The Corn Supremacy

When they love something in America, they get legislative with it! These Whiskeys have been through a lot to call themselves Bourbon collectively, but individually, they illustrate just how diverse the corny Whiskey sub-genre really is today.

Smell and 'Kentucky chew' your way through 3 different approaches to Whiskey-making. Start in the Bluegrass State to set the bar and take it to the Land of Lincoln to discover what's in a Mash Bill and how to apply archival knowledge to work for the future correctly.

Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Not your average 4-Bourbon blend! The Yellowstone brand's history goes back to the late 1800s but was fairly recently revived by Paul and Steve Beam, who have many of the original recipes of the Dent family. The Dents were owners of the brand at one point and are related to the Beams. The goal for this refined, award-winning blend of traditional Whiskies aged between 4 and 7 years is to be a well-balanced Whiskey sip with the perfect harmony of spice and caramel smoothness at 46.5% Abv. What a success.

Koval Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey: Having a rich family legacy to reference must be nice, but it's optional for making supreme Spirits. For Koval, the family tie isn't in distilling but a fearless attitude. Founded by a married couple in honour of their Austrian Grandfather, who traded trier 'day jobs' for distilling, they created something authentic. So organic, grain-to-bottle operation based in Chicago came to be. Sample an award-winning, 94-Proof, Kosher(!) Spirit crafted with 51% corn & 49% millet. Words like chic, modern, and cool come to mind.

FEW Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Named after the ultra-determined suffragette and Prohibition advocate, this brand takes the dry Illinois history and starts a new chapter in Chicago's distilling story. The aim is to craft a grain-to-glass Bourbon to rival any iconic neighbours'. Take a 3-grain recipe combining the southern vibe with the northern rye spice & a lil' malt made in small batches, and aged in charred oak, bottled at 46.5% Abv. Mission accomplished.

If there's one thing we wish you'd take away from experiencing this delicious selection is that contemporary Bourbon production is reaching far beyond the traditional with a sense of responsibility towards the consumer and the environment.

Flavour fancies the ones who try! Do it.

Smartass Corner:

1.) Not only should you consider eating more Millet for the fibre, nutrients, and protein, but because it takes more than 60% less water for cultivation, so - do the math!

2.) Kentucky chew is a way of tasting Whiskey by moving it through your mouth and almost smacking, chewing the liquid so the flavour profile can develop properly on your palate and it doesn't burn.

3.) Rules of Bourbon. Must be matured in new and charred American white oak casks for at least 2 years. No age statement? The Bourbon is at least 4 years old. No colouring or flavouring is allowed, and the mash bill must have at least 51% corn.

4.) Kentucky gets all the Bourbon fame as almost 95% of it is produced there. But it can be made anywhere in the United States.

5.) Bourbon, a new barrel Spirit. It's legally required only to be aged in brand-new oak charred barrels.

6.) American White Oak is naturally high in vanillins, hence the ever-present vanilla in the Bourbon flavour profile.