For Kentucky, Bourbon is King. It began in Kentucky in the 1700s with the first settlers. Farmers learned that converting corn and other grains to whiskey made them easily transportable. Since that time, Kentuckians have continued the heritage and time honored tradition of making bourbon. The process has remained unchanged.
How did Bourbon get its name? One of Kentucky's original counties was Bourbon County, which was established in 1785 when Kentucky was still a part of Virginia. Farmers shipped their whiskey in oak barrels, stamped Bourbon County, down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. The long trip aged the whiskey, with the oak wood giving it the distinct mellow flavor and amber color. Soon whiskey from Bourbon County grew in popularity and became known as Bourbon whiskey.
In 1964, Congress officially recognized Bourbon's place in history and declared it a distinctive product of the United States. In Kentucky they call it "America's Official Native Spirit".
Today Bourbon is a significant industry in Kentucky with many distilleries. People now come as tourist to take the Bourbon Trail. It is stated that 2.5 millon visitors from all 50 states and 25 countries have take the Bourbon Trail in the last 5 years.
The Bourbon Trail was started in 1999 by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. There are now eight distillers on the official trail. They include Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Town Branch, and Evan Williams.