat in this unique bourbon with a deep bronze color and whose complex savor is marked by notes of vanilla, oak and cinnamon.

Meanwhile the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky has been distilling award-winning bourbons for over 200 years. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is characterized by its deep amber color and complex aroma of vanilla, mint, candied fruits and molasses. Produced on the scenic banks of the Kentucky River where buffalo tracks remain still today, this bourbon is distilled from corn, rye and barley. The house also distills Blanton’s Single Barrel and the Weller bourbons.
©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette
Fine selections of Bourbons in Paris, France
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Fine selections of Bourbons in New York, New York
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