I finished reading “Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey” It was an insightful read and extremely informative. If you are a whiskey geek, then this book is definitely for you. There much misty-eyed sentimentality towards America’s native spirit, and the author cuts through all of it to takes us from colonial era to present day.
What sticks out in my mind though is how messy the business really is and how chance, taxation, overproduction, and a few key legislators are really where “bourbon” as we know it is born. My takeaway from this book however, is that the American Whisky industry isn’t set in stone and has some real potential to diversify. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: America is ready for another Class Designation for whisky.